The five members of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (ZMD) — the Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center and Saint Louis Zoo—will join together on Saturday, April 17 to observe “Des Lee Day.”
The St. Louis philanthropist E. Desmond Lee died at age 92 earlier this year.
The five cultural institutions chose to celebrate Des Lee Day in this collaborative way because Lee embodied great collaborative vision for the community. He enabled numerous organizations to carry out community outreach programs, establish professorships with universities, and develop projects that would not otherwise have been possible.
On April 17, the five cultural institutions will offer:
* 20% off merchandise at the Garden Gate Shop, Missouri Botanical Garden;
* 20% off merchandise at the Museum Shop, Missouri History Museum . This does not include music, videos, DVDs, sale items, John Pils and Jim Trotter products and cannot be combined with any other discount offers
* free Family Tours beginning at 2:30 p.m., Saint Louis Art Museum;
* free admission to Moon Rock, the brand-new musical version of The Space Show at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, Saint Louis Science Center;
* free Zooline Railroad rides, Saint Louis Zoo.
Following his retirement as a businessman, Des Lee began connecting St. Louis organizations through educational and community partnerships in 1996. He encouraged institutions to establish programs and share resources that would benefit the entire community, particularly those who are underserved.
As a result, today there are over 100 member organizations, more than 30 endowed professors and a number of government agencies and businesses in the St. Louis area involved in the Des Lee Collaborative Vision.