An Update from Mat Sinclair, President/CEO

The Discovery inspires bright futures, but now we need your help in securing our own.

This week we made the difficult but fiscally responsible decision to temporarily close the museum for general attendance. On the eve of The Discovery’s 10th anniversary, this is not the way we envisioned celebrating the tremendous educational and cultural impact The Discovery has made in our community.

Since reopening to the public on July 3, 2020, following Governor Sisolak’s mandated closure of all nonessential businesses to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, museum visitation has been less than 20% of normal levels. According to the Association of Science & Technology Centers (ASTC), this follows visitation trends at museums throughout the United States.

As a nonprofit organization, The Discovery relies on revenue from museum admission, memberships and other paid programs to fund approximately 65 percent of the museum’s annual operating budget. The remainder is funded by generous philanthropic support from individuals, families, businesses and foundations. We realize the pandemic and its economic effects are impacting everyone differently, but if you’re able to provide financial support for The Discovery, now is the time. Please donate today!

As a result of the temporary closure we have been forced to lay off a significant portion of the museum’s staff. The layoffs are the definition of ‘regrettable attrition,’ as every employee who was impacted is an integral part of the team that helps make The Discovery the cultural asset our community truly needs and deserves.

As we continue the work of making sure The Discovery is in a stable financial position and can reopen when circumstances are better, your philanthropic support remains crucial. Support from our community is what made The Discovery a reality back in 2011, and we remain optimistic that our community will help the museum survive this severe financial shortfall. Without donations from our community, we will struggle to reopen and provide the enriching, hands-on science experiences you know and love.

We truly appreciate the patience, support, and understanding of our community, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the museum as soon as we can.

Sincerely,

Mat Sinclair, MPA
President/CEO