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MSU Museum raises funds through wine-tasting benefit

April 9, 2017

The donation-based MSU Museum threw its 22nd annual wine tasting benefit April 7 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. The event raised approximately $14,000 for the museum and gave wine lovers a reason to go out and enjoy local and international wines. The event featured dozens of wines, live music and a silent auction.

“We really enjoy the museum … we love wine, it’s a wonderful combination,” Okemos resident Karen Johns said.

The event featured more than 100 wines of different flavors with approximately 20 tables of wine.

The MSU Museum opened on MSU's campus in 1857 and has been running ever since. Various collections cover the museums three public floors, but they mostly focus on natural sciences and cultures. The museum also offers collections in anthropology, history and folk arts.

The museum has long-term exhibits and short-term exhibits.

“I always like to say that you can come see the old favorites, but if you come once a year or twice a year or four times a year you’re also going to see plenty of stuff that is different from the last time you went,” said Mike Secord, MSU Museum’s facility and event manager.

Though the university supports the museum to a large extent, the museum is mostly donation-based and depends on events like the wine benefit to stay afloat.

Admission to the museum is free and Secord encourages students to utilize the free educational center.

“We like to think (the museum) makes for a better place to live, learn and work,” Secord said.

The museum has nearly 1 million objects and specimens that preserve history for future generations.

“(The museum) is an educational institution and it’s really a cornerstone of a lot of the education that MSU does: natural resources, natural science, historical things, folk life, all those kinds of things that are really culturally very significant for any institution of higher learning,” Edita Herbstova, who volunteered at the benefit, said.

The museum is also participating in MSU’s Science Festival this month with events like Night at the MSU Museum.

“I think museums and other nonprofits, other cultural things, other cultural events, other educational events, I think those are all very important to the community that you live in,” Secord said.

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