Fattah Announces $524,000 in Grants to Four Philadelphia Museums

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) announced today that four museums in his Philadelphia district will receive grant awards totaling $524,485 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Institute—a federal agency that works to inspire libraries and museums to advance lifelong learning and cultural engagement—awarded Museums for America (MFA) grants to the Mütter Museum, La Salle University Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Wagner Free Institute of Science.

"Each of these grants will expand their museum's capacity to serve our community, and bring arts, culture, and education into more Philadelphia homes and schools," Congressman Fattah said. "While representing a wide spectrum of topics, these four new initiatives will all boost opportunities to interact with local students through exhibitions, the development of new curriculum and lesson plans, and strengthened partnerships with educational institutions. I am thrilled this funding will allow our city to build upon its rich cultural history, and engage more students and families in the work of these wonderful museums."

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) will receive $150,000 for a School and Community Partnership Program focused in Latino neighborhoods. The project will launch a partnership with two consistently underserved Hispanic neighborhoods in Philadelphia that hold significant interest in exploring the role of art in education, family life, and community development. 

The Mütter Museum will use their $149,164 grant to develop a new interactive online exhibit exploring the role of medicine in American history. It will also develop a curriculum addressing national secondary school education standards in history, science, and health by utilizing their collections to boost an understanding of disease and engage audiences in STEM topics.

The Wagner Free Institute of Science will launch a new project with their grant award that will develop, prototype, and produce new interpretive tools to enhance visitor experience and engagement at the museum. Additionally, Wagner will directly involve college students and young adult visitors through an iterative process of prototype testing and refinement.

With their grant, the La Salle University Art Museum (LSUAM) will undertake a two-year database migration and digital access project to improve internal collections management processes and make its art collection available to public audiences online. The project will improve the ability of La Salle faculty and local educators to work with LSUAM's collections in designing lesson plans and improving opportunities for research and scholarship. 

The four Philadelphia museums were chosen to receive the competitive funding out of more than 624 applications submitted; nationwide, 211 projects will be funded. Museums for America is the Institute's largest grant program for museums that work to enhance the capacity for museums to best serve their communities.  Last week, Congressman Fattah announced that the Free Library of Philadelphia was awarded a $500,000 National Leadership Grant from IMLS.

For additional information on the Institute of Museum and Library Services' Museums for America grant program, please visit: http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=11.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah