Meet Our Supporters
Nippert Legacy Foundations
Preserving the past and conserving the future.
The Nippert Legacy Foundations are making possible monumental educational experiences that make Cincinnati Museum Center unlike any other museum. The Museum of Natural History & Science inspires wonder and teaches basic principles of science, while also highlighting our active role in groundbreaking research. By connecting science and history, the Museum of Natural History & Science inspires the next generation to keep asking questions so that we can find tomorrow’s answers.
Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund
Empowering Women through Education
The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund was one of the first private foundations in the state of Ohio and the first foundation in the country solely dedicated to women and girls. Jacob G. Schmidlapp created the Fund after the death of his daughter with the hope of offering to young women and girls the same opportunities he would have allotted her. “The main focus of the Fund is to empower, enable and uplift women and girls, so our mission has been very focused on educating women and girls since it was created,” says Heidi B. Jark, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of the Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank which oversees the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund as Trustee.
Farmer Family Foundation
Unlocking future potential at Union Terminal
The Farmer Family Foundation has been a supporter of the Cincinnati Museum Center since helping to open The Children’s Museum in 1998. Recently, the Farmer Family Foundation helped honor two Cincinnati innovators with their support of the Smithsonian traveling exhibition Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission and Cincinnati Museum Center’s future John A. & Judy Ruthven Edge of Appalachia Gallery. Dick Farmer, Neil Armstrong and John Ruthven’s shared spirit of curiosity and determination led them each to excel in their chosen fields.
Western & Southern
Bringing the universe to Union Terminal
Nestled among the Eastern forests, the 20,000-acre Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System in Adams County includes a staggering array of unique ecosystems, plants and animals. Thanks to the support of Western & Southern Financial Group, Cincinnati Museum Center now has the opportunity to integrate the Edge of Appalachia into Union Terminal in honor of legendary artist and naturalist John A. Ruthven with the new John A. & Judy Ruthven Edge of Appalachia Gallery.
James Zimmerman
Exhibiting impact in our community
Five years ago, Cincinnati Museum Center embarked on an epic journey to transform into a premier destination in the Midwest and one of the truly great cultural centers in the world. The first step in this journey was a complete restoration and repair of Union Terminal, home to Cincinnati Museum Center and a unique architectural gem in our city.
Today, we have the opportunity to dream boldly and to accelerate our mission to improve lives and enrich our community. James Zimmerman realized this was an opportunity to step up and to make an impact.
Cynthia and Gregory Kenny
Mission driven, community focused.
Historic Union Terminal has had many evolutions. From its hub as an active train station, to its short-stint as a shopping mall and now home to Cincinnati Museum Center, it’s always been a place for the community to come together. With the restoration and reimagination of exhibits and experiences at Union Terminal, Cincinnati Museum Center is ensuring it secures its spot as a world-class institution and premiere destination in the Midwest. Cynthia and Gregory are supporting this next evolution of Cincinnati Museum Center with their commitment to the campaign.
Andy Walter
The reimagination of Cincinnati Museum Center: Enhancing the visitor experience of Union Terminal through technology
Following the restoration and repair of Union Terminal, we are able to position ourselves in the community as more than a building and more than a museum. CMC seeks to break through the expected and put you at the center of monumental experiences. Imagine that you can now use an app on your phone to navigate the intricate halls of Union Terminal. A grandparent points their tablet down the concourse to see it as it once was during the peak of its use as a train station. A group of students on a field trip lands on the moon with the help of a multi-projector 360° panoramic display of real NASA photography and computer-generated imagery and animation.
Andy Walter believes this is all possible and volunteers on the Board of Trustees to help make it so.
David and Debra Hausrath
The marriage between science and history.
Cincinnati Museum Center is the marriage between science and history. The Hausrath house is the same.
Since opening its doors in 1993, Cincinnati Museum Center has championed curiosity in the world around us. Through the collection and preservation of natural history and history objects, Museum Center is able to exhibit and inspire curiosity. In our Geier Collections and Research Center you can find the majority of our more than 3 million objects and specimens not currently on display, including Debra’s favorite – the ornithology collection.
Learn More
For questions or to connect with a member of the Philanthropy Team, please call (513) 287-7036 or email donate@vbj4.com.
