GPDM Year in Review

2023 has been a significant year for GPDM with the biggest news being that our famous Leonardo, “the mummy dinosaur” became an international traveler and is now on exhibit and under study at the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum in Fukui Japan. We are in the final stages of installing a new innovative exhibit that will connect us to Leonardo and Fukui via an interactive digital display. We’ve also partnered with the City of Malta and Bear Paw Development in a planning grant application that would help us plan & explore options for growth and expansion. Just as dinosaurs evolve, so must GPDM.

This year we greeted Harris Boekenheide, our new Director of Paleontology and said a temporary farewell to Dixie Stordahl. Dixie’s official title as Museum Operations Manager has the acronym MOM and that says it all, she’s been here from the start as a volunteer, board and staff member, and we are family. While she may be 200 physically miles away, it’s a short phone call or email for her expert advice and assistance. Our Treasurer Lu Besel is also stepping away at year's end after 16 years of managing our finances. Lu has shared her many talents with us, and we are grateful. We extend our heartfelt thanks to these ladies for their dedication to our organization and community. We will celebrate both Dixie and Lu on a special day in spring 2024 - watch for the announcement and please join us.

IMPACT SNAPSHOT

-Visitors came from 11 different foreign counties plus 6 Canadian providences.

-We had 3,095 total registered visitors in 2023.

-Our Facebook reach extended over 6500 people, that’s nearly a 390% increase over last year.

EMI Grant – Experience Leonardo Project - $52,000 in grant funds + local matching funds to create a new interactive wall exhibit (developed by Bret Wright of Toolshed, Cutbank, MT.) focusing on Leonardo the Mummy Dinosaur with a portal to Fukui Dinosaur Museum in Japan. This exhibit will revitalize our museum by engaging youth and families, scientific researchers in education and provide unlimited opportunity for international and cultural exchange. The project also includes completing a marketing plan and hiring Chelsea McKenna Design of Winnett, MT to update our logo and marketing images, including our website and social media. Early in 2024, we will coordinate a meeting between area tourism businesses to discuss our regional assets and how we collaborate to improve our individual businesses and community.