Today, Coastal Heritage Society (CHS) launches a fundraising campaign  inviting the public to support the nonprofit organization’s new STEAM Center, which is scheduled to open in late 2025. Malcolm and Julia Butler have generously committed to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $150,000 for the STEAM Center. The indoor expansion of Savannah Children’s Museum will enable CHS to showcase the innovative STEAM exhibition, Numbers in Nature. Visitors of all ages will explore nature’s hidden patterns in an unforgettable journey through reflection, symmetry, and discovery. 

"As grandparents, we embrace the opportunity to help launch in Savannah the first-of-its-kind interactive, interdisciplinary, indoor children’s museum,” said Julia Butler. “Savannah’s new STEAM Center will allow children of all ages to experience first-hand the interconnectedness and synergy of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, inspiring both critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills."

Funds raised from this matching campaign will be used to support preservation and upgrades to the 100-year-old historic industrial building, deliver educational programming, and finalize preparations to welcome guests into the new museum space. The exhibit will allow visitors to step into a captivating maze of mirrors designed to challenge perceptions and spark curiosity. Through hands-on activities and interactive exhibits, guests will discover the hidden patterns of nature, from spirals and symmetry to fractals and beyond.

“We are incredibly grateful to all our donors who share and support our vision for this new cultural and educational resource for the local community,” said Nora Lee, CEO of Coastal Heritage Society. “The generosity of Malcolm and Julia Butler and those who will join us in this fundraising campaign are critical to getting us across the finish line to open! We are thankful to the Butlers and appreciate their support and commitment to Coastal Heritage Society and the STEAM Center at Savannah Children’s Museum.” 

To contribute to the STEAM Center matching campaign and see your donation double, please visit www.chsgeorgia.org/steam-center-numbers-in-nature.