Building a Stronger & Brighter Future

In 1983, a group of business leaders and economics professors launched the concept of a center for science, economics and technology in the basement of a Boys & Girls Club located just off Brady Street on Milwaukee’s East Side. Nearly 35 years later, that idea has blossomed into the beautiful Discovery World facility now located along the shores of Lake Michigan.

We intend to make the lakefront our home for the next century, and in order to make a sustained impact on the community, our organization must adapt and grow. With this in mind, we have launched a major initiative to invest more than $20 million in our facility, people, and programs over the next five years. The investments will apply the lessons learned over the course of a decade in our new location, and they will enable Discovery World to make the most of our current assets and prepare for challenges and changes that will arise in the years to come.

Our vision for the future is informed by 35 years of experience and based on four guiding principles:

1. Broader Community Access2. Financial Sustainability3. Deeper Impact4. Versatility

After more than three decades in the community and 10 years on Milwaukee’s lakefront, Discovery World and our partners are writing an exciting new chapter that will pay dividends for our organization and our community for decades to come. We welcome your input and involvement, and we appreciate your support now and in the future.

The Discovery World Board and Staff

Each of the major investments highlighted here results from customer research, assessment of current and future community needs and review of peer institutions around the country. These actions will open exciting and compelling new avenues for kids and fami-lies to explore careers in areas like health and medicine, while enabling Discovery World to maintain versatile spaces that can meet a variety of needs as customer preferences evolve in the coming years. These investments will set the table for success and impact for the next generation.

Permanent Expansion – Multi-Function Space - $8 million

� To replace the seasonal tent that has been erected outside the building for the last seven years, Discovery World will construct a permanent expansion that can be adapted to suit many organizational needs. The future uses of the space include:

¡Student orientation for school groups.

¡ Student lunchroom to replace the current lunchroom that is inadequate to accommodate our growing school group audience.

¡ Educational space during the busy Summer Camp season.

¡ Space to enable Discovery World to pursue large temporary exhibits that will generate additional general admission and membership revenue.

¡ Year-round function and event venue for 600 or more guests.

� In the future, Discovery World will be required to adapt our facility and our approach to meet the changing needs of the community. This expansion will add vitality and versatility to serve Discovery World and Milwaukee for decades to come.

New Main Exhibit Gallery - $4 million

� Discovery World will transform one of our two existing theaters into a breathtaking new atrium and exhibit gallery. This new gallery will reveal existing floor-to-ceiling windows that look north toward the Milwaukee Art Museum and Milwaukee’s dynamic downtown skyline.

� The reimagined public space will provide interactive demonstration areas, additional permanent exhibit space and opportunities to enhance experiences for families, school groups and other visitors.

� The exhibit will begin with a series of engaging experiences in the 30-foot wide grand entrance that will be established as a new primary entrance to the Technology Exhibit Wing.

� Guests entering the Main Gallery will be welcomed by a signature exhibit that features interactive experiences related to electricity and energy.

� The Gift Shop will be relocated to serve as an exit from the Technology Exhibit Wing, immediately increasing foot traffic and sales revenue.

2017 – 2021 Investments

Mezzanine Exhibit Gallery - $1.5 million

� Currently, the Lower Mezzanine Level houses Discovery World employees and is inaccessible to the public. These employees will join the rest of the Discovery World staff on the Upper Mezzanine Level and the Lower Mezzanine will become an exhibit gallery.

� In a transformative step, this space will also be opened to the new Main Gallery and to the Promenade, creating a more cohesive and active visitor experience. An open floor plan will enable guests to view all activities in the new exhibit gallery, and a grand stairway (in addition to an interactive experience that spans two floors) will connect the Main Gallery to the Mezzanine Gallery space.

Permanent Health Exhibit - $4.5 million

� In the Mezzanine Gallery, Discovery World will create a permanent health exhibit called “BodyMindMe” that will inspire visitors to examine their personal health and introduce them to potential careers in the health industry.

� Guests will be introduced to the exhibit experience in the Main Gallery through a two-story icon in the form of a human head. The 20-foot tall head will serve as a climbing feature for younger guests and introduce neuroscience concepts.

� The “BodyMindMe” exhibit will feature more than 20 interactive experiences that promote physical activity and connect to research and health careers.

� To complement the exhibit and deepen the educational experiences related to health and medicine, Discovery World will also unveil a Health Sciences Educational Lab, which will feature an array of interactive educational experiences for K-12 students that adhere to state and federal educational standards.

Refresh of Existing Freshwater Exhibits - $4 million

� In addition to creating the expansion space and new galleries, we will address our permanent freshwater exhibits and create new experiences and educational opportunities related to our most precious natural resource. These permanent freshwater exhibits require investment to ensure that they remain relevant and feature the most current technology and science.

� The specific exhibits designated for priority investment are the Reiman Aquarium, Helen Bader Foundation Great Lakes Future, and the MMSD City of Freshwater. The additional interactive features and enhanced technology that will be injected into each of these educational exhibits will ensure that these experiences are exciting and effective for years to come.

Infrastructure and Long-Term Sustainability - $5 million

� As the beautiful Discovery World facility ages, additional annual investment is required to ensure that the facility remains attractive and fun for hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. In the coming years, we will invest resources to protect the facility, increase building efficiency and maintain a high-quality guest experience.

� After eliminating a $9 million capital debt and overcoming annual operating deficits, Discovery World will continue to build for the long-term by increasing our endowment and strengthening our capital and operating reserves. Even as we create a spectacular new capital project, we must continue to invest in the long-term sustainability that will keep the organization strong and secure for future generations.

Discovery World opened on Milwaukee’s lakefront in 2006 with great promise and aspirations to be a leader in Education and Innovation for decades to come. In our first decade, we have made progress toward those objectives, despite financial challenges and the global economic crisis that threatened our very existence.

Armed with 10 years of demographic and customer data, Discovery World is poised to make significant investments that will dramatically transform the organization and our ability to influence the educational outcomes of our future workforce. The capital investments will drive revenue, increase community access, deepen our educational impact and ensure a sustainable future that allows Discovery World to introduce young people to STEM Education, problem-solving, collaboration and the critical skills that will serve them and our community well for decades to come.

At its core, Discovery World exists to make our community stronger and better. We live in a complex and challenging world, and we need today’s young people to be fortified with the tools and inspiration to aggressively attack the problems that society will face in the future. While our investments will make a physical transformation in our building and our organization, our aim is to transform our community and prepare it for a stronger and brighter future. We are excited to work with our community partners to bring our collective vision to life so that we can positively effect our students, schools, community, and our world. We invite you to join us!

Propelling Discovery World – and Milwaukee – Forward

For more information about how you can invest in a stronger future for Milwaukee’s youth, contact:

Discovery World500 North Harbor DriveMilwaukee, WI 53202www.discoveryworld.org

Joel BrennanPresident & CEO(414) 765-8601jbrennan@discoveryworld.org

Jennifer Clearwater, CFREDirector of Philanthropy(414) 765-1972jclearwater@discoveryworld.org