Before he died, Jerry Frautschi gave $6.5 million to the Madison Children’s Museum, the largest single gift in the museum’s history.
It will be used for facility improvements like maintenance, renovations and sustainability upgrades.
Frautschi purchased the $5 million five-story building in 2005 to provide the museum with a permanent home.
“Jerry’s commitment to the museum was cemented when he purchased the building in 2005,” Pleasant Rowland Frautschi, the late philanthropist’s spouse, said in a statement. “As such, the long-term structural integrity of the building is very important to him, and he is honored to help ensure that Madison Children’s Museum continues to be one of the premier children’s museums in the country.”
Co-CEO Brenda Baker emphasized the dual challenge of maintaining a historic building while advancing environmental goals.
“Caring for a historic building is both a responsibility and an opportunity,” she said in a statement. “Every improvement we make supports our mission to create healthy environments for children.”
During the museum’s 2020-2021 Covid-19 pandemic closure, Frautschi contributed $1 million to help build the museum’s four-seasons outdoor play space.
In 2023, both Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland each pledged $2 million to the museum’s Facilities Fund.
