MIDLAND The Museum of the Southwest announced in a Wednesday press release that Coterra Energy is again investing in the nearly 6-acre campus in the heart of Midland.
The Coterra Energy Sound Garden is nearing its final completion this summer with landscaping details remaining. The museum is home to a beautiful sculpture garden spanning the campus, and with the reopening of the Fredda Turner Durham Children’s Museum in 2022, the museum was looking to make an intentional addition that would allow interaction for children of all ages. Twenty-five feet in length and over 12 feet high the sound garden is an exciting piece for guests to play a harmonious tune. The structure is designed so you can actually feel the music if you stand inside the middle when it is being played, according to the release.
The Museum of the Southwest is honored for the partnership with Coterra Energy who has continued their relationship upon the merger with Cimarex in 2021 several years ago. Coterra Energy also supports several ongoing museum programs including Coterra Science on a Sphere, and Coterra Sundays, which provides free admission to all guests every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. across campus.
“The Museum of the Southwest has established itself as a beacon of community engagement, dedicated to fostering a deep appreciation for arts and culture in the Permian Basin. Coterra Energy is honored to have collaborated with the Museum for the past decade, witnessing firsthand their unwavering commitment to building meaningful relationships within the community and among our employees,” George Stark, Director, External Affairs, Coterra Energy, said in the press release. “As our partnership has grown and evolved, we recognized a mutual need to enhance community facilities. When the Museum identified a need for the Sound Garden, and our employees expressed a desire for more local family activities, we saw an opportunity to merge these needs into one facility that would benefit the entire community. We take great pride in our long-term commitment to Midland and are thrilled with the new Children’s Museum; we felt the Sound Garden was a wonderful venue to offer our neighbors in the Basin for generations to come.”
When asked about Coterra Energy’s $125,000 gift to the museum, Executive Director Lori Wesley, focused on longevity and the community. “By making this significant and multi-year investment in the Museum, Coterra Energy is showing great leadership and commitment to the quality of life that we have in Midland. It shows vision and loyalty to our community to create a place where we can all gather and enjoy a more beautiful life together. The Museum of the Southwest is dedicated to that vision. It is through strong partnerships like the one with Coterra Energy that we will continue to bring art, science, culture, and history to Midland,” Wesley said in the release.
With the final landscaping set for completion later this summer, the Coterra Energy Sound Garden is currently open to visitors ready for use. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be announced later this summer.
