Kelley Bass

Kelley Bass said his passion and consideration of new perspectives have helped him during his two years as CEO of the Museum of Discovery.

A little symbolism also has helped.

Bass, 55, has worked to increase the funding base with new events, and he has tried to attract new board members from high-tech companies that “have a vested interest in the Museum of Discovery being a success.”

Successful new fundraising efforts have included Tinkerfest and Spark: Igniting a Passion for Science, Technology & Math, and representatives from Entergy, LM Wind Power and Welspun have been added to the board.

Attendance also has increased, and last year more than 50,000 schoolchildren visited the museum on school trips.

In addition, the museum’s own Kevin Delaney now appears from time to time as the resident science expert on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and the museum, with its 24 full-time and 12 part-time employees, has become the hub of a six-museum network in Arkansas, offering tinkering supplies and support when needed.

And every day since he was hired, Bass said, he has worn a suit and tie to work to symbolize to employees and the public just how important the museum, with its $2.1 million annual budget and statewide presence, has become to the community and state.

“Everybody knows the Museum of Discovery is fun,” he said. “We’ve got to stress to ourselves and everybody that we talk to that the [museum] is important and it is worthy of their support. … That’s the reason that from day one I have worn a suit and tie to a place where everyone dresses pretty casual.”

Bass has worked hard to push the educational value of the programs the museum offers.

“The high-tech companies have a vested interest in our programs,” he said. “We want the kids to come to the museum, to be comfortable with hands-on exploration related to science and technology. We feel we are an important part of the STEM education pipeline.”

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