2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT
MISSIONTo inspire children, connect families, and build community through exploration, exhibits, programming, and play.
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD
Unprecedented.
We can think of a lot of words to describe the early part of 2020, but, without a doubt, it was
unprecedented. As the year began, the museum had cause to be optimistic. We had just installed our new
original exhibit—The Floor Is Lava; we formalized of our wonderful partnership with Tulsa Public Schools to
serve as their STEM Center, we had the ground breaking of our new future site at Gathering Place, and we
were expanding our impact reach throughout the state. We did not, however, expect to temporarily close
the museum in March of 2020 along with other area attractions and businesses across Tulsa. But these
unprecedented events did not take the wind from our sails nor dampen our optimism.
With the doors closed, the museum’s work did not stop. On the heels of the closings, the need for creative
ways to provide equitable access to educational opportunities to Tulsa’s children and families came to
the forefront. Together with our partners in education, the museum turned to help meet the needs of our
community in new and innovative ways. The museum pivoted and began producing at-home STEM kits
and various filmed packages for schools and families. Zoom and remote programming became the norm
and and the museum was forunate to have the ability and resources to advance its mission in support of
children and families in new ways.
Thank you for your support. It has made an extraordinary difference during an unprecedented year.
Sincerely,
Raymond J. Vandiver, Ph.D. Jeremy Stanford
Executive Director/CEO 2019-20 President , TCM Board of Directors
DISCOVER ACCESSIBILITY
• 46% of students who visited Discovery Lab on field trips were fully-sponsored.
• Discovery Lab facilitated a total of 390 hours of sponsored outreach and museum education classes.
• 9,391 students experienced hands-on STEAM and health and wellness programming through outreach and museum classes.
• Women in Recovery alumni and their children enjoyed 12 outreach classes and family nights at the museum, with 257 total participants.
• 52 mothers and children reconnected through STEM learning activities lead by museum educators at David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center through a partnership with Parenting in Jail.
• 30 museum memberships were given to Department of Human Services caseworkers and therapists, providing them with a place to meet with clients and engage in meaningful play.
• 340 STEM kits with a Zoom class component were delivered to children at Riverview and Brightwaters Housing as part of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative.
• 75 Squishy Circuit kits and engagement training were provided to Tulsa Lawyers for Children.
• Tulsa Housing Authority enjoyed a family engagement night at the museum with Cookies and Science with Santa in December with a record breking 155 attendees.
ComCommunity Partners munity Partners
Tulsa Housing Authority Tulsa Housing Authority Family & Children’s Services: Parenting in Jail Family & Children’s Services: Parenting in Jail Family & Children’s Services: Women in Recovery Family & Children’s Services: Women in Recovery Oklahoma Department of Human Services Oklahoma Department of Human Services SoonerStart SoonerStart YMCA of Greater Tulsa YMCA of Greater Tulsa Domestic Violence Intervention Services Domestic Violence Intervention Services Parent Child Center of Tulsa Parent Child Center of Tulsa Pathways 2 Health Pathways 2 Health Choice Neighborhood Initiative Choice Neighborhood Initiative Tulsa Lawyers for Children Tulsa Lawyers for Children Children with Incarcerated Parents Children with Incarcerated Parents Tulsa Regional STEM AllianceTulsa Regional STEM Alliance
2019-20 School Partners 2019-20 School Partners
Eugene Field Elementary Eugene Field Elementary Rosa Parks Elementary Rosa Parks Elementary Sequoyah Elementary Sequoyah Elementary Garfield Elementary Garfield Elementary Ellen Ochoa Elementary Ellen Ochoa Elementary Clinton West Elementary Clinton West Elementary Dolores Huerta Elementary Dolores Huerta Elementary
ACCESSIBLE DISCOVERY
The Accessible Discovery Program‘s mission is to increase access and participation of
underserved children and families in informal learning experiences and programming. Entirely
underwritten by private foundation, corporate, and individual donors, the funding in this program
allows students and families to visit the museum, partake in STEM-based camps, museum classes,
and outreach programming at a free or reduced cost, and participate in family engagement nights.
THIS YEAR, THANKS TO ACCESSIBLE DISCOVERY...
DISCOVER GROWTH
830,782people impacted since opening in 2013—surpassing
projections by 141%.
6original exhibitssince opening
1,018current member
families
81,419*
total impact this year
TOTAL IMPACT 81,419 Admission 51,580
Members 15,550
General 36,030
Outreach 14,440
Field Trips/Groups 7,278
Classes 4,471
Rentals, Parties, & Events 3,383
Camps 267
*Museum closed due to COVID-19 March 16, 2020 - August 2020
DISCOVERY LAB IMPACT* July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020
DISCOVER A SHIFT IN OPERATIONS
“
On March 16, 2020, Discovery Lab temporarily closed it’s doors to the public in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of our guests
and staff.
During our closure, work did not hault. Discovery Lab shifted its operations to continue meeting the informal education needs of students
throughout our community. Immediately after the closure, work began to produce digital content that was shared across our media platforms
and distributed to area schools as a distance learning resource. Branded as Discover at Home, dozens of instructional and engaging STEM videos
have been catalogued as a tool for teachers, students, and parents.
In partnership with Rogers State University’s public access television channel and Tulsa Public Schools, Discovery Lab participated in a five-week
long broadcast series throughout April and May. This series focused on guiding elementary students through hands-on STEM activities that placed
emphasis on process skills such as innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.
Discovery Lab also teamed up with the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance to produce “STEM in a Bag” Kits that were delivered to students at
grab-and-go food distribution sites throughout the community. Discovery Lab contibuted to this effort by assembling thousands of Hoop Glider,
Kite, Parachute, and Propeller Power STEM in a Bag kits. In addition to assembling kits, Discovery Lab developed and produced videos that
featured Discovery Lab Executive Director, Ray Vandiver, Ph.D. and TRSA Executive Director, Xan Black, demonstrating how to use the kits while
explaining the science behind the activities.
Our popular summer camps were reimagined and turned into
self-paced or virtual offerings. Multiple options were available
including free “Discover at Home” downloadable activity sheets with
instructions and a list of materials, “Discover at Your Own Pace”
camps, comprised of five activities to be completed as desired,
and “Zoom-In on Discovery” camps that were a scheduled,
week-long camp option with ten total activities and two
daily classes with an educator via Zoom.
DISCOVER EXHIBITS
Each year, over 200 middle school and high school students in the Tulsa area participate in the
Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation Original Exhibits Design Challenge. The students develop proposals
for new and innovative exhibit ideas for Discovery Lab. Bixby High School students, Philip Rahal,
Luke Eichhorn, and Robby Founds, designed a prototype turning a popular game, The Floor is Lava,
to an exhibit. Their concept included obstacles that encourage collaboration and promote creative
engineering to navigate across the room without touching the floor (the lava). In January 2020, the
new Floor is Lava exhibit was installed with parkour elements designed by Motion Tulsa.
Discovery Lab is currently fabricating Phase I of a two phase, four year exhibit project. Phase I allows
for the production of a 1500-square-foot Earth Science exhibition for the current museum at Owen
Park. The components produced will be prototyped and tested on the museum floor, before being
re-purposed as a traveling exhibit that will travel throughout rural Oklahoma communities for two
years starting in September 2021.
Throughout the Phase I planning and execution, the exhibit components, corresponding curriculum,
and all aspects of the “traveling field trip” program will be evaluated to inform the development of the
larger, Phase II exhibition and traveling plan for the new museum at the Gathering Place opening in
summer 2021, reaching over 250,000 children and families while on exhibition.
Whitney Campbell and Steve Roche, presidents of the Tulsa Geological and Geophysical Societies
respectively, have organized a group of experts to advise the project – developing and refining the
content for exhibit experiences. Norm Hyne, founder of the Tulsa Geoscience Center, will serve as the
lead advisor and curator of the rocks and minerals that will be on display as part of the exhibition.
The seventh annual Electric Lime Gala was originally scheduled for
May 9th, 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in our
business model, we made the choice to postpone the event and
ultimately pivot to a virtual event to be held later in the year to
ensure the safety of our guests.
The committee began their work in December of 2019 and
continued fundraising efforts through the early part of 2020. The
event was co-chaired by Amanda Pauley and Neetin Sen. This event
raises important funds to support programming and experiences at
Discovery Lab.
THANK YOU TO OUR ELECTRIC LIME GALA SPONSORS
SPECIAL EVENTS
At Discovery Lab, families celebrated the New
Year with a family-friendly party on December
31st. The event sold out with over 400 people
in attendance. Guests counted down to the
Noon Year, when 10,000 balloons dropped
from the Discovery Lab ceiling.
NOON YEAR’S EVE
COOKIES & SCIENCE WITH SANTA
Santa made a special stop at Discovery
Lab for the third annual Cookies &
Science with Santa Members-Only
event. Members took photos with
Santa, participated in hands-on STEAM
activities, and danced along to carols
with the Discovery Lab band.
INTRODUCE A GIRL TO ENGINEERING DAY
On February 22, 2020, the museum celebrated
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. This event
wraps up Engineers Week and is an opportunity
for girls age 7-12, along with a parent or caregiver,
to engage in engineering activities and challenges
with industry professionals. Pioneers of Progress
was the theme of this year’s sell-out event.
KEEP DISCOVERING A GATHERING PLACE FOR TULSA
On Friday, February 21st, Discovery Lab held the grounbreaking ceremony at
the permanent site located at the corner of 31st and Riverside. Students from
Eugene Field Elementary School received shovels and hard hats to take part
in the ceremony alongside Discovery Lab Executive Director and CEO, Ray
Vandiver, Ph. D; Jeff Stava, Chief Operating Officer of the Tulsa Community
Foundation; Greg and Jamie Oliphant, the Discovery Lab fundraising campaign
chairs, and the superintendent for Tulsa Public Schools, Deborah Gist, Ed.D.
In Fall 2021, Discovery Lab plans to open it’s doors at the new museum
anchoring the southern end of A Gathering Place for Tulsa on Riverside Drive.
The work has already begun to innovate and prototype unique, world-class
experiences for the new 50,000 square foot museum.
The new museum will provide space, curriculum, and educators serving as
the Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) STEM Center. The new museum and education
center will also have the capacity to continue to provide services for all other
local and regional school districts as well.
FINANCESThe income and expense data below is as of June 30, 2020, and reflects financials for the fiscal year 2019-2020. If you have questions
regarding the financials or wish to request a copy, please contact Ray Vandiver, Executive Director, at [email protected].
INCOME July 31, 2019 – June 30, 2020
Contributed and Events $236,615
Admissions $172,001
Memberships $83,859
Groups / Field Trips $17,449
Birthday Parties / Facility Rental $28,193
Outreach / Museum Classes / Camps $84,827
Merchandise Sales $18,811
Other* $554,073
TOTAL $1,195,828
EXPENSES July 31, 2018 – June 30, 2019
Program Services $1,132,008
Management and Facilities $466,628
Organizational Advancement $194,303
TOTAL $1,792,939
EXPENSES Management and Facilities 26%
Organizational Advancement 11%
Programs/Guest Services/ 63% Outreach
INCOMEEarned Income 80%
Contributed Income 18%
Gala 2%
*Released from restriction.
THANK YOU2019–2020 ANNUAL DONORS
$2,000,000+
The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation
$500,000+
Sanford & Irene Burnstein Foundation
$250,000+
Arnold & Pat Brown Family
Mary K. Chapman Foundation
Kathleen S. Craft Foundation
$100,000+
American Electric Power Foundation
Coretz Family Foundation
DeKraai Family Charitable Foundation
Patricia & Donald Hardin
Gary & Anita Rathburn
Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation
$50,000+
Bank of Oklahoma
Cuesta Foundation, Inc.
Ed Darby Foundation/Ed Darby Equipment
Donald & Patricia Hardin
George Kaiser Family Foundation
$20,000+
Arts Alliance Tulsa
The Bama Companies
Burt Holmes
Oklahoma Energy Resource Board
$10,000+
Anonymous
American Residential Group
Cox Charities Fund
Crossland Construction
James & Cheryl Lefler
Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation
Stan & Marcia Lybarger
Vani Singhal & Raj Chandwaney, M.D.
Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance
T.D. Williamson
$5,000+
Laura & Francois Cardinal Foundation
Magellan Midstream Partners
Owl Nite Security
Sid Smith
Stanford Family Foundation
Jeremy & Becky Stanford
$2,500+
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Cherokee Nation Businesses
Conklin, Gilpin & Wertz, PLLC
The Gelvin Foundation
Anne & Mark Mannell
M.R. Metzger Family Foundation
Greg & Jamie Oliphant
Travis & Jill Owens
Pathways to Health
Stonebridge Group LLC
Gerald H. Westby Jr. Foundation
$1,000+
Arizona State University
Carrie & Jim Coles
Guy & Stephanie Arnold de Verges
Shan Glandon
Jean Kelley
Rich & Melanie Little
QuikTrip Corporation
RBR Partnership
Will Rogers Rotary
Security Bank
Southwood Landscape and Nursery Company
Sarah & Grant Stewart
Charles & Marion Weber Foundation
Kathleen Patton Westby Foundation
$500+
Lisa & Glenn Albers
Brent & Rebecca Allison
Andrew & Courtney Coffey
Ken & Dena Hirshey
John Reaves
Robertson Tire
Bernard & Marcy Robinowitz Family Fund
Smitty’s Garage
$1-$499
Elisabeth Alonzi
Amazon Smile Foundation
BlackBaud
Jeff & Tonia Brown
Jon & Jessica Engelbrecht
Nicole English
Chris & Kelly Jensen
Morgan Stanley
Nathan & Leanne Phelps
Kevin & Brenda Rubin
Lauren Sherry
Society of Women Engineers
Tulsa Engineering Foundation
PATRON MEMBERS
Michael & Rebecca Bagby
Mollie & JW Craft
Casey & Margaret Rosene Robinson
Terry & Carolyn Gartside
Kimberly Guinn
Johnny & Jennifer Harsha
Lynda Hocker
Ryan & Paula Keith
James & Carolyn Killerlain
Stephan & Latrell Olner
Katie White & Kaye Rucker
Al & Chris Shasteen
Shane Starkey & Sabryna Bolthouse
Mark & Angela Swift
Laura & Robert Thomas
Laurel & Timothy Williston
EXECUTIVE STAFF AND DIRECTORSRay Vandiver, PhD, Executive Director Anne Mannell, Director of Organizational Development Courtney Selking, Director of Education Lynnsey Childress, Director of Exhibits
2019–2020 GOVERNANCE BOARD Jeremy Stanford Lisa Albers Nathan Phelps Brent Allison Jeff Brown Andrew Coffey Nicole English Ken Hirshey Kelly Jensen Melanie Little Vani Singhal, Esq. Shan Glandon Stephanie Stump
560 North Maybelle Avenue Tulsa, OK 74127
918.295.8144discoverylab.org