Museum of Idaho receives a 50k donation and presents “Mummies of the World” exhibit
Danielle Mullenix
Idaho Falls, Idaho (KIFI) – The Museum of Idaho is excited to announce a generous $50,000 donation from Oklo, an advanced nuclear technology company developing its first commercial Aurora powerhouse in Idaho at Idaho National Laboratory. This partnership marks a major contribution to the region’s cultural and educational fabric, reinforcing Oklo’s deep commitment to the Idaho Falls community.
The donation will support the Museum’s mission to inspire lifelong learning through dynamic exhibits, educational programming, and ongoing research in science, history, and archaeology. It comes during the run of “Mummies of the World”, a major traveling exhibit currently on display at the museum.
“We’re not just here to build essential infrastructure and deploy advanced nuclear technology,”remarked Bonita Chester, Head of Communications and Media at Oklo. “Our mission is to both enrich and improve the communities in which we operate. We couldn’t be more excited to be the newest members of the Idaho Falls community.”
Chris Sheetz, Director of Corporate Partnerships at the Museum of Idaho, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this generous donation, which means so much to the Museum of Idaho’s mission. This donation will directly support the growth of our educational programs, the curation of powerful exhibits, and the development of exciting new traveling exhibitions that serve and engage our community.”
The partnership between Oklo and the Museum of Idaho began earlier this month with the unveiling of a hands-on, community mural project in the museum’s Maeck Education Center.
From September 13–19, local residents participated in painting a large-scale paint-by-number mural celebrating East Idaho’s culture, landscapes, scientific achievements, and pioneering spirit in nuclear innovation.
Created by award-winning Idaho artist Rett Longmore and painted with help from local community members, the mural brings together Idaho’s past and future through energy innovation.
Featuring both the Oklo Aurora powerhouse and the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), the artwork highlights how history and innovation meet in Idaho—and how community is at the center of building what comes next.
The Aurora powerhouse is a sodium-cooled fast reactor that utilizes metal fuel and is based on the proven design and operating heritage of EBR-II, which operated in Idaho from 1964 to 1994. Oklo is placing its first Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and is proud to have worked alongside the community to bring this vision to life—looking forward to continuing that partnership as the Aurora-INL takes shape in Idaho.
The collaboration culminated in a special reception hosted at the museum, where Oklo presented a surprise $50,000 check—underscoring the company’s intention to be a long-term partner in Idaho Falls’ cultural and educational development.
This all comes as the museum continues to display its latest exhibit: “Mummies of the World”. Mummies of the World brings together naturally and intentionally preserved mummies from South America, Europe, and ancient Egypt.
Presented with dignity and respect, the exhibition blends modern science, interactive displays, and multimedia to uncover the lives, environments, and cultures of ancient civilizations.
Since its debut in Los Angeles in 2010, Mummies of the World has captivated over 2.4 million visitors across 23 cities in the U.S. and Europe. With exhibits over 4500 years old, this display will continue to be showcased at the museum until January 6th, 2026.
For more information about the latest exhibit, donation, and upcoming events, click here.