Help Us Continue Our Mission to Bring Nature and People Together
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Your support through volunteering, financial and in-kind contributions will help ensure the Heard will be sustained for future generations to enjoy. There are many ways to support the Heard ranging from in-kind donations to volunteering.
Animal Ambassadors at Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary are an important part of the museum and help us teach both children and adults about wildlife and the pertinent role they have in nature worldwide. Our hope is that these animal ambassadors will inspire our visitors to care deeply enough about the natural world to take steps to restore and preserve ecosystems in North Texas and around the world. Every Animal Ambassador has very specific needs. Items that are listed on our Wish List directly meet many of our supply needs. By supplying these items, you are helping us reduce our operations costs in a variety of ways. Please consider helping to meet these needs by donating an item from our wish list below, or sponsor an animal ambassador.
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Our sanctuary is home to five unique habitats and each one requires special care. This year, donations we received helped us to hold our first prescribed burn in over a decade for our endangered Blackland Prairie habitat as well as helped provide native seed for restoration efforts.
The Heard is home to over 65 rescued animals that rely on humans for care. Each animal came to us as a pet who was no longer cared for or a wild animal who was deemed non-releasable to the wild by the state.
Each year the Heard welcomes approximately 18,000 students who come to learn and experience nature. To keep field trips affordable, the Heard charges a fee that is less than the cost of providing field trip programing, this gap in funding is only covered by generous donations.
Our 6 trails travel through each of our unique habitats and provide access to nature for approximately 100,000 visitors every year, making them a vital part of mission. Each trail requires regular care to keep them clean, safe, and enjoyable for all who visit the sanctuary.
The Heard welcomes tens of thousands of students through our doors every year, however, we know that not every group is able to travel to our facilities. Our outreach program aims to bring the Heard to groups wherever they are!
The Heard is home to a diverse collection of museum artifacts including artwork, fossils, minerals, and biological specimens, and more – many of which are not currently on display.
Our Native Gardens serve as an important resource, demonstrating to visitors how they can foster wildlife in their own yards. They also showcase the beauty of plants that thrive and benefit wildlife right here in North Texas.
The Heard Museum’s indoor exhibit gallery has served as a space for visitors to discover the incredible pieces from the museum’s collection and gain insights about the world through these collections. Our hope in the coming year is to refresh our beloved gallery to better tell the story of the Heard and the Sanctuary.
The Heard Museum is proud to offer a variety of internships across numerous departments, including education, sanctuary management, animal care, museum collections, and administration. Additionally, the museum welcomes graduate students and college classes to conduct research on the sanctuary grounds while also carrying out its own studies. Notably, the Heard’s research features the state’s longest-running bird banding station, which has been collecting data for over 50 years.
Join Us in Making a Difference
Our work is never-ending and we need your help to ensure that the Heard can continue to ignite a passion for nature in the hearts of children and adults alike. Every dollar you give has a meaningful impact.
We are thrilled to announce that we will be offering new Student/Teacher education programs, including the expansion of our outreach into schools throughout Collin County, and will continue to present public programs for birders, hikers, and everyone who enjoys spending time outdoors. The Heard is an important and welcoming haven for people and wildlife seeking serenity in nature in an ever-developing community.
Unrestricted gifts to the Patrons Circle provide critical support for the ongoing care, conservation, and maintenance of the Heard’s Sanctuary, Museum collection and facilities, make special exhibitions and education programs possible, and provide for essential general operating costs. All Patrons Circle members receive the upper-level benefits of our Annual Membership Program as well as additional advantages:
* Please note that general admission for unlimited guests is only applicable for the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, and does not apply for reciprocal ASTC museums.
There are several easy ways to support the Heard and advance our mission of conservation and education:
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
Attn: Brittany Kryder
1 Nature Place, McKinney, TX 75069
Please explore the following to learn more about our organization
Thank you so much for considering a financial gift to support The Heard. We are a 501(c)3 charitable organization and all donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Our legal name is Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., and our tax ID is 75-1317961.
The Heard is grateful for our donors’ support and respects the privacy of our donors. We do not share or sell our donors’ personal information with other individuals, nonprofits, or for-profit organizations, except when supplying necessary information to our independent auditors, bank, and the IRS. We will, however, list donor names in the recognition rolls and in a limited number of our other publications, unless a donor has chosen to make a gift anonymously.
The Heard is happy to support community organizations’ fundraiser and school auction efforts. If eligibility is met, The Heard will provide a Family 4-Pack of general admission passes. Only one request per organization will be awarded per year. We regularly receive a high volume of donation requests. As a small, private, non-profit, our ability to participate in the requests we receive is limited.
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