The Columbus Museum of Art plans to expand programs for students and teachers with a new $1 million gift from Battelle, building on a relationship that began nearly five decades ago.
The money will support the museum’s Fund for Learning, which launched in 2023 with a $1.2 million contribution from Battelle. The latest gift will help expand K-12 programming, develop partnerships with schools and youth organizations, and test new educational offerings, according to an Oct. 6 museum news release.
"Since 1977, Battelle has given us the freedom to experiment, evolve, and think boldly about what learning in a museum can be," said Brooke A. Minto, the museum’s executive director and CEO, in the release.
The gift was announced Oct. 2 at the museum’s annual
Art Celebration, where Battelle was recognized for its support of the museum’s educational work.
What will Battelle's gift support?
The funding will help the museum expand a teaching framework called Cultivating Creative & Civic Capacities, or C4, which is designed to help students develop creative thinking and participate in civic life.
The museum developed the framework with researchers from Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with funding from Battelle and the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.
Since Battelle's initial investment in the Fund for Learning in 2023, the museum has reached more than 120,000 young people, trained more than 1,300 teachers and shared resources with more than 30,000 educators nationally.
Minto said the contribution comes as the museum expands access through free admission for visitors 25 and younger.
A partnership dating back to 1977
Battelle’s first contribution to the museum in 1977 was its largest grant from a single source at the time, according to the release. In the 1990s, Battelle also funded an interactive exhibition for children and families that helped shape the museum’s approach to learning in its galleries.
Other educational initiatives include Wonder School, a preschool created with Columbus State Community College and The Childhood League Center, and the JPMorgan Chase Center for Creativity. The museum says more than 100 museums have visited the center over the past 20 years to learn about its approach.
“We are proud to continue investing in a partnership that helps prepare young people to approach the future with curiosity and creativity,” said Lou Von Thaer, Battelle’s president and CEO, in the release.
Trending reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Battelle gives $1M to Columbus Museum of Art for student programs
