Planned Giving: Join the Legacy Society

MAKE AN ESTATE GIFT TO Museums of Western Colorado.

We all desire significance — to lead happy and fulfilled lives surrounded by family and friends. For many of us, there is a compelling need to make a difference — to leave a lasting impact on the people most dear to us and the world in which we live.  The quest for significance and desire to plan for the future leads many to ponder their legacy. What kind of legacy will you leave? A bequest is perhaps the easiest and most tangible way to have a lasting impact on the people and organizations that mean the most to you. A bequest may also be an effective way to make a gift to MWC and lessen the burden of taxes on your family and estate.

AN EASY GIFT TO MAKE – BEQUESTS: The simplest way to make a planned gift is through a bequest (gift) in your will. Your gift allows MWC to continue its important role as a vibrant cultural and historical institution into the future by helping us continue to offer compelling exhibitions, programs, and to preserve the collections. You may direct a bequest to support or endow a specific program, the museum’s collection or the museum’s general endowment fund. Bequests without a designation will allow the Board of Directors of MWC to use the funds where they are most needed. 

One benefit of a charitable bequest is that it enables you to further our good work long after you are gone. Better yet, a charitable bequest can help you save estate taxes by providing your estate with a charitable deduction for the value of the gift. With careful planning, your family can also avoid paying income taxes on the assets they receive from your estate.  As part of your estate plans, consider a future gift to the Museums of Western Colorado, and carry on your commitment to any of the three sites; Museum of the West, Dinosaur Journey, or Cross Orchards. Including the Museums of Western Colorado in your estate plans will allow us to plan for the future.

With all estate gifts we recommend you meet with your attorney, professional estate planner or financial advisor to determine what is best for your personal needs. MWC cannot provide direct guidance about which methods are best for your situation. 

Thank you in advance for considering an estate gift as part of your legacy. For more information on the Legacy Society or if you have already remembered MWC in your estate plan, please contact Catherine Robertson, MWC Board of Directors, at catherinehikes@icloud.com. 


The Museums of Western Colorado is a nonprofit corporation which is tax exempt as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Code. The Museums of Western Colorado receives funding through grant awards, class tuition, gift shop sales, special event fund-raising, Mesa County financial support, Heritage Society memberships, and planned gifts. Please support your Museums of Western Colorado for future benefits for all visitors to enjoy!