Building an Enduring Legacy

The Museum has several named endowments and funds that support particular programs and initiatives. Many of these endowments were established through bequests.

Dr. Christel Bejenke Fund

Created by Christel and George Wittenstein to provide an annual income stream to support the Museum's public programming efforts focused on science and nature.
Value as of 6/30/23 $102,474

Thomas Wilson Dibblee Endowment for Earth Sciences

In 2001, the Museum partnered with Mr. Dibblee to publish his extraordinary geological maps, and he designated his estate for the support of the map publishing effort and to establish an earth sciences position.
Value as of 6/30/23 $2,308,142

Robert Dougan Fund for Innovative Education

Mr. Dougan was a librarian, bibliophile, and scholar of Ireland's greatest literary treasure, the Book of Kells. Feeling deeply about the importance of education and scholarship, he provided in his estate an endowment fund to support innovative educational programs.
Value as of 6/30/23 $993,028

Hearst Scholars in Museum Studies Fund

Endowed in 2002 with a grant from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, this fund provides resources for college and university students to intern in various positions at the Museum.
Value as of 6/30/23 $163,598

Hollis Norris Endowed Fund

Established in 2016 to provide general operating support, this endowed fund is held at the Santa Barbara Foundation.
Value of Hollis Norris Endowment Fund held at the Santa Barbara Foundation $4,720,564

Quasars to Sea Stars Endowment

With a generous donation from the Hollis Norris Fund and David and Lyn Anderson, the Museum created the Quasars to Sea Stars Endowment in December 2020 to provide support for the Museum's valuable teen program.
Value as of 6/30/23 $958,830

Howard/Berry Chair of Malacology

The prominence of the Museum's vast shell collection and its scientific research staff is in part based on the support of two eminent shell collectors, Faye B. Howard and Dr. S. Stillman Berry. Both these individuals left as bequests, not only their superb private collections, but also the funds to support the expansion of our Collections and Research Center and to endow this curatorial chair.
Value as of 6/30/23 $1,333,102

Thomas E. Hugunin and Elenore H. Hugunin Endowment

Established with a bequest in 2010, the Hugunin Endowment provides general operating support and is held at the Santa Barbara Foundation.
Value of Hugunin Endowment Fund held at the Santa Barbara Foundation $736,616

John and Peggy Maximus Endowment for Antique Natural History Art

John and Peggy funded the creation of a gallery dedicated to antique natural history art and provided for its continued support. A fund is held by the Museum and a second fund is held at the Santa Barbara Foundation.
Value as of 6/30/23 $1,962,933
Value of Maximus Trust held at the Santa Barbara Foundation $2,525,798

Ridder Sea Center Fund

Established in 2017 with a bequest from Virginia Ridder, this fund supports exhibits and maintenance at the Sea Center.
Value as of 6/30/23 $368,838

Schlinger Foundation Chair of Entomology

Evert Schlinger, Ph.D., was a world-renowned entomologist and a professor of biology. Believing ardently in the importance of museums for both research and education, Dr. Schlinger endowed the Schlinger Chair of Entomology in 2004.
Value as of 6/30/23 $1,968,338

Vertress L. Vander Hoof Endowment

Established in 2018 through an estate gift from Jill Vander Hoof in honor of her father, Vetress Vander Hoof, this endowment supports the Library's operations and acquisitions.
Value as of 6/30/23 $1,917,641

Lionel Albert Walford Fund

Dr. Walford was a research scientist in the field of ichthyology who participated in research trips aboard Museum Trustee Max Fleischmann's boat in the 1930s. The fund was established in 2021 by Dr. Walford's daughter Sarah and her husband Lincoln Hollister to provide operating support for the collection, care, and feeding of the sea life in the Sea Center's Channel Catch habitat.
Value as of 6/30/23 $98,287

Total value of Museum's invested assets as of 6/30/23 $49,120,867