Canadian Museum of Nature Receives $1 Million Contribution from Barrick Gold Corporation

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 24, 2012) - The Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada's national museum of natural history and natural sciences, welcomes a $1 million contribution from Canadian mining company Barrick Gold Corporation as part of the museum's fundraising efforts.

"We are grateful for Barrick's generous contribution as part of our ongoing efforts to seek support from the corporate community and private sector," says Meg Beckel, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Nature. "This kind of support ensures that the museum can continue to develop content-rich galleries, travelling exhibitions and national educational programs that build upon the museum's scientific knowledge and expertise."

"As Canadians, we share a fundamental respect for and fascination with the natural world around us," says Peter Munk, Founder and Chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation. "The Canadian Museum of Nature is the premier venue for Canadians and visitors to this country to explore our natural heritage, something that has always been an integral part of our identity as a nation. As a proud Canadian company with a deep appreciation for environmental sustainability, Barrick is delighted to support the Canadian Museum of Nature and its vital work."

This contribution from Barrick will support the refurbishment of one of the museum's popular travelling exhibitions, From Crystals to Gems, which has been exhibited in 41 venues across Canada during its 21-year tour and continues to generate interest from museums and science centres. The show features more than 100 specimens from the museum's national mineral collection. As well, a satellite exhibit of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame will be installed at the Canadian Museum of Nature's downtown public exhibitions site.

For its contribution, Barrick receives naming rights for the museum's Salon, the prime reception space that will now be known as the Barrick Salon.

The Canadian Museum of Nature is Canada's national museum of natural history and natural sciences. It is a founding member of the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada and promotes understanding of Canada's natural heritage through signature galleries and travelling exhibitions, interactive public education programmes, scientific research, a dynamic Web site nature.ca, and the preservation of a 10.5 million-specimen collection, which records Canada's natural environment through time.