Museum Support 

One of the most gratifying experiences for us to witness at the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum is the look on people’s faces when they first enter the exhibit hall. As the world of minerals opens up to them for the first time, they are likewise opened up, and transported, in a sense, back to the mindset of youth, seeing the world for the first time, again. Silence falls upon them.

This is the intangible aspect of our mission—to create this opening of wonder—that makes learning natural, memorable and the earth’s mysteries even that much deeper. We invite all who are interested in minerals to join us in this mission to preserve and present this facet of natural history to visitors now and in the future. By donating your financial resources or mineral specimens, you join the gentle force that has made this mission possible and affect thousands of visitors each year. 

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum has depended on its benefactors for both financial support and for enhancing the collection with donations of minerals for over 110 years. Through careful stewardship of the generosity from many individuals, the museum has achieved a high level of success and national and international recognition. We are delighted and honored that the tradition of supporting the museum continues to this day and encourage you to support us.  

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum receives donations through the Michigan Tech Fund, a non-profit, tax-exempt (501(3)(c) of the Internal Revenue Code) corporation established in 1965 under the laws of the State of Michigan. Your charitable giving to the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum can provide tax benefit and lead to considerable savings when properly deducted.

The highest priority for the museum is growing the total endowment of unrestricted funds. 

The current museum endowments are:

  • Donald C. Grabriel Endowment
  • Arthur M. Moretta Memorial Endowment
  • A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum Endowment
  • Elizabeth Bekkala Endowed Memorial Fund
  • Jean Kemp Endowment
  • Reynolds M. Denning Specimen Acquisition Endowment
  • Paul and Janet Clifford Mineral Specimen Acquisition Endowment
  • Catherine Gaber Education in Mineralogy Endowment