$1-Million Donation for Marine Institute

The Orange County Marine Institute, which regards itself as a school of higher learning for the ocean, announced Monday it has received its first $1-million donation.

Pledged by an anonymous local philanthropist, the donation will allow the institute to begin designing a major expansion that could cost as much as $20 million.

The proposed expansion will have a series of two-sided galleries: One side for walk-through visitors and the other side a learning center with touch tanks, microscopes and other equipment providing a more comprehensive learning experience.

“It will extend from a passive to a hands-on learning experience,” said Harry Helling, executive associate director of science programs for the institute.

Without design plans and 3-D models to attract corporate donations, the institute had not begun a major fund-raising push.

A $1-million donation will not only pay for the design phase, but will give the marine center something to show prospective givers.

“A donor of significance is looking at two things,” said institute President Stan Cummings. “They want a program that is going to be a success and they . . . want to make sure there will be others out there with them, sharing the risk.”

With the county starting work on a revitalization of the Dana Point Harbor, where the institute is located, the donation was “perfect timing,” said county Supervisor Tom Wilson.

“We’re very excited about anything that is going to improve the harbor,” said Wilson. “This came along at a time when we’re trying to have some vision of what the harbor will look like in the next 25 years.”