Donate - The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature Donate Ways to Give Manatees Planetarium Planned Giving As a private 501(c)(3) non-profit, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature relies primarily on philanthropy and revenue from admissions, rentals, and the Museum store to support our day-to-day operations. Even though we are now open, our  revenues are dramatically reduced.Your support is critical to help the Museum maintain its role as a hub for engaging programs and exhibitions for inquisitive visitors and students. We also need your help to preserve the diverse artifacts and remarkable objects in our collections, and provide much needed care for manatees undergoing rehabilitation. We invite you to make a gift NOW , or, if you are older than 70½, you can direct a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA to The Bishop . We hope you are keeping well and thank you for thinking of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature at this critical time for our community. We have been a part of this community for 73 years and we’re committed to getting through these especially challenging times together. Ways to Give The Bishop’s Annual Fund Make a fully tax-deductible cash gift of any size now Transfer stock Remember The Bishop in your estate plan , ensuring that both the Museum and your legacy live on in perpetuity. Enjoy the benefits of becoming a member – free admission, special events, discounts and more. Join Now! Your personal donation of $5-$500 may be eligible for matching funds through the Louis and Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust , doubling your impact to The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.  Restrictions apply – please review the Trust’s terms and conditions to see if your contribution qualifies! Your Support: Sustains the Museum’s role as a hub for engaging programs and exhibitions for inquisitive visitors and students; Preserves the diverse artifacts and remarkable objects in our collections; Brings exceptional traveling exhibitions to our community; Provides care for manatees undergoing rehabilitation. Give Online Now! You may also mail your donation directly to us at: The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature P.O. Box 9265 Bradenton, FL 34206-9265 Or contact Bonnie Goodman at: 941-216-3463 bgoodman@bishopscience.org Inspire explorers of all ages by supporting The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature . As a supporter of The Bishop’s Annual Fund, you are a member of our Discovery Society. The Discovery Society is a community of supporters who are dedicated to understanding the world around us, exploring Florida’s natural history, and helping manatees in need – who enjoy the Museum and genuinely value our role as an educational and cultural resource and asset to our community’s quality of life. As the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is known for its engaging exhibits, educational programs, state-of the-art Planetarium shows and manatee rehabilitation program. As a member of the Discovery Society, you support all of these. You also become a part of our Museum “family”— a passionate group of engaged supporters who recognize the Museum as a fun and engaging community resource. Your support allows us to continue providing discoverers of all ages a place to explore our precious planet Earth and our Universe. Bishop Foster Friends It Costs $2,000 a Month to Feed a Manatee! Florida’s wild manatees are facing more challenges than ever — this year, we’ve lost more manatees than any other year in our state’s history. Manatees need our help, and your monthly support as a Bishop Foster Friend will make it possible! The Bishop has been rehabilitating manatees since 1998 and was a founding member of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) in 2001. As one of only three Stage 2 rehabilitation facilities in Florida, we care for recovering manatees, freeing much-needed emergency space so that seriously ill and injured manatees can be treated in critical-care units elsewhere. Spending time in our Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat allows manatees time to finish the recovery process, grow and prepare for their return to the wild. Your monthly gift of just $10 will help us feed and care for rehabilitating manatees until they are healthy enough to go home! Become a BFF Today! The Planetarium at The Bishop For our visitors, “something incredible” is discovered right here, beneath our dome. You can be a part of our next great discovery! By donating to the Planetarium , you are ensuring an inspired, informed, and interconnected community for generations to come. Please consider making a gift today. Support the Planetarium at The Bishop Planned Giving Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature and our mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate-planning, and philanthropic goals. With smart planning, you may increase the size of your estate and/or reduce the tax burden on your heirs. Just as important, you will know that you have made a meaningful contribution to The Bishop We recommend that you familiarize yourself with various gift options by exploring How to Give and What to Give . Then compare gift options and/or calculate how these gifts could work for you. And of course, please for assistance or to discuss your personal situation and objectives. W.D. Sugg Legacy Society At The Bishop , we believe that making a planned gift is one of the biggest honors a donor can bestow. If you have included the Museum in your estate plan, we would like to recognize your generosity and forethought by inviting you to join the W.D. Sugg Legacy Society. The Society is named in honor of Museum founder Dr. W.D. Sugg, a local surgeon and civic leader who led the charge to establish the Museum as a place that would offer “something for everyone” and educate visitors about the natural and cultural history of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Through various types of bequests to The Bishop , you may secure an estate-tax charitable deduction for the value of the gift. Leave a Legacy Through Your Will Through various types of bequests to The Bishop , you may secure an estate-tax charitable deduction for the value of the gift. Best of all, you will know that your generosity will support our mission for years to come. Read Sample Bequest Language Explore the different types of bequests available for you to meet your philanthropic goals and view legal language to share with your attorney as you plan your estate. 10am—5pm Tuesday—Saturday | Noon—5pm Sunday | Closed Monday In Celebration of the Grand Parade, The Bishop will be closing at 4pm on Saturday, April 25, 2026. For information on the Hernando De Soto Historical Society Grand Parade road closures, visit desotohq.com/grand-parade.