The Friends of the Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County is hosting a fundraising dinner on Sunday, May 18 at the Murray Hotel & 2nd Street Bistro, 123 N. 2nd Street in Livingston. Cocktails are served at 4:30 PM, followed by a five-course dinner created by 2nd Street Bistro chefs.

It’s guaranteed to be a fun, delectable, and social evening that also has a higher purpose: help the Yellowstone Gateway Museum (YGM) continue its progress of welcoming more youth and families to its facility. In the past year, the number of youth who have visited the museum has more than doubled. Students and teachers frequently visit the museum where students are given specially tailored programs by museum staff and volunteers. Each year, the YGM participates with Indian Education for All (IEFA) programming held at East Side School. In addition, the museum encourages Park County teachers to check out and use IEFA Teaching Trunks that were developed by the museum a couple years ago. Links for Learning youth visit the museum each summer. All children—whether with a group of students or with their family—are admitted free.

New interactive exhibits have been specifically fabricated for youth and serve as a draw for families. A twelve-page souvenir Museum Explorer’s Journal developed by staff is distributed free of charge; the activity booklet takes children and their families through the four exhibit rooms, encouraging hands-on learning. Children can (continued next page)
now dress up as pioneers or as members of an expedition. They can get in a saddle, play with a transportation table, explore a tipi, and in summer, experience the Urbach one-room schoolhouse, a caboose, and a fire engine. Content for an interactive iPad exhibit is being developed for today’s technologically minded youth. All future exhibits will incorporate children’s activities. The YGM wants children to grow up in the museum.

The YGM is also working toward bringing its successful IEFA program to Gardiner students for the 2014-2015 school year. The museum will bring various native and nonnative speakers who conduct field trips to area cultural sites as well as give community programs. In the near future, YGM will also take this program to schools in the Shields Valley.

Please call 222-4184 to make your reservations for the Sunday, May 18 fundraising dinner and for more information. Seating is limited. The cost for the cocktails and dinner is $50/per person, to be paid the night of the dinner.