Museum of Idaho receives grant after nine tries

IDAHO FALLS - - VO: 500,000 dollars that’s how much the Museum of Idaho will be receiving through a federal grant.

SOT: "The museum of Idaho is very proud to be the recipient of one of these very prestigious challenge grants from the National Endowment for humanities,” Executive Director David Pennock said.

VO: The $500,000 grant will go toward an addition for the museum of Idaho.

SOT: "With a new addition we can have that area with the traveling exhibits, we do have he period when that might be closed off, but then this area right here will be open and we can have exhibits in here full time,” Docent Jym Seydel said.

STAND UP: With the new grant received they hope to turn this parking lot into a new home for exhibits.

VO: Pennock says the museum sees twice the traffic similar sized museums do.

SOT: “The average museum in the United States of our same budget size sees 59,000 people a year, that’s their average attendance,” Pennock said. The Museum of Idaho’s average over 13 years has been 101,000 people a year.”

VO: He says members of the community largely support the museum and it’s programs.

SOT: "I think it’s one of the biggest assets to the community because it brings people together. I love the old pioneer exhibits especially," said visitor Alice Trumblee.

STAND UP: The museum is hoping to expand their Idaho History Exhibit as well as stay open year round. Reporting from Idaho Fall, I’m Natalia Hepworth EastIdahoNews.com