The Campaign
A master plan to celebrate America's Cowboy Philosopher and create the inspirational World Citizen Experience. The most popular person of the 20th Century, Will Rogers helped bring the entire world together with his wit and wisdom.
Carrying his legacy forward, the Will Rogers Memorial Foundation undertakes its most ambitious project to date under the aptly named the TOGETHER WE WILL campaign.
Located near historic Route 66, a.k.a.. the Will Rogers Highway, and based in Will’s adopted hometown of Claremore, OK, the Memorial Museum’s ten-acre tract will be transformed, receiving much needed improvements since its dedication in 1938. While several updates and additions have helped the Museum reach and inspire an international audience, the TOGETHER WE WILL campaign has an eight-figure goal with many philanthropists joining together to fulfill a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
On the tract of land Will and Betty bought in 1911 as a future place to retire, the remodeled and updated Memorial honors the world’s most famous citizen serving future generations of 'World Citizens'.
Repurposed spaces & newly designed exhibits
Gardens, the Memorial, Outdoor Spaces for large gatherings surround the reinvented Museum...beckoning visitors, families, Route 66 travelers, historians and Western enthusiasts.
Complete and new treatments delight patrons, visitors and Members in every single space within the facility, including a new event center, a new entry way, new exhibitions, improved galleries, new gift shop, impressive legacy hall, multiple theaters, expanded parking areas and ADA access for all visitors. While Will's personal study is intact and authentically presented to Museum guests (where he penned the quotes which reached 40 million weekly followers)...new and interactive touchscreens and holographic experiences allow kids and kids at heart to study Will's world travels, enjoy his films and Vaudeville shows, access his famous quotes and quips and enjoy his radio programs carried coast to coast.
Each exhibit will immerse guests into Will's life and help them understand what made him so special to people from all walks of life. Visitors will also be challenged to live their life to the fullest and to be a good World Citizen, like Will Rogers.
And of course the Museum will still feature Will's California Ranch and connect to Beverly Hills Home, Ranch Home, Celebrity Friends and Will’s Family. The popular Heritage Gallery will showcase Will’s Western Art and Fine Art collections including key pieces from Remington to Russell.
Beautiful landscaping delivers a park-like setting
With a far-reaching and significant capital goal in mind, the Board of the Will Rogers Memorial Foundation has been working with staff and program specialists to bring Will’s exceptional values, positive character traits and sought-after approach to life to the American people through a re-invented Memorial Museum delivering masterfully themed and interactive exhibits.
Gardens, the Memorial, Outdoor Spaces for large gatherings surround the reinvented Museum...beckoning visitors, families, Route 66 travelers, historians and Western enthusiasts.
Educational Programming built around America's hero of the 20th Century
Will Rogers Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, as well as the Memorial Museum’s faculty, educators, curators, programmers, staff members, docents and volunteers, have dreamed of promoting Will’s strong moral character traits which spread cheer, Indian-Cowboy insights and a restored faith in humanity and good citizenship during some of America’s most troubled times. The corresponding campaign – aptly named TOGETHER WE WILL – ensures this dream comes true.
In addition to dramatic improvements of all elements on the 10-acre campus, Memorial Museum leaders are delivering Will Rogers-inspired curricula, media and programming – some would say an inspirational ‘movement’ – to worldwide audiences serving youth and emerging leaders from Alabama to Zurich.
The Complete Package
Through strategic and professional due diligence, it has been determined that a blended Capital Campaign will fund the renovation of the 1938-dedicated memorial, new and remodeled facilities, improved interior and exterior spaces, newly designed exhibits and galleries, ADA access serving staff, members, patrons, visitors and youth.
Critical to this campaign is the establishment of a specific endowment for associated operational expenses which accompany professionally administrating a 28,000 square foot facility with the newly curated exhibits, educational components and a spectacular new special event center.
Like Will Rogers, the campaign is timely, transformational and
will positively impact generations upon generations.
Click Download to download the full Campaign Business Case (PDF)
“Will Rogers dominated the entertainment field of his day. At or near the top at the box office, on the radio, on the speech circuit, and in humorous writing, Will was America’s ambassador to humanity.“ the Hon. Robert Henry
Honorary Campaign Chairperson
