MOXI@Night Is Great Fun
Event is also a Party with a Purpose
On September 22, MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, held its second annual MOXI@Night fundraiser at the museum, with guests free to roam around the 17,000 square foot, three-story space, with food, drink, and lively entertainment set against the backdrop of the interactive experiences and exhibits.
The 300 stylishly dressed guests of all (adult) ages enjoyed passed appetizers on the first floor, a buffet dinner on the second, and more appetizers on the third, amusingly offered on spinning trays in keeping with the event’s “In Motion” theme.
Breathtaking cyr wheel performances were offered in the rooftop Sky Garden by EMCirque, while Selah Dance Collective dancers festooned with colorful LED lights did fun, roving pop-up performances inside the museum. Other diversions included a liquid light show and a race car raffle in which guests were encouraged to build and race their own cars. There was a preview of the newest exhibit Zoomorph and a specially-created Infinity Balloon Room, with waist-high colorful balloons for guests to romp around in, which guests enjoyed with drinks in one hand, iPhone cameras in the other.
During the program, President and CEO Robin Gose welcomed the guests and related how this was a party for a purpose – bringing science education to all of the children in our community. According to Gose, every day MOXI’s interactive experiences, exhibits, and engaging programs make science, technology, engineering, arts, and math fun, engaging, and meaningful. At MOXI, youth develop the skills they need for our evolving world: resiliency, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. She urged guests to donate to enable all children in the community to experience MOXI. Two anonymous donors agreed to match up to $20,000 in donations. Net proceeds are still being tallied.
Late night brought in the silent disco with wireless headsets and for select VIP sponsors, the Lava Lounge in the Fantastic Forces Courtyard, complete with psychedelic lighting, chill music, and comfy lounge furniture.
MOXI opened in February 2017 after more than 20 years of planning and a $25 million capital campaign. Many of the exhibits are designed for children and adults alike and in the first year there were 175,000 visitors.
MOXI’s mission of igniting learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity is based on the premise that education comes through engagement and enjoyment. The hands-on and interactive exhibits and experiences, designed by award-winning Gyroscope, Inc., are grouped into seven topic areas that all relate to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The exhibits and experiences periodically change to create a new experience for returning guests.
MOXI has programs to make the museum accessible to low-income children and adults. Each year, it offers one or two weeks when any Title One school can bring a field trip for free. The rest of the year, schools are offered a discounted rate. Last year, 9,500 students participated in these programs, nearly 50 percent from Title One schools. For certain nonprofits, MOXI offers free or low-cost tickets for use by those they serve or for fundraising purposes. Last year, nearly 1,900 of these tickets were provided.
For more info about MOXI, go to moxi.org.
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