[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7696]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES: 2014 NATIONAL MEDAL FOR 
                   MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE WINNER

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2014

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
congratulate the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on receiving 
the 2014 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This 
prestigious award, offered annually by the Institute of Museum and 
Library Services, is the nation's highest honor given to museums and 
libraries for service to the community.
  I have the good fortune to represent our state's Fourth Congressional 
District, which has earned accolades as one of the nation's best places 
to live, work, do business and raise a family. The vibrancy of this 
district stems from a remarkable concentration of world-renowned 
educational and cultural institutions--North Carolina Museum of Natural 
Sciences prominently among them.
  As one of the oldest natural history museums in the United States--
providing services to our state for the past 134 years--it has 
transformed how museums engage their community and how members of the 
public understand, learn and participate in science activities. It 
strengthens North Carolina's K-12 education pipeline, increases the 
public's science literacy, and prepares tomorrow's researchers with 
college- and workforce-ready skills.
  The Museum of Natural Sciences has positioned itself as a highly-
regarded venue for topflight special exhibits of all kinds. Right now, 
it features a Rainforest Adventure exhibit, and it has hosted special 
exhibits on Birds of Paradise, Dinosaurs, Wildlife in North Carolina 
photography, and Journey through the Arctic in recent years. But it has 
also gone off the beaten path to expand the breadth of the Natural 
Sciences with special exhibits on the Titanic, Genghis Khan, the Brain, 
and my two personal favorites: Chocolate and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  Along with the museum's permanent collections, these outstanding 
exhibits have helped make the Museum the most-visited museum and one of 
the top overall attractions in the state. Consider these numbers: more 
than 1 million people come to visit this museum in Raleigh every year; 
more than 30,000 others experience the museum's off-site offerings, 
with its world-renowned scientists and staff visiting locations such as 
schools, libraries, hospitals and senior and community centers; and 
millions of additional people are able to take advantage of interactive 
educational programs offered online. The Museum also makes unique 
efforts to reach lower-income communities and those with special needs.
  Our Museum is one of just ten recipients of the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services National Medal for Museum and Library Service--an 
award reserved for museums that are making exceptional contributions to 
their community. The Museum of Natural Sciences has had a remarkable 
impact on the community--not just in Raleigh, but across the state of 
North Carolina.
  As we congratulate Director Emlyn Koster and the Museum's other 
current leaders, it is also important to recognize long-time Director 
Dr. Betsy Bennett, who retired just over a year ago. Betsy took the 
museum from modest circumstances to the gleaming, high-tech, user-
friendly facility we see today. The Nature Research Center, for 
example, which opened in 2012, is a testament to her dogged 
determination to see her shared vision come to fruition. Betsy's skill 
working with the State Legislature, successive state administrators, 
and collaborators in Washington is legendary. As former Governor Jim 
Hunt aptly noted, she is a ``force of nature.'' As her partner in the 
never-ending quest for funds, I have particular reason to see this 
award as a culmination.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer congratulations to the North 
Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences--and each of the other National 
Medal winners--for achieving this distinction. And I thank each of this 
year's medal recipients for their innovation and their dedication to 
serving their communities. Our nation is better for your service.

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