Science Museum of Minnesota receives $6.5M donation, largest in its history

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Science Museum of Minnesota announced Wednesday the largest donation in its history.

The $6.5 million gift came from the estate of Dr. William D. Wells and will provide funding for the museum's chair of science position.

"We are proud and honored to be the recipient of Dr. Wells' historic gift," said Science Museum of Minnesota President and CEO Alison Rempel Brown. "At the Science Museum, our work is driven by our mission to create and deliver powerful, bold STEM experiences so more people can use science to improve lives. We are grateful that Dr. Wells recognized our value as a community resource to inspire people we serve to continue learning well beyond the classroom years."

Wells was "an accomplished marketing professional and university professor," per the museum. He most recently taught at the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

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The chair of science position " leads the group that cares for the museum's world-class collection and conducts active scientific research and outreach in anthropology, biology, paleontology, and environmental science," the museum said.

In 2019, the museum received an anonymous $1 million donation, which, at that time, was the largest in recent history. 

The museum, which sits on the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul, was founded in 1907 and sees more than a million visitors each year.