Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh (CMP) has announced a $65 million gift from longtime patrons Daniel and Carole Kamin in support of the museum’s Carnegie Science Center (CSC).

The largest gift since Andrew Carnegie founded CMP in 1895 includes an initial contribution to the museum’s endowment with an additional amount to be distributed as a bequest. The museum will use the funds to expand the capacity of CSC, invest in new exhibitions and programs, and transform its riverfront campus as a centerpiece of science education and community engagement.

Daniel Kamin is a Pittsburgh-based real estate entrepreneur who first explored the science museum as a child. His wife, Carole, is an emeritus member of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s advisory board and formerly a buyer for CMP’s gift shops. In recognition of their commitment, the science center will be renamed after the couple. In addition to their latest gift, the Kamins endowed the natural history museum’s director position with a $5 million donation in 2017.

“This gift [is] the embodiment of our mission and shows how someone can come full circle from being the inspired young person to helping to provide the same opportunities for the next generation,” said CSC director and CMP vice president Jason Brown.

“The science center is a vital contributor to the economic vitality of the Pittsburgh region and a great partner to our schools and science-based businesses,” said Daniel Kamin. “Carole and I were inspired by the future vision presented by the science center’s leadership, and we felt compelled to support it in a meaningful way.”

(Photo credit: Wikimedia/Allie Caulfield)