Nov. 12: Be there! A Soaring Soiree in Store At Perot Museum of Nature and Science’s Night At The Museum: Elevate
Fly through the world of aerospace with hands-on real science, discover how nature has influenced modern-day aviation, explore the future of flight and witness artistic interpretations of elevation during the Museum’s annual fundraiser that will have gala-goers looking high and low all night long
DALLAS (Oct. 25, 2016) – Dancing in the clouds, hot air balloons, flight simulators, hair-raising experiments, dancing birds and floating foods will have visitors soaring at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science’s annual fundraising gala, Night at the Museum: Elevate, on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 7 p.m.-midnight. Held on all five levels of the Museum, the nearly sold-out soiree will feature “play-and-party” activities, live entertainment, delicious science-infused fare and cocktails from Wolfgang Puck Catering, and dreamy décor that will have patrons floating on cloud nine.
The invitation-only VIP pre-party, presented by Highland Capital Management, begins at 6 p.m. followed by the general party at 7 p.m. and an after-party from 9 p.m.-midnight. Dress is cocktail attire, and complimentary valet parking will be offered. The band Manhattan will crank it up for the after-party, sponsored by Central Market.
Rising to the occasion is the Perot Museum’s fall traveling exhibition, Birds of Paradise, where Earth’s most flirtatious birds are visually displayed in a simulated exotic New Guinea rainforest. Visitors can witness the spectacular plumage, shape-shifting and psychedelic courtship dances of the rare and bodacious birds-of-paradise in this stunning exhibition developed by National Geographic and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and presented locally by Highland Capital Management.
As guests ascend to Level 2, they’ll find interactive experiences including flight simulators, a wind tunnel, jet photo booths and a molecular-foam air bar featuring ginger beer with tangerine air, coconut flan, citrus caramel and passion fruit air. On Level 3, party goers will delight in floating foods, an augmented reality sandbox, a Van de Graff generator, and an organic and biodynamic wine demo table. The art of elevation will be explored on Level 4 with aerialists, champagne and bubble demos, feather hair extensions, feather tattoos and an oxygen bar.
“From aviation and nature’s beauty, to the future of flight, this year’s Night at the Museum will explore the many interpretations of elevation,” said Dan Kohl, the Perot Museum’s interim chief executive officer. “This event supports our mission to inspire minds through nature and science by allowing us to sponsor community outreach programs, fund research, provide financial assistance for students and bring in traveling exhibitions to our visitors.”
Foodies will flip for the inflight feast featuring grilled albacore puttanesca with zucchini noodles and mache greens, and autumn mission figs with lemon ricotta, black walnuts, lolla rossa and cracked pepper vinaigrette. “Old-fashioned donuts” will be served alongside miniature bottles of egg nog, raspberry milk and chocolate hazelnut. Other standouts will include roasted Muscovy duck with kuri squash, miso aioli and ponzu vinaigrette, pork-belly pot stickers with chili oil and Chinese black vinegar, and wagyu beef salad with lo mein noodles, grapefruit, scallion and cilantro-mint vinaigrette. Passed plate foods will include roasted turkey potpie with sage veloute and winter vegetables; butternut squash agnolotti with toasted pine nuts, goat cheese and marjoram; and manchego cheese croquets with serrano ham, smoked pimento aioli and tomato jam. Then guests can indulge in late-night snacks such as “walking tacos” served in Frito bags; Cuban sandwiches with mojo pork, Swiss cheese, homemade mustard and pickles; apple cider hand pies with preserved cherries and crystal sugar, and “spiked” grasshopper milk shakes.
Co-chairs are Francie Moody-Dahlberg and Kevin Dahlberg and Carmen and Thomas Surgent. Honorary chairs are Carolyn and Karl Rathjen. Lead commitments include $100,000 Planet-level contributions from Highland Capital Management, Lyda Hill, The Moody Foundation, and Margot and Ross Perot, Perot Foundation; $50,000 Dinosaur-level contributions from The Hoglund Foundation and Carolyn and Karl Rathjen; and $25,000 Turbine-level commitments from Balfour Beatty Construction, Katherine and Eric Reeves, Nancy Perot, Sarah and Ross Perot Jr., Luminant, Katherine and Michael Phillips, Suzanne and Patrick McGee and Atmos Energy.
The $12,500 Geode-level supporters are Karen and Alan Katz/Neiman Marcus, Bain & Company, Inc. Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Sharon and Kip Tindell, The David B. Miller Family Foundation, Rusty and John Jaggers, The Rosewood Corporation, Catherine and William Rose, Petrocap LLC, Peregrine Group, LLC, Jean H. and John T. Walter, Jr. Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas, and Edward W. Rose III Family Fund of the Dallas Foundation.
The 2016 Host Committee members are M’Lynn and Rob Adams; Peggy and Richard Allison; Carrie and Steven Becker; Sheila and Dave Beuerlein; Sarah and Sam Bloom; Kelly Compton; Emily and David Corrigan; Betsy and Richard Eiseman; Marena and Roger Gault; Lyda Hill; Cathey and Don Humphreys; Eugenia and Frank-Paul King; Maggie Kipp; Libby and Murray McCabe; Suzanne and Patrick McGee; Sharon and Tom Meurer; Virginia and Ben Mimmack; Matt and Melissa Papenfus; Margot and Ross Perot; Sherri and Brad Rejebian; Nancy Perot and Rod Jones; Sarah and Ross Perot Jr.; Carrie and Marshall Phaneuf; Katherine Perot Reeves and Eric Reeves; Catherine and Will Rose; Elizabeth and Bart Showalter; Nicole and Justin Small; Sharon and Kip Tindell; Gerald and Gail Turner; Merry and Chad Vose, and Julie and Jacob Walter.
Proceeds from the annual Night at the Museum gala will support the Museum’s mission to inspire minds through nature and science, from on-site and outreach programs for pre-K through 12th graders, to financial assistance that allows students to visit the Museum, regardless of their school’s ability to pay. Underwriting contributions also fund research and collections efforts and help secure top-quality traveling exhibitions.
Ticket packages start at $2,500 (six attendees). Individual tickets are not available. For more information, please email NightAtTheMuseum@perotmuseum.org, call 214.756.5815 or go to perotmuseum.org/NATM.
About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in the heart of Dallas, Texas, with campuses in Victory Park and Fair Park. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility in Victory Park opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children’s museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the Victory Park museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org.
