Donors & Sponsors

Most of the Museum's special exhibits and events would not be possible without the generous financial support of our donors and sponsors. Gifts and grants to the MMNS Foundation demonstrate the enthusiasm with which our supporters embrace the Museum's mission to bring Mississippians the finest natural museum possible.

Opportunities for giving include endowment fund gifts, donations, grants, life requests, memorials, and honorariums. They come in all shapes, sizes, and purposes and make exhibits, educational programs and special events possible.

Thank you for helping the Museum grow!

• Click here to join the Museum Membership Foundation online or make an online donation. 
• Click here to download a Museum Membership application
• Call (601) 576-6000 for more information

Donor Benefits
Museum sponsors of special projects or events are entitled to a unique package of benefits with significant recognition opportunities, which include the following:

• Use of Museum for a single private event
• Use of outdoor event spaces for a single private event
• Exhibit/event naming opportunity
• Recognition plaque
• Permanent listing in the Museum lobby
• Prominent listing in the Museum newsletter
• Two invitations for member-only events, select events, all previews and receptions, Director's  Luncheon, and Director's Reception and Tour
• A total of 50 guest passes (one-time use)
• Museum t-shirt
• Museum poster
• Volunteer and support group opportunities
• One Family Membership which includes admission to the MS Museum of Natural Science and more than 200 other museums through the ASTC Passport Program

Steadfast Supporters
Steadfast supporters are donors who have contributed to the Foundation for a variety of projects and interests. 

$100,000 - $200,000

• Abe Rotwein Family
• The Chisholm Foundation
• Regions Bank
• Deposit Guaranty/AmSouth Foundation
• Ergon
• Bryant Mather
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

$50,000 - $100,000

• BellSouth
• Magalen O. Bryant  & Tara Wildlife Management
• Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• Chevron
• Entergy
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Friede Goldman
• Gannett Foundation/The Clarion-Ledger
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Phil Hardin Foundation
• Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Hughes
• Irby Companies
• Richard McRae, Jr., Family
• Mississippi Chemical Corporation
• Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/Shell Marine Habitat Program
• Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow

 

 

$25,000 - $50,000

• Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
• Bureau of Land Management
• Delta and Pine Land Company
• Foundation for the Mid South
• Georgia-Pacific Corporation
• International Paper Foundation
• Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Merrill Lynch 
• Mississippi Power Company
• Mississippi Valley Gas Company
• Molpus Woodlands Group
• Paul T. Benton
• Plum Creek Foundation
• Pruet Companies
• Trustmark National Bank
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• U.S. Forest Service
• Mr. & Mrs. William J. Van Devender
• The Walker Foundation
• Dr. & Mrs. Julian Wiener
• Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation
• Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board 

$10,000 - $25,000

• The Armstrong Foundation
• BancorpSouth Foundation
• Betsy & Wade Creekmore
• Cellular South Foundation
• Feild Cooperative Association 
• Howard Industries, Inc.
• Mississippi Arts Commission
• MS Department of Environmental Quality
• Mississippi Forestry Association
• Mississippi Forestry Foundation 
• National Geographic Society Education Foundation
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Sanderson Farms
• Soterra LLC
• Sprint PCS/US Unwired
• St. Dominic Health Services
• The Straddlefork Foundation
• Wild Turkey Federation

 Endowment Fund
The Mississippi Museum Museum of Natural Science Foundation has joined forces with the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson to establish an endowment fund account designated for the Museum. 

 

The goal of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson is to create plans that honor the wishes of its donors. A CFGJ endowment fund directs your gift to a designated charity or purpose. You identify the Museum as the recipient to benefit through your gift and CFGJ makes the annual distribution. This agreement will augment future donations through investments, collectively managed to yield annual earnings for the Museum and to go back into the principle to help it grow even more. 

Special Exhibit Sponsors
Without loyal patrons and sponsors, our work would be impossible.  Special thanks go to the following for their support of the special exhibits:

Animal Grossology:

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Sanderson Farms
• Nissan North America, Inc.
• Regions Bank
• Chris and Steve Zachow

A Forest Journey & Nature's Numbers:

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Sanderson Farms
• The Walker Foundation
• Feild Cooperative Association
• Paul Benton
• Plum Creek
• Trustmark Bank
• Chris and Steve Zachow
• Opal Dakin
• Halla Jo Ellis
• Wes Ellis
• Janice Larson

Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Sanderson Farms
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Janet and Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• Nissan
• Regions Bank
• Ergon
• Chris and Steve Zachow
• Marianne & Jack Dempsey
• Sheila Smith

Rainforest Adventure Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Sanderson Farms
• Walker Foundation
• Trustmark Bank
• Paul T. Benton
• Chisholm Foundation
• Feild Cooperative Association, Inc.
• Chris and Steve Zachow
• Brunini, Grantham, Grower and Hewes
• Sean Wesley Ellis
• Jackie and Avery Rollins
• Karen Whitworth
• Opal Dakin
• Janice Larson
• Halla Jo Ellis
• Matt Holleman III

Dinosaurs: Big, Bad, Bold Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Regions Bank
• Dr. Ollye and Dr. Aaron Shirley
• Chris & Steve Zachow

Animal Secrets Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• An anonymous sponsor
• The Chisholm Foundation
• Feild Cooperative Associates, Inc.
• Paul Benton
• Plum Creek
• Sanderson Farms
• Trustmark Bank
• Wheeler and Ashley Parker
• Chris & Steve Zachow
• Halla Jo Ellis
• Sean Wesley Ellis

Frogs! Beyond Green Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS)
• The Janet and Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• The Walker Foundation
• Regions Bank
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Chris & Steve Zachow

Amazing Butterflies Exhibit

• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS)
• Anonymous
• Clarion Ledger
• Paul Benton
• The Chisholm Foundation
• Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Sanderson Farms
• Trustmark Bank
• Chris & Steve Zachow
• Feild Co-Operative Association, Inc.
• Emme Wells
• Jennie McIntosh
• Ollye B. Shirley

Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived  Exhibit

• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS)
• Anonymous
• Clarion Ledger
• The Walker Foundation
• Comcast
• Nissan North America, Inc.
• Regions Bank
• Dr. and Mrs. Steve Zachow
• Mississippi Power Company
• Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Hughes
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: Home Sweet Home  Exhibit

• AT&T
• USDA Forest Services
• Anonymous
• Dick & Sally Molpus
• Feild Co-Operative Association, Inc.
• Paul T. Benton
• Plum Creek
• Sanderson Farms Inc.
• The Chisholm Foundation
• Trustmark National Bank
• Dr. and Mrs. Steve Zachow
• Family of Catchings B. Smith
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation

Monsters of the Deep Exhibit

• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Hughes
• Janet & Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• The Walker Foundation
• The Chisholm Foundation 
• Feild Cooperative Associates, Inc.
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Sanderson Farms, Inc. 
• Regions Bank
• Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow
• Dr. Ollye B. Shirley

Sustainable Choices Exhibit

• Entergy
• MS Department of Environmental Quality
• Jackie & Avery Rollins
• MS Wildlife Federation
• National Wildlife Federation
• The Natural Resource Initiative (NRI) 
• Environmental Coalition of MS
• Mississippi Council for Agriculture & Natural Resource Education (MSCAN)
• Mississippi 2020

DINOSAURS! Exhibit

• Janet & Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Paul T. Benton
• Chisholm Foundation
• Ergon
• Trustmark National Bank
• The Walker Foundation
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes
• Dr. & Mrs. Steve Zachow
• Avery & Jackie Rollins

 

Bone up on Bones Exhibit

• Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
• The Bower Foundation
• Baptist Health Systems
• Feild Cooperative Association
• Methodist Rehabilitation Center
• Sanderson Farms
• St. Dominic Health Services
• Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

Hunters of the Sky Exhibit

• Regions Bank
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Merrill Lynch
• Mr. & Mrs. Alex Alston, Jr.
• Ergon
• Dudley J. Hughes
• Nissan of North America, Inc.
• Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• Jackie & Avery Rollins
• Joye & Scott Steele
• Magalen O. Bryant
• Melissa & David Patterson
• Brunini, Grantham, Grower, Hewes
• Chris & Steve Zachow
• Deborah & Hunter Dawkins
• Deviney Construction Company
• Nora Frances & Vaughn McRae
• Rosalie B. Rotwein
• Ollye B. Shirley, Ph.D.
• Dick Hall
• Newt P. Harrison
• Hap & Hilda Owen
• Patagonia/Buffalo Peak Outfitters
• Drs. John & Connie Schimmel
• Robert Smith, M.D.
• Robert & Eleanor Weaver

 

Jewels of the Sea: Walter Anderson's Aquatica Exhibit

• Stuart C. Irby Company, Inc.
• Paul Benton
• Howard Industries
• Dudley Hughes
• Wade & Betsy Creekmore
• Feild Cooperative Association, Inc.
• Buffalo Peak Outfitters/Patagonia, Inc.
• Jack & Marianne Dempsey
• Avery & Jackie Rollins
• Ollye B. Shirley, Ph.D.
• Scott and Joy Steele
• Catchings & Lottie Smith

The World of Giant Insects Exhibit

• Janet & Luther Ott Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
• Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
• Merrill Lynch
• Trustmark Bank

Lost in the Amazon Exhibit

• Patagonia, Inc.
• Sanderson Farms, Inc.
• Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gasto
• Waste Management
• Trustmark Bank

 

Fossil Whale Exhibit 

• Ernest A. Klatt, Jr.

Fern Garden Exhibit 

• Robbie Fisher
• Lagniappe Foundation