The Nature Museum Wish List: Updated Winter 2026

Want to contribute an item or in-kind gift to The Nature Museum?  There are many ways you can support our mission!  Take a look at our wish list below, or get in touch at info@nature-museum.org if you have any questions.  Depending on staff scheduling, we may be able to pick up items at your home and convenience.

Are you interested in making a significant in-kind contribution of over $1000? 

We have several projects and naming opportunities both within the museum and our outdoor expansion project. Please contact Executive Director Nik Katrick at nikolas@nature-museum.org to learn more.

Gifts $500 or more

• Larger transportable projector screen

• Roll laminating machine

Gifts $250-500

• Portable “Backjack” Chairs for Campers, x24

• Outdoor Benches for the Meadow and Playscape

• Used Thinkpad Laptop for staff (replacement for older machines)

• T490 or T590 or later (2019)

• E-GO POWER+ 765 CFM leaf blower, 5amp battery

• 1-2 heavy duty wagons (Example)

• Above-ground Fire Pit, transportable

Gifts $100-250

• Solid braid, white, polyester rope (for playscape, ½”), any amount

• Pond Exploration D-nets (several)

• Fixed focus magnifiers for aquatic macro and terrestrial insect specimens

Gifts under $100

• Acrylic Craft Paint

• Pressure Treated 2x4s or 2x6s, any length (for playscape)

• Kincaid Plant Signs (for Pollinator Garden education, link), any amount

• Label Maker (for Pollinator Garden education)

• Digging/Rock Bar

• Sandbox shovels 

• Headlamps for night programs

• Sports balls for camp (soccer balls, footballs, kickballs)

• Books (see below)

• Kahtoola Microspikes for kids and adults

• Pond/Stream Exploration Equipment

• Small collection nets (eventually, 40 needed)

• Additional option

• Water collection vials (20 needed)

• Mini-observation terrariums for aquatic and terrestrial specimens (20 needed)

• Quality field collection vials (24 needed)

• Rubber coated forceps

• Two 8” forceps

• Two 12” forceps

• Waterproof small journals

Variable

• Red Fox mounted taxidermy (for canid exhibit, old mount is aging)

• Deer mounted taxidermy (standing or in motion preferred, old mount is aging).

• Replacement Education Pelts

• Deer, Red squirrel, snowshoe hare, chipmunk, moose, flying squirrel, opossum, etc.

• Broader categories:  Mustilids, Lagomorphs, Felidae, Canidae

• Skulls (real or resin, variety)

• Gray Wolf skull or replica

• Dire Wolf replica

• Catamount skull or replica

• Duplicates of existing species would be useful for multiple duplicate activity stations.

Books

• Flowers Are Calling by Rita Gray

• Our Big Home: An Earth Poem by Linda Glaser

• Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer

• Grow: Secrets of our DNA by Nichola Davies

• What’s in the Pond? By Anne Hunter

• All About Turtles by Jim Arnosky

• Come out, Muskrats by Jim Arnosky

• Otters Under Water by Jim Arnosky

• Deer at the Brook by Jim Arnosky 

• Crinkleroots series by Jim Arnosky

• 25 birds every child should know 

• 25 mammals every child should know

• 25 fish every child should know

• 25 more animals every child should know

• The Mountain that Loved a Bird by Alice McLerran

• Animal Journeys: A Shine A Light Book by Carron Brown & Georgiana Tee

• What on Earth? Trees by Kevin Warwick & Paul Morgan

• If You Want to Be A Butterfly by Muon Thi Van & Andrea Armstrong

• Bug Hotel: a lift-the-flap book of discovery by Clover Robin

• Hector Fox Book Series By Astrid Sheckels

• Trouble at Turtle Pond by Dana Renn

No cost (aside from time)

• FHF Building Materials

• FHF material sorting and storage

• Array of extra durable fairy house build examples that can be used for programs and informative displays.