Support the Panorama Project
Lewis Lindsay Dyche created the Panorama in 1893 on the cusp of growing scientific awareness of ecological systems and the need to conserve natural resources for the better good. For more than 100 years, visitors have been enthralled by the splendor of this exhibit.
Today the specimens in the Panorama show signs of distress. They have been subjected to heat and humidity fluctuations and dust. As the specimens fall apart, they ruin the connection between observer and animal in its habitat — the viewer is no longer transported to the Rocky Mountains or the forests of the Midwest, but instead sees deteriorating artwork.
In 2012, KU alumna and Biodiversity Institute advisory board member Janet Martin McKinney, together with her husband, Kent, spearheaded an effort to raised funds for an extensive evaluation of the Panorama’s condition. To date, more than $110,000 has been raised, but much more work remains to be done.
You can help support the effort to evaluate the Panorama and restore this iconic exhibit. All contributions, regardless of size, will help bring the Panorama back from the brink of deterioration. You can give by credit card through KU Endowment (a separate, secure site). You also may make a contribution by calling us at 785.864.2344. Give now...