Yes, you can win stuff
UPDATE: Click here to see the entries so far!
We launched our Online Collection—information and images of more than 22,000 of our museum objects— over two years ago. Now we’re celebrating with a contest! And just in case the satisfaction of winning isn’t reward enough, we have PRIZES! Yes, actual, physical prizes (not virtual!) that we will ship to the winners’ doors.
Here’s the deal:
Considering there is a massive, overdue Supervolcano beneath us—we often ponder what it would be like if it erupted. Without a doubt, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West would be physically destroyed by fire, lava, ash, etc. Some speculate the eruption would be so massive that it would bring the end of the United States as we know it – but let’s not worry about that little detail too much right now.
Despite periodic near-hysterical contributions to the Internet by doomsayers, geologists agree that Yellowstone’s Supervolcano won’t erupt suddenly without warning. We’ll have plenty of time to generate widespread panic and mayhem before it happens. I imagine that will be the worst part: is sitting around waiting for it. I can hardly stand to wait in line at Walmart, so waiting for my home, family, and community to be burned alive promises to be really annoying…
Anyway, if you were in charge of saving only 25 items from our collection, what would you save? What would you choose to start rebuilding from the ashes? Answer this question by creating a Virtual Exhibit in our Online Collection, and you might win a prize!
Winning categories:
- Supervolcano Superstar: Most likes/shares on your Virtual Gallery page itself. We’ll add up Google+, FB Likes/Shares, and Tweets. The sharing links are at the bottom of every Virtual Exhibit—those are the numbers we’ll use. Tip: It’s very easy to add and edit items after you create the exhibit – so feel free to get started right away!
- Museum’s Choice: Our panel of experts votes and picks their favorite. The winner here will not only have carefully-selected items, but also a short description as to why they were selected.
Awesome Prize Package
Oh yes, each winner receives an awesome Center of the West swag bag, including:
- Official certificate of awesomeness
- Center of the West hat
- Center of the West Fleece Jacket
- Pocket knife in wooden case
- “Honorary Staff Member” mug
- A tattoo of our logo! (don’t worry [unfortunately], they’re temporary—but we’ll award Bonus Points to anyone who gets an actual Center of the West tattoo)
- Melissa & Doug Buffalo Puzzle
- Exclusive greeting cards featuring art from the Whitney museum
- Another pack of greeting cards
- The book Wildlife Wars, autographed by paleontologist, conservationist, and author Richard Leakey, special guest at the 2002 opening of our Draper Museum
- Postcard featuring our namesake, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody
- Explorers gadget, complete with novelty binoculars to scope out imminent doom and/or scenic vistas
- “Congress of the Rough Riders” pocketwatch clip
- Awesome stickers for the Center and our museums
- Another sticker featuring our museums and slogan
- The 3 most recent issues of our magazine Points West
- The Great Entertainer Cookbook, a classic from our own kitchen
- Timeless Treasures: a book about our Whitney Western Art Museum
- Expedition Guide to the Draper Natural History Museum
- A book about the Cody Firearms Museum
- And last but not least, TWO admissions passes to visit the Center in person
There is also a Grand Prize
The Grand Prize winner gets their choice of either the Turquoise earrings or a Center of the West belt buckle – not to mention some “virtual bling” added to your Virtual Exhibit. (pictures coming soon!)
Rules
- Your Virtual Exhibit must contain exactly 25 items. Tip: It’s very easy to add and edit items after you create the exhibit – so feel free to get started right away!
- We don’t have every single object in our Online Collection yet…we’re working on it. However, if you know of something specific, let us know and we’ll try to add it (no guarantees/promises).
- We reserve the right to remove and/or disqualify any Virtual Exhibit we deem inappropriate.
- Staff are encouraged to participate, but are only eligible to win… Jack Squat.
- We reserve the right to change the rules however we want, whenever we want, for whatever reason we want.
- No cash exchange for prizes. If you win, take your stuff and LIKE it.
- Participants are responsible for complying with any state or local laws pertaining to this. If these terms somehow violate those laws then, well, do not participate.
- Admissions passes DO NOT include travel / lodging / food / etc. However, if you travel a long way and want to tell someone about it, get a hold of me and I will meet you here.
- We’re giving away SIX prize packs.
- The deadline for entries is Friday, December 4th, 2015. (Plenty of time to re-gift any or all of your prize!). We will try to announce winners the following week. If you win, and we cannot get a hold of you within a couple weeks then someone else gets your prize pack – so be sure to pay attention to the Universe unfolding around you.
- If you have any questions, please – for the benefit of everyone – ask in the comments of this post. Someone from the Center will write you back.
- Check out the entries so far at this link.