Nautilus Circle

Leave a legacy that sparks curiosity for generations to come.

Join the Nautilus Circle

When you include the Wilson Museum in your estate plan, your generosity ensures we remain THE place to be hands-on, curious, and connected. Your legacy will cultivate and encourage profound human connections across place, time, and cultures through our hands-on exhibits and shared histories. Thank you for ensuring our museum continues to illuminate the ways we are all connected for generations to come.

Make a Big Impact with Your Support

Every Planned Gift, regardless of amount, is an exceptional contribution and is deeply appreciated. These are some ways generous supporters have included the Wilson Museum in their plans and joined the Nautilus Circle:  

  • Gifts from Your Will or Trust (Bequests): You can designate a specific dollar amount, a particular asset, or a percentage of your estate to the Museum. It is fully revocable, allowing you to update your plans if your circumstances change.
    Sample Language for Your Advisor: "I give the (sum of dollars or percentage of estate) to the Wilson Museum, located in Castine, Maine, Tax ID Number 23-759689 to be used for the Museum's general purposes."

  • Beneficiary Designations (Retirement & Financial Accounts): Often, the easiest way to make a planned gift. You can simply name the Wilson Museum as a full or partial beneficiary of an IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or donor-advised fund. This usually only requires requesting a simple "change of beneficiary" form from your plan administrator.

Leaving a legacy doesn't require a large estate or complicated legal documents. There are many ways to contribute. Please consult your financial or tax advisor on how you can both build your own Estate planning needs while also supporting your community.

The Wilson Family

The Wilson Museum was founded by J. Howard Wilson in 1921. But it was the three very important women in his life who ensured the Museum’s future. 

His mother, Cassine Cartwright Wilson; his wife, Georgia Johnson Wilson; and his daughter, Ellenore Wilson Doudiet, all included a legacy for the Museum in their estates. Their incredible forethought and love of this special place have left a lasting impact on all who visit today.

Cassine, Georgia, and Ellenore were aware of the future challenges and invested to ensure the Museum would endure for generations to come.

Now, more than 100 years after its founding, the Trustees of the Wilson Museum continue to be entrusted with the care and responsibility for the buildings, collections, stories, and people that take us on the journey from curiosity to connection. Thoughtful and ethical stewardship of the cultural and natural heritage we hold, spanning millennia and the globe, is no small feat. 

Today, you can join these thoughtful individuals and make a contribution to the legacy of the Wilson Museum, so that, for decades to come, others will learn from and experience all the Museum has to offer. 

Share Your Intentions 

For more information, or to confidentially inform us of your plans, please let us know by completing this brief form (coming soon!) or contacting our Executive Director, Julia Gray directly at director@wilsonmuseum.org or (207) 326-9247.