Center for Environmental Education and Natural History

Support the Museum

Friends of the Museum
Although the Hefner Zoology Museum (HZM) is supported by university funds, we also rely heavily on private donations and sponsorships. The Friends of The Hefner Zoology Museum consists of individuals and groups that hope to raise environmental awareness and support environmental education in Ohio. All money raised by the Friends of the HZM goes directly toward programs that teach children about animals and animal habitats.

As a Friend of the HZM, you’ll receive notice of lectures and receptions, as well as a 10% discount on purchases made at the museum or at our virtual store. We appreciate your contributions, whatever the size! For more information, please contact:

Lisa Rosenberger Streit
Hefner Zoology Museum
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056
(513) 529-6086
streitlv@muohio.edu

or print off and mail in our Friends of the HZM form to:

104 Upham Hall
Miami University
Oxford, OH 45056

The Center for Environmental Education and Natural History
In addition to the Friends program, the Center for Environmental Education and Natural History (the Center) also contains exhibits, programs, and special projects which are available for full or partial sponsorship and naming.

The Center encompasses the Hefner Zoology Museum and all related resources and endeavors: physical spaces/galleries and exhibits, educational programs (including the GREEN Teachers Institute), environmental curriculum materials (including the Biosphere Project), and conservation projects. The Center currently is seeking an endowment of $2 million.

Exhibits
Exhibit sponsorship includes support for each exhibit's related programs and activities. Click on the appropriate links below to view an exhibit's Virtual Tour page.

The Vernal Pool: A Spring Phenomenon—$20,000
Animals of Southwest Ohio Mural—$3,000
Animal Classification—$20,000
Naturalist's Desk—$15,000
Web of Life (3 displays)—$30,000
Home—$50,000
Environmental Modification (4 displays)—$20,000

Programs for Teachers
Teachers can enhance their ability to teach science through the Hefner Zoology Museum's GREEN Teachers Institute (GTI), the programming arm of the Hefner Zoology Museum. The GTI currently offers five workshops:

With a $5,000 donation, you can support any one of these workshops for 30-40 teachers.

Special Projects
Always keeping the future in mind, we are developing several special projects that will enhance and expand the museum’s resources and allow us to continue to provide the same quality educational and environmental programs in years to come:

The museum's smaller gallery (112 Upham Hall) has been redesigned as the Imaginarium, a discovery center for children ages 3-8. $200,000 for endowment
The Paul M. Daniel Classroom, Mammal Lab, and Library will be reinvigorated spaces for research and teaching. $200,000 per room for endowment
The Mollusk Gallery will display various types of molluscan habitats and collections. $50,000 for renovation, $200,000 for endowment.
The Diversity Gallery will display the remarkable adaptations of both birds and insects and Southwest Ohio’s natural diversity. $50,000 for renovation, $200,000 for endowment.
The Women’s Science, Math, and Technology Sabbatical program allows local teachers to pursue independent research and advance education within Southwestern Ohio. $240,000 to provide for five years of teacher salaries and expenses.
The Protecting Our Global Environment Spanish Translation project seeks to provide Spanish-speaking schools with educational materials that address current environmental concerns. $75,000 for salaries and related expenses.
The Costa Rica Project will advance educational and environmental development in Costa Rica, as well as building stronger ties between Miami University and Costa Rica. $500,000 for endowment, $300,000 for facility construction, $100,000 for land acquisition, $25,000 for supplies.