Funding for museums is always a challenge. Yes, there are many revenue sources, from gift shops and workshops to donations and fees.  But over the last few years, as governments have tightened funding, museums have started to search for alternate funding sources.  A few years ago we at the PBMNH tried out Kickstarter to raise funds.  Although the Expedition Dinosaur 2012 project ultimately was not funded, the video was quite impressive:

Still, the use of such crowd-funding sites is an important way for museums to fund projects.  So if you have a few extra dollars, consider contributing to the Smithsonian Institution’s Kickstarter to preserve Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit.

Reboot the Suit: Bring Back Neil Armstrong’s Spacesuit

“July 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, a feat so breathtaking in its scope and ambition that it captured the collective imaginations of audiences around the world. At the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, we use the power of real objects to tell stories like this one – stories of the vision, intellect, and courage of men and women who have overcome challenges and pushed boundaries to take the next giant leap for humankind.

For the Smithsonian’s first-ever Kickstarter campaign, we are proud to announce plans to conserve, digitize, and display Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit in time for this milestone anniversary…”

Of course, if you have a few more extra dollars, why not pick something up from the PBMNH’s Museum Store.  We have everything from a $45 replica Tyrannosaurus rex claw to a $42,000 replica mounted skeleton of Nanotyrannus lancensis.

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