The Florida Museum, located on the University of Florida campus, invites you to join us as we “Stand Up & Holler” for our eighth annual Gator Nation Giving Day.
Every gift, large or small, makes a difference. On February 19, 2026, make an impact by supporting the Florida Museum as part of the Gator Nation Giving Day celebration! Explore the museum’s priority funds, find your favorites, then join us online and across the Gator Nation.
Let’s continue to show the world what friends of the Florida Museum can do when we pull together to support scientific research and education.
Make sure to give through the Gator Nation Giving Day website to see your donation along with others from across the Gator Nation!
This year, you can double your impact when you make a gift to the McCarty Woods and Campus Natural Areas fund. $5,000 in gifts to the fund will unlock a generous $5,000 matching gift from Drs. Douglas and Pamela Soltis.
Florida Museum Expansion and Renovation Fund
Support the Florida Museum’s building expansion project, including a new home for the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute. The expansion will feature a new state-of-the-art exhibition, high-tech classroom, an updated modern facade, renovated guest services and a larger collector’s shop. Thank you for your generosity in supporting this capital project.
Make a giftNatural Science Special Projects and Rewards
Supporting this endowment funds the Department of Natural History’s seminar series, networking opportunities, workshops and community building events. These initiatives are incredibly important and allow our faculty, staff and students to stay up-to-date on best practices and new research. Give today to foster innovative research and support the next generation of scientific leaders!
Make a giftFrancis and Miranda Childress Foundation Education Endowment
When you support the Childress Education Endowment, you help ensure the museum remains a vibrant community anchor with a wide range of programming and engaging exhibit experiences for learners of all ages. Make a gift to this essential fund and keep the Florida Museum’s magic alive for generations to come.
Make a giftMcGuire Center Collections Support Fund
With more than 10 million specimens, the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity houses one of the world’s largest Lepidoptera collections, representing most of the world’s estimated 20,000 butterfly and 245,000 moth species. Gifts to this fund will support collection curation and student research, ensuring the Center continues to flourish for years to come!
TESI Smith Davis Student Support Endowment
The Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI) is grateful to Doug Smith and Beth Davis for creating an endowment to support undergraduate and graduate students in the environmental sciences who are working with TESI. Make a gift today and support a new generation of environmental leaders, communicators and researchers.
Make a giftRandell Research Center
Your gift will support the programs and activities of the Randell Research Center and provide critical operating funds to care for the remnants of the ancient town of the Calusa at Pineland, Florida. Not only does the Pineland site reveal a complex native history, but it also has proven to be an ideal location for teaching students and the public about Florida’s environment and history. Your support will fund the RRC’s exhibitions and outreach programs, encouraging visitors to learn about and celebrate Florida’s natural history and rich cultural heritage.
Make a giftMcCarty Woods and Campus Natural Areas Fund
Located in the heart of the UF Campus, McCarty Woods is a 2.9-acre forest that provides essential ecological functions for over 350 plant, fungi and animal species. Though threatened to be destroyed in 2020, McCarty Woods was saved by the joint effort of students and Museum employees. By contributing to the McCarty Woods Fund, you are directly supporting the ongoing restoration of a living research laboratory and protecting a vital habitat for native species. Read more about the initiative in Florida GATOR Magazine’s Speaking for the Trees.
A $5,000 match from Drs. Douglas and Pamela Soltis will be unlocked with $5,000 in gifts to this fund.
Make a gift