
The Columbian Mammoth named Biadekepe languishes in storage now but will become a permanent display once the Museum of Idaho expansion is complete. File photo
The Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls has received a gift of $905,000 from the Carr Foundation to support the museum’s forthcoming expansion and enhance the existing facility. The Carr Foundation is also issuing a challenge to the community to contribute to the remodel of the existing space and the forthcoming permanent exhibit, “The Way Out West.”
Late last year, MOI officials were informed that construction costs for the expansion had risen, partially due to complications in excavating the planned basement storage facility. In response, the museum initially planned to shrink the expansion’s footprint in order to remain within its original $3.9 million budget. Then in January, while MOI was finalizing the revised design, the Carr Foundation, which had become aware of the construction challenges, offered $905,000 to maximize the expansion.