The Louis Leakey Auditorium 13m Ksh Capital Campaign
Louis Leakey Auditorium
To provide a public space for the many educational events at the National Museums of Kenya, the Louis Leakey Auditorium was constructed in 1977. Built by Chris Marshall of Dagleish, Marshall and Johnson, it was a modern architectural design of its time and served its purpose excellently for three decades.
During this time, the Louis Leakey Auditorium has served as the NMK venue for meetings, lectures and international conferences. However in 2008, it is clear that the Auditorium is no longer the prestigious Nairobi venue it should be. The European Union funding that renovated the main Nairobi Museum did not provide funds for the rehabilitation of the Auditorium.
As a result of this decision, the Kenya Museum Society decided to make the renovation of the Louis Leakey Auditorium the major fundraising goal for 2007-2008 and all proceeds from the KMS bookshops and other KMS-sponsored activities will be spent to accomplish this task. As a small society, however, we cannot generate all the necessary funds and therefore are appealing to the Kenyan public and the donor community for support.
Refurbishment Assessment
In August 2007, KMS produced a full assessment of the necessary upgrades to the Auditorium including interior and exterior redesigns, and technical upgrades. The report determined that 13 Million Shillings would be needed to complete the upgrade so the Auditorium can begin to generate revenue and monetize Kenya’s historical and cultural heritage. Strategic partners seeking to participate in KMS’ efforts can obtain copies of the report and budget in the society office.
Know Kenya Course
In its 37th year the Kenya Museum Society’s annual Know Kenya Course fundraiser will take place from October 28 through November 1. This is the highlight of the Society’s year and an opportunity to raise money for the Auditorium. The Course, sponsored by Safaricom for the last eight years, is an action-packed week designed to help participants discover many of Kenya’s hidden treasures. The course consists of 10 morning lectures, tours of the museum galleries and different museum departments, including the prehistory department, films, evening lectures and a sports panel. A last day outing will be held at the National Railway Museum. Some of this year’s topics are as diverse as Kenyan politics and the economy, the media, birds, sacred sites and monuments, contemporary Kenyan culture, the country’s history 1880-1940, human rights and elephant conservation. Read more about the Know Kenya Course...
Partner Opportunities
Besides the obvious historical value of the Auditorium, the venue is an unexploited financial and social resource for Kenya. With the re-opening of the new Nairobi National Museum now more than ever the upgrades need to be done professionally and quickly. The Louis Leakey Auditorium Capital Campaign invites all Kenyans, corporations, media houses, business leaders and international guests to participate in financing the upgrades. All partners will be recognized for their efforts to help create a true Kenyan success story.
