January 14, 2021

For Immediate Release – January 14, 2021 | 5pm

Media Contact:
Matt Pusateri, Senior Director of Marketing
(919) 220-5429 x390 | matt.pusateri@lifeandscience.org

DURHAM, NC – The Cannon Foundation has awarded the Museum of Life and Science a $30,000 grant to improve accessibility, diversity, and inclusion.

This grant will fund updates at the North Event Area, currently accessed by the Ellerbe Creek Railway train. Guests who use a wheelchair will be able to deboard the train using a new access ramp and landing platform system and easily navigate the activities and programs. A new outdoor path system will make areas such as our Pumpkin Patch Hay Maze accessible to all interested visitors.

This grant also allows the Museum to continue to update our outdoor signage to be Spanish/English bilingual into our next major project, Explore the Wild. Signage in both Spanish and English will outline activities, guide observations, and build skills that encourage guests notice new things about the world around them.

“This work will allow us to further expand our offerings to our diverse and valued community,” shared Roy Griffiths, VP of Exhibitions and Planning.

The Cannon Foundation was established in 1943 by Charles A. Cannon, President and CEO of Cannon Mills Company. The Foundation continues his philanthropic legacy by funding capital and equipment projects for organizations across Mr. Cannon’s home state of North Carolina.

The Museum looks forward to working with The Cannon Foundation on this exciting new project, which will begin later this year.

About the Museum of Life and Science

Located less than five miles from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top family destinations. Its mission is to create a place of lifelong learning where people of all ages embrace science as a way of knowing about themselves, their community, and their world. Situated on 84-acres, this outdoor science park’s immersive environment and two-story science center inspire curiosity, scientific thinking, and the desire for lifetime learning. The Museum is proud to be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. To learn more, visit lifeandscience.org.