ROCHESTER, NY—The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) hosts its fifth annual major fundraising event, Innovation Celebration, on Friday, September 30. Community members are invited to sponsor the event or purchase tickets to join members, donors and staff for an agriculture-themed event celebrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The event begins at 6pm.
“The fields of agricultural science and technology are growing and we are excited to inspire interest in these areas,” said Kate Bennett, president, RMSC. “We celebrate those who support our efforts and look forward to offering more intriguing, hands-on experiences in the future.”
At the evening event, attendees will immerse themselves in the science of agriculture and beyond, network with fellow RMSC supporters and get hands-on with the Museum’s 200 interactive exhibits. Throughout the evening, RMSC experts will perform spectacular experiments and attendees will view nature education videos from the Cumming Nature Center. Guests will also get an exclusive preview of select exhibit components that will soon be on display in the upcoming Elements of the Extreme immersive exhibition, where guests will take an unexpected journey through the most powerful forces in the planet— earth, air, fire and water. Attendees will enjoy an open bar with specialty drinks, food stations and hors d’oeuvres, as well as live music from Uptown Groove. Silent and live auction items include a five-course dinner for eight with wine pairings at The Revelry and an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, among many other exclusive items and experiences.
Funds raised at this year’s event will support the Museum’s important efforts to engage guests of all ages and backgrounds in immersive science, technology, engineering and math opportunities, which spark a passion for lifelong learning and build foundations for bright futures for our community members.
Support for Innovation Celebration will help the RMSC continue to engage families, friends and groups in exciting discovery experiences, and serve as a resource for informal STEM education. The RMSC inspires interest in STEM through hands-on experiences, spectacular science experiments, explosions and theatrical performances, a preschool, science day camps and 1.2 million collection items—many that tell the story of Rochester’s innovative past. Support also allows the RMSC to serve the community by subsidizing admission and transportation costs, making it possible for nearly 20,000 underserved children, families and school groups to visit each year.
The chairs of Innovation Celebration are Liv and Jeff Burkey. This year’s honorary chairs are Christine and Steven Whitman. Jeff is a current trustee of the RMSC board and a past RMSC Preschool graduate. Christine is an honorary trustee.
Tickets for the event are $200 per person and can be purchased by contacting Katie Mackey at 585.697.1973, kmackey@rmsc.org or online at www.rmsc.org. Valet parking is available. Cocktail attire is suggested. Share socially with #RMSCgala.
The RMSC hosts its Innovation Celebration annually. The fundraising event themes change yearly and support the RMSC mission.
For high-resolution images and additional information, contact Amanda Bayer, Marketing Communications Manager, RMSC at 585.697.1962 or amanda_bayer@rmsc.org or visit the Press / News section of our website at www.rmsc.org/press-news.
Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top three most visited attractions serving children and families. For more information about RMSC, visit www.rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
