San Diego Natural History Museum obtains $ 10 million Irwin Jacobs Gift

In the midst of the potential cuts in the financing of the Federal Museum, the San Diego Natural History Museum received a gift of $ 10 million from the founder and PhilanthropE of Qualcomm Irwin Jacobs to create the Center for Science and Conservation of Joan and Irwin Jacobs.

An official announcement this week said that money would strengthen the museum’s research and conservation efforts, including collaborations with other university and research establishments.

The president of the museum, Judy Gradwohl, described the gift as “transformational”.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to expand our research and ensure that the biodiversity of our region is studied, resilient and celebrated for the years to come,” said Gradwohl. “This stimulates our ability to use new technologies, work with partner organizations and train the next generation of conservation scientists.”

Over the past 150 years, the museum, known as NAT, has built a collection of more than 8 million specimens of native plants, fossils, animals, insects, reptiles and marine life.

The vast collection has enabled researchers to sequence the DNA of endangered species, develop AI tools to help identify and sort specimens and search for remedies against disease. Currently, scientists from the Salk Institute are testing NAT herbarium factories for neuroprotective and anti-aging properties that can help treat dementia.

In a statement, Jacobs said that he and his deceased wife Joan, who died in May 2024 at 91, “always believed in the power of science to make the difference.”

“With this endowment, I hope that NAT continues to show the way in understanding and protecting the incredible biodiversity of our region,” he said. “It is a question of investing in the future of scientific discovery and research.”

Originally published: April 3, 2025 at 5:18 p.m.