Carper, Coons, Blunt Rochester Celebrate Federal Grants for Three Delaware Museums

Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, as well as U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.), announced three federal grants awarded to the Delaware Agricultural Museum, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. The grants, awarded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Inspire! Grants for Small Museums program, collectively total more than $120,000. In addition, over $87,000 in matching grants from outside sources were awarded to the Delaware Agricultural Museum and to the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science.

The three federal grants will go toward supporting specific projects at each of the museums, including the development of new exhibits, expanding access to art for underserved youth, and preserving archival resources for the generations to come.

“Our state has a rich history of supporting the arts and sciences. The Delaware Agricultural Museum, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science all play a pivotal role in preserving our shared past and helping us learn how we can work toward a brighter future,” said Senator Carper. “I applaud the Institute of Museum and Library Services for its support of these critical museums. These federal grants will go a long way toward ensuring that folks up and down Delaware are able to enjoy innovative education and preservation projects for years to come, and I’m excited to see how these museums continue to educate and engage our local communities.”

“Delaware is a small wonder of rich farming heritage, renowned artistry, and great natural beauty,” said Senator Coons. “The Delaware Agricultural Museum, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, in addition to being great places to visit, play an important role in explaining Delaware’s story and place in America, and supporting them at a federal level is vital.”

“Today’s announcement is all about empowering our museums to continue their engaging work across our state,” said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. “I am grateful to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for their support of the Delaware Agricultural Museum, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. These federal grants will help expand exhibits and programming all while increasing learning opportunities in agriculture, the arts, and nature and science for all Delawareans to experience.”

More information about the federal grants provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services is included below:

1. $75,000 will go to the Delaware Agricultural Museum to support the creation of outdoor exhibits focused on how renewable energy is used in agriculture and rural areas, including interactive exhibitions that incorporate water, wind, solar, and organic matter to demonstrate that renewable energy is integral to farming. The grant will also be used to contract additional staff for the project and facilitate a greater understanding of agriculture and energy for museum visitors. Additionally, the Delaware Agricultural Museum will receive a $85,250 matching grant from outside sources.
2. $24,438 will go to the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts to advance the museum’s afterschool arts club. The grant will fund partnerships with Title I high schools across New Castle County, while engaging under-resourced students with the arts across a variety of mediums. Students involved in this project will have the opportunity to participate in an exhibition to showcase their work.
3. $21,301 will go to the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science to increase protection of the museum’s songbird egg collection. The grant will support the rehoming of approximately 10,500 clutches of songbird eggs, representing over 2,000 species. The funding will be used to purchase archival materials and hire an intern to support the rehoming project. The ultimate goal of rehoming the eggs is to prevent the spread of Byne’s disease, a chemical reaction that can damage eggshells, and to ensure the continued preservation of the second-largest collection of eggs in North America. The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science will also receive a $2,175 matching grant from outside sources.

###