When Diane LaFollette took charge of Mid-America Science Museum in 2013, visitor attendance and earned revenue were at historic lows, and contributions were lagging. The exhibits were outdated and the facility needed maintenance.
A major renovation, largely funded by a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, was planned, but the museum had to raise more than $350,000 for a required match. LaFollette said that within four months of arriving at the museum, she and the board had secured the matching funds, part of a $1.6 million capital campaign, and the $7.8 million renovation got underway.
When the museum reopened in March 2015, attendance rose, “and it was the shot in the arm the museum sorely needed,” she said.
But LaFollette saw that the museum needed to diversify and expand its financial resources, so she created the museum’s first development department.
Since the renovation in 2015, the museum has experienced a 90% increase in its budget, a 98% increase in earned revenue and a 650% increase in contributed revenue. It also has raised $3.9 million for projects that include the outdoor DinoTrek, the state’s only outdoor dinosaur exhibit.
Other achievements include leadership of a successful bond campaign to extend the 3% sales tax to fund a $2.1 million addition to the museum, the Hall of Wonder, which opened in 2020 and is used for temporary and traveling exhibits, science fairs, presentations, programming and evening events.
The museum has also partnered with the Hot Springs School District to offer programs like Science After School, an after-school care program, and training programs for teachers to integrate hands-on science into all areas of the school curricula.
LaFollette also has worked to increase community engagement with the museum, which has seen a 52% increase in attendance since 2014.
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