▁of ▁First ▁Street ▁to ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁for ▁$ 1 ▁following ▁an ▁inten se ▁year - long ▁lo bb ying ▁effort ▁by ▁executive ▁director ▁Charlie ▁Tra ut mann ▁and ▁I th aca ▁Common ▁Council ▁member ▁Susan ▁Bl ument hal . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁launched ▁a ▁capital ▁campaign ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁to ▁ ▁to ▁provide ▁additional ▁exhib it ▁and ▁program ▁space , ▁an ▁early ▁child hood ▁area , ▁and ▁a ▁discovery ▁room . ▁The ▁campaign ▁raised ▁$ 5 . 5 ▁million ▁and ▁the ▁expansion ▁project ▁was ▁dedicated ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁Sci en center ' s ▁found ing . ▁ ▁Ad van cement ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁museum ▁expansion ▁behind ▁it , ▁the ▁organization ▁could ▁now ▁focus ▁on ▁planning ▁for ▁future ▁educational ▁impact ▁and ▁building ▁systems ▁to ▁support ▁these ▁strateg ic ▁plans . ▁The ▁museum ▁began ▁to ▁implement ▁development , ▁membership , ▁market ing , ▁communic ations ▁and ▁public / media ▁relations ▁to ▁advance ▁the ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁Sci en center . ▁Key ▁prior ities ▁included : ▁growing ▁the ▁annual ▁fund , ▁developing ▁an ▁individual ▁giving ▁program , ▁raising ▁funds ▁for ▁special ▁projects , ▁and ▁growing ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁end ow ment . ▁ ▁Gu est ▁Rel ations ▁and ▁Oper ations ▁ ▁Its ▁Gu est ▁Rel ations ▁and ▁Oper ations ▁team ▁man ages ▁the ▁front ▁des k ▁and ▁oper ates ▁the ▁Sci en center