MOSH announces lead gift for planetarium

The Bryan Family Trustees of The Henry & Lucy Gooding Endowment, along with other individual members of the Bryan family, have donated a $465,000 lead gift for the Museum of Science & History to acquire a state-of-the-art digital dome projector system.

MOSH announced Monday that it also will launch plans to renovate the Alexander Brest Space Theater where the planetarium is housed.

“The lead gift from The Bryan Family Trustees of The Henry & Lucy Gooding Endowment is the perfect launch for our capital campaign to renovate the entire Alexander Brest Space Theater,” said John Magevney, chair of the MOSH board of trustees. “Their generosity and leadership sets us on the right course to reach our goal.”

Renovation plans include restoration of the theater’s 60-foot dome and interior upgrades to seating, lighting and sound. MOSH is actively fundraising for the project balance.

MOSH said the planetarium is the device that generates and projects the visual display in the theater. The museum has selected a Konica Minolta Super MediaGlobe II digital dome projector. When it is installed, it will be the first of its kind in Florida.

The new planetarium will replace the museum’s 22-year-old star projector, a vintage system that is one of only six still in use worldwide.

“The trustees of The Henry & Lucy Gooding Endowment are excited to be able to fund the new dome projector,” said J.F. Bryan, IV, trustee of the Gooding Endowment board of trustees. “We think it is a real game changer for the Museum of Science & History.”

The Bryan Family has been a steward of the museum for more than 60 years, through three generations of board service and financial support.

“MOSH has a long history in Jacksonville and is an important part of the community’s cultural landscape,” said Museum Director Maria Hane. “This gift gives us an opportunity to build on the strength of the museum’s planetarium to better serve the education and entertainment needs of the community.”