Estate and Planned Gifts
In addition to making outright gifts of cash or securities that benefit the Exploratorium today, a growing number of supporters are responding to the need to help secure the financial future of the institution by making planned gifts to the museum.

Since it was founded in 1969, the Exploratorium has been offering some of the finest exhibitions, programs, and activities of any museum in the world. Not only is it a museum filled with hundreds of engaging science and art exhibits, the Exploratorium is also a national center for teacher education, and has an award-winning Web site of teaching resources and a growing global network of partner museums.

To ensure that the standards of innovation, excellence, and education enjoyed at the Exploratorium today will be available to future generations, you can make a contribution that benefits the institution during or after your lifetime by including the museum in your estate plans. Such gifts are essential to assuring a stable future for this unique place, and can also offer significant tax advantages for you and, in some cases, can provide income for you or your chosen beneficiaries for life. Through careful planning and consultation with your attorney, financial advisor, or estate planner, your planned gift may also enable you to give more to the museum than you ever thought possible, while still providing for your loved ones.

Through your planned gift, you may choose to provide general support, or you may choose to designate your gift to one or more of the special funds for which the Exploratorium seeks endowment:

• The General Endowment provides funding for the museum’s program operations and facilities.

• The Visitor Programs Endowment contributes to the development and marketing of educational and entertaining exhibitions and programs for our visitors and online audiences.

• The Exhibits Endowment supports exhibit development and maintenance.

• The Youth Programs Endowment expands and preserves the museum’s outreach and education programs for children and youth.

• The Teacher Education Endowment supports the leadership demonstrated by the Exploratorium in providing teachers with professional development.

• The Exhibit-Based Teaching Endowment supports partnerships with other museums across the country and around the world.

Assets you can contribute: There are a variety of assets that you can donate to the Exploratorium.

Gift-planning ideas: There are several beneficial and flexible planned giving options that can help you accomplish multiple goals with your assets.

When you make a planned gift to the Exploratorium, you qualify for lifetime membership in the Oppenheimer Legacy Society, a distinguished group of Exploratorium friends who have included the museum in their estate plans.

Gifts of this nature should be carefully considered in relation to your financial and estate plans. We therefore recommend that you consult an attorney, financial advisor, or estate-planning expert in the preparation of your will or trust and to supervise its execution so as to comply with the requirements of your state.