CHICAGO – May 17, 2023 –The Pritzker Military Foundation announces grants totaling $875,000 to support educational programs and renovation/construction projects at four museums across the country. An additional $425,000 in matching funds are available under these grants.
International Museum Day serves as a reminder of the invaluable role that museums play in society. The Pritzker Military Foundation recognizes these vital resources by supporting the following museums across the country dedicated to preserving military history and educating people of all ages:
- Eagle River Historical Societyand Museum– $300,000 to support Eagle River Historical Society’s (ERHS) Endowment Fund, new building addition construction and facility update project. The foundation will also match any private cash donations received by ERHS for student programs, up to $300,000 over three to 10 years. Located in the small northern Wisconsin community of Eagle River, ERHS is devoted to the preservation of local history. Its Historical Museum opened in May 2014.
- National WWII Museum – $300,000 to support the museum’s annual international conference on World War II. Located in downtown New Orleans, the National WWII Museum features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and an expansive collection of artifacts and first-person oral histories, taking visitors inside the story of the war that changed the world.
- Spy Museum – $150,000 to support the Spy Museum’s adult and youth educational programs. The museum documents the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage. It holds the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display. The Museum opened in 2002 in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and relocated to a new, expanded building with all-new exhibitions at L’Enfant Plaza in 2019.
- Wende Museum of the Cold War – $125,000 to support renovations to the museum’s Institute for Archival Research. Located in Culver City, Calif., the Wende is an art museum, cultural center, and archive of the Cold War that explores social, political, and cultural change. The foundation will also match any private cash donations received by the museum, up to $125,000 over one year.
“Museums have always been an epitome of knowledge, history and heritage that connect people across nations,” said Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), founder of the Pritzker Military Foundation. “They are not just institutions, but windows to the world’s past, present and future. These institutions preserve our collective memories by showcasing the stories from different perspectives with their unique artifacts, exhibits and interactive programs for visitors of all ages. The Pritzker Military Foundation recognizes this importance and supports various museums worldwide.”
To learn more about Pritzker Military Foundation grants, visit www.pritzkermilitaryfoundation.org/our-grants.
About the Pritzker Military Foundation
The Pritzker Military Foundation seeks to support the work of both the Pritzker Military Museum & Library—and similar nonprofit organizations—to preserve American military history, restore historic military artifacts and make them accessible to the public, and provide services and essential resources to active-duty military, veterans and families of service members in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. To learn more, visit www.pritzkermilitaryfoundation.org.