The Denver Museum of Nature & Science broke ground Tuesday on its new Education and Collections Facility, which will add 126,000 square feet and five levels to its south side.
“Without the support of Denver voters, we would not have been able to make this happen,” said George Sparks, president and chief executive, recalling how volunteers stood at intersections waving signs in support of a bond issue.
“By golly, it worked,” he said.
Funded in part by the 2007 Better Denver Bond program, the new facility is to open in 2014.
The project includes a 40,000-square- foot Science Engagement Center spread over three floors above ground.
It also will feature a two-level, 60,000-square-foot underground space called the Rocky Mountain Science Collections Center, which will house 1.4 million artifacts owned by the museum.
The building will cost $56.6 million, said Sparks, of which $51 million already has been raised, including $30 million from the Better Denver Bond program.
Albus Brooks, who represents the area on the Denver City Council, gave special recognition to late Councilwoman Carla Madison, recalling how hard she worked to make the facility happen.
Then, he focused on educating the next generation.
“During a time when we’re struggling to figure out how to educate young people, we’ve invested $30 million of our own money for innovative education,” he said, adding that it will be of benefit to “low-income African- American, Latino and white children” in nearby neighborhoods.
The funding included a record $8 million gift from the private Morgridge Family Foundation — known for its financial support of programs creating 21st century classrooms that rely on technology to teach this generation’s tech-savvy kids.
More than 300,000 schoolchildren visit the museum each year.
The new addition also will benefit adults in the community, museum officials said, by adding a minimum of 130 full-time jobs.
Colleen O’Connor: 303-954-1083 or coconnor@denverpost.com
