A provision of $1.5 million has been made available for the Florida Holocaust Museum as part of the supplemental financial initiatives that have been proposed by the Senate. These initiatives are more widely known as the sprinkle list by those who are in the know.
Students, lecturers, and researchers will all benefit from the utilization of the money since it will be put toward enhancing educational opportunities and enhancing security measures.
In the same year, at the 2022 Legislative Session, the legislature set aside $5 million to be used toward these same kinds of objectives. Even though the museum asked for $7.5 million, it was only given $1.5 million, which could be interpreted as a win for the museum.
It was meant to cover “facility improvements, remediation and related costs to expand, preserve, and secure the museum’s environment, and resources for students, teachers, scholars, descendants, and visitors.” This request for funding was supported by Representative Linda Chaney.
The museum has reportedly received an extra $500,000 from the state, $350,000 from Pinellas County, $350,000 from the city of St. Petersburg, and around $100,000 from individual contributions, as stated in the request for appropriations. The aggregate value of all of these donations comes to one million dollars.
In addition to this, the plan contains the assertion that “St. Petersburg Police Chief (Anthony Holloway) has endorsed the need for security enhancements to The Museum entrance.” These alterations were decided upon after consideration of recommendations provided by the Department of Homeland Security as well as the St. Petersburg Police Department.
In addition, it is stated that the resources provided by the state will assist in “providing a more secure museum environment… building a new collections and conservation center to preserve Holocaust artifacts, expanding the Museum’s capacity to engage students and visitors with Survivors through virtual testimonies, and developing a center for young children and their families featuring interactives, visual art, and virtual reality.”
