Senator Eldridge and Representatives Sena and Cataldo announce $30,900 Mass Cultural Council grant awarded to Acton Discovery Museum

The Operating Grants for Organizations will support the museum’s strategic plan and mission to ignite curiosity

ACTON, MA - On November 14, State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough) and State Representatives Danillo Sena (D-Acton) and Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) announced that the Acton Discovery Museum received a $30,900 grant from the Mass Cultural Council to support the museum’s mission.

The Operating Grants for Organizations, awarded by Mass Cultural Council, is a new program designed to assist cultural-focused nonprofits through unrestricted grants. The Acton Discovery Museum can freely use the grant to support its goal of sparking curiosity and providing an environment for children to learn.

“The Discovery Museum is a beloved cultural institution that plays a vital role in sparking curiosity and inspiring young minds across Massachusetts,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “I want to thank the Mass Cultural Council for their continued investment in cultural organizations, and the Discovery Museum’s leadership and staff for their commitment to providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences for children and families. This grant strengthens our cultural and educational landscape, and I’m proud to support the impactful work of the Museum.”

“The Acton Discovery Museum is a cultural institution that enriches the lives of children across the region, and I feel so happy to see this grant awarded to the museum to continue their mission and work,” said State Representative Danillo Sena (D-Acton). “The museum is an asset to the entire state, and I believe this grant will allow the museum to further efforts to inspire children.”

"Like so many parents in Greater Boston, I have seen firsthand the innovation and education taking place at the Discovery Museum over and over again. I am delighted that the MCC is investing in this treasured educational resource during this grant funding round,” said State Representative Simon Cataldo (D-Concord). “The Discovery Museum is known for always going above and beyond in considering how best to serve its diverse audience and this grant will allow it to continue to pursue the very best programming and educational opportunities for its visitors.”

“Mass Cultural Council’s operating grant is an important part of the community support that makes Discovery Museum able to serve more than 250,000 people each year at the Museum and 

in school classrooms throughout Massachusetts. We appreciate MCC’s essential support of both the Museum and cultural sector as a whole—its funding greatly enhances the vibrancy of our shared community,” said Marie Beam, Discovery Museum CEO. “For Discovery Museum in particular, Representative Sena’s and Senator Eldridge’s understanding of the importance of informal STEM learning opportunities for children and their unfailing support of our work has had incredible impact on our institution and the families we serve.”

In total, the Mass Cultural Council awarded $2,229,000 in Operating Grants for Organizations, and another $5,011,000 was simultaneously awarded through the Cultural Investment Portfolio grant. The Operating Grants for Organizations was developed with their Racial Justice Plan, centering the agency’s core values of supporting Massachusetts artists, humanists, and scientists, demonstrating equitable practices, advancing the cultural sector, and deep and authentic engagement with the community. 

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