When Virginia Celeste Ellett passed away in January at 93 years young (as her obituary stated), Science Museum of Virginia staff began brainstorming ways they could honor the long-time supporter for her generous bequest of $2.4 million. Placing a plaque somewhere in the building didn’t seem like a fitting tribute to the vibrant, creative and visionary Ellett. Employees knew that to memorialize her properly, her name must be connected to a part of the organization that — literally — lives and breathes inspiration, curiosity and discovery, so they decided to name the Director of Education position after her.
Timshel Purdum will serve as the Museum’s first Virginia C. Ellett Director of Education. Since September 2018 when Purdum joined the Science Museum, she has led a group of dedicated staff and volunteers who help audiences of all ages discover their inner scientist. Through…
