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Idaho Museum of Natural History requests operating support for mobile museum to reach rural schools
Summary
The Idaho Museum of Natural History said a new foundation grant will buy a van and fund limited operations; the museum asked the committee for a small, ongoing general‑fund contribution to sustain travel and program materials beyond the grant term.
Kevin Campbell, Legislative Services Office analyst, presented the Idaho Museum of Natural History’s FY2026 request. The museum has 8.2 authorized FTP and houses more than 1.5 million artifacts, Campbell said.
Museum director Dr. Leif Tapanilla told the committee the museum received a three‑year grant from the David B. Jones Foundation totaling roughly $180,000 to purchase a van (the mobile museum) and fund part‑time educator salary for two years. The museum expects the mobile unit to travel about 6,000 miles annually to schools and libraries across Idaho with emphasis on rural areas. “The goal of that is … to reach every county in the state of Idaho every two to three years on that kind of a repeat schedule,” Tapanilla said.
Tapanilla said the grant covers the initial vehicle purchase and two years of part‑time staffing, but that operational costs — materials, exhibit maintenance and ongoing staffing after grant expiration — are not fully covered. The museum is seeking modest general‑fund support for ongoing operating expenses for the mobile program so the outreach will continue after the grant ends.
Senator Goode asked about meaningful outcome measures beyond gate counts; Tapanilla acknowledged that attendance is an easy metric but said the museum also tracks education interactions, loans to external exhibits, research and student training. He highlighted an upcoming Smithsonian loan that will feature Idaho specimens during the national semiquincentennial commemoration.
No votes were taken; committee members requested additional documentation on grant details and proposed performance measures for the mobile museum program.
