IMAS

The Junior League of McAllen, Inc. has awarded the International Museum of Art & Science a $15,000 grant to help pay for the Science On a Sphere (SOS) exhibit now on permanent display. Serena Rosenkrantz, IMAS Executive Director states, ” The SOS exhibit is currently attracting thousands of families to IMAS, and has helped increase school tour visits to the museum by 450% compared to January of last year. Those kind of statistics are truly astonishing and help bear witness to what this community loves to see happening at IMAS. We are exceedingly grateful to the The Junior League of McAllen, and to all of the contributors who have so generously helped us to offer an exhibit of this stature.” Pictured from left: Serena Rosenkrantz, IMAS Executive Director and Eva Tavarez, JLM President.

On Wednesday, January 14, 2009 IDEA Academy students were welcomed to the International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) by Board Member, Dr. John Gerling, in the IMAS Rio Scape Playground, the Rio Grande Valley’s only interactive science playground. The students were visiting IMAS for a guided tour of the museum’s exhibits, including the newly-installed Science On a Sphere (SOS). Science On a Sphere is the first exhibit of its kind in the State of Texas and only the 34th in the world. Since September 2008, utilizing and seamlessly integrating technologies, SOS has provided over 7,000 students with a dynamic, unique and lasting glimpse into our Solar System and Earth.

The guided tour passes for the IDEA Academy were provided by IBC Bank, a major sponsor of the Science On a Sphere Exhibit. IMAS leaders unanimously decided to purchase SOS to encourage science exploration by intriguing the young minds of our community with this stat-of-the-art exhibit. Science On a Sphere is a permanent science exhibit at IMAS, the first permanent exhibit that has been purchased in over 7 years.

Other sponsors for the exhibit include: Wells Fargo; Junior League of McAllen; Bill & Lilly Ranganath; Dr. & Mrs. John Gerling; City of McAllen; Johnson Controls Foundation; The Alleyn Family; JP Morgan Chase Foundation; Dr. & Mrs. Roger Vitko; Arthur Hughes, CFP, Private Wealth Advisor; Domit Apartments; HEB; Doctors Hospital at Renaissance; McAllen Rotary Club; Wayne & Alma Ortega-Johnson; IMAS Guild; Frost Bank; Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Crisafulli; North McAllen Rotary Club; Loring Cook Foundation; Tavarez Medical Center; and Yzaguirre & Chapa. The sponsorship benefits included a specified number of school tour passes to be distributed at the discretion of the organization or person.

IMAS is exceedingly grateful to all sponsors for their generous support in promoting youth science education in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact IMAS Executive Director, Serena Rosenkrantz, at 956-682-0123. Photo caption: Dr. Gerling welcoming IDEA Academy students in the Rio Scape Playground at IMAS.

Members of the International Museum of Art & Science Guild will have their annual Rummage Sale on Saturday, February 7, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. located at the International Museum of Art and Science, 1900 Nolana Ave, McAllen, TX 78504. Proceeds from the sale of last year’s donations of ’stuff’ went toward the funding of the popular Science On a Sphere exhibit. This year’s proceeds will continue to fund educational programs at the museum. Join us in the continued development of educating our community about art and science.