Mercy Corps announces plans for museum at new headquarters

Mercy Corps announced this morning the creation of an interactive museum on the ground floor of its Old Town-Chinatown headquarters that will highlight issues such as poverty, hunger and conflict resolution.

The announcement was made at a public ceremony celebrating the beginning of construction on the historic Skidmore Fountain building, at Southwest Ankeny Street and First Avenue which is expected to open as Mercy Corps' global headquarters in the summer of 2009.

There will also be a small business development center on the ground floor of the building.

Mercy Corps also announced a $1.5 million grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust, which includes a $500,000 donation and a $1 million low-interest loan for construction. Finally, that the Lemelson Foundation, which works in the U.S. and developing countries, will own and occupy part of the building.