I guess people with an extra 15 million sitting around to donate must not be stupid to have it in the first place--but it makes you wonder if they really do have more money than sense. I can't see that kind of money for something so trivial as a museum. That's all well and good and could be an interesting place to visi I guess, but that amount of money could do so much to RELIEVE REAL SUFFERING in the world. And I don't mean donating it to the Red Cross, just to see it go to their president's big paycheck (no kidding-look up what their top dog makes a year)If you want to get real 100% bang-for-your-buck mileage out of your donated dollars, might we suggest the ZERO%-for-overhead LDS Humanitarian Aid Fund.(The LDS church pays for all overhead out of their "own coffers" and 100% of donated funds goes to people in need.) Or the are other great real, on-the-ground programs in many countries, including our own, that help people out of poverty and help them become self sustaining, and that prevent or cure disease--who's real motivation is to improve lives and reduce suffering.

I've noticed in reading the Des News over the years, the name of Eccles as BIG contributors to LOTS of projects. I am wondering who this family is and how they came to so much wealth? I am not from Utah so I don't know about them. Thanks.

This is in reply to More money than sense. This is a similar question to why spend money exploring space and other planets. The poor can easily absorb every extra penny. Is half (or whatever the number is) of the world's population supposed to spend every surplus dollar supporting the other half? That just doesn't make sense. Has this person ever visited a museum? From the pictures I've seen this will be wonderful building and well worth the money. I think the poor would agree.

You gotta admire the chutzpah of those Rio Tinto boys. First they create one of the world's largest environmental, super fund, sites on the west bench, and now they are intent on desecrating the east bench.

David Eccles (the patriarch of the Eccles family) amassed his fortune through investments, including Utah International, Amalgamated Sugar and two banks (one being First Security Bank, the oldest multistate bank holding company in the US).

Beautiful But Off Exterior Design

Mr. Schliemann -the lead designer - says the building's design is inspired by the land, culture, and context of Utah and the site. There is nothing about the exterior of this builing that looks to me like it was inspired by the land, culture, and context of "Northern" Utah. Perhaps this would be true if the building were in "Southern" Utah. It looks to me that Mr. Schliemann had a design agenda, not that he is being inspired by the site and it's culture.

To the first poster: Museums are trivial??? You say donate to the LDS church instead...guess what, the LDS church has museums too! Museums are important to culture and civilization, otherwise we would all end up being automated robots. Of course the poor and afflicted are important, but so are our minds (and obvioiusly you do not possess one).

PS--if you're complaining about how money is spent, how about the BILLIONS of dollars being poured into shopping malls by the church? That money should go to an arts complex in downtown SLC instead of shopping, talk about trivial.

Anonymous, "Museums are important to culture and civilization, otherwise we would all end up being automated robots. Of course the poor and afflicted are important, but so are our minds (and obvioiusly you do not possess one)."

It is this kind of attitude that must be condemned. It is people like you who pretend to be good people and who give lip service to the suffering of the poor and downtrodden but in reality care more about your own selfish interests that give a bad name to our "culture and civilization."

Why does Salt Lake need an Arts Center? It's clear that you are from Salt Lake and that the people of Salt Lake are self-centered and so are your elected officials who spend our tax money to advantage your community. How about sending some of our hard earned tax dollars back to to our local communities instead of to those of you in Salt Lake without brains including those who represent you "mindless robots" in the State Legislature.

They spent $25 million on a Natural History Museum? Give me a break! What a complete waste of money by mindless idiots but that makes sense since they represent mindless idiots.