MOXI event committee members, from left, Amanda Allen, Kathleen Sain, Nini Muñoz, Jennifer Hecht, Ashley Nichols Blevins, Robin Gose, Jill Levinson, Nancy Sheldon, Pamela Dillman Haskell, Jill Chase and Kate MacNaughton. 
Event co-chairs Jill Chase, left, and Pamela Dillman Haskell. 
Development Director Amanda Allen, left, with sponsors John Mike Cohen and Marcia Cohen. 
Irma and Morrie Jurkowitz. 
Nancy and Mike Shelton. 
Michael Zivolli and Dr. Barbara Mathews. 
Exhibit facilitator and UCSB physics student Kevin Kerrigan monitors a cool drink exhibit. 
Kathy Washburn, left, and Suzi Schomer. 
A dancer performs on the MOXI staircase. 
The rooftop. 
Rooftop decor. 
The colorful exterior of the MOXI museum. 
Cristina and David Prichard of Bank of America interact with an exhibit. 
Guests enjoy every floor of the museum. 
The balloon room.
For the second year, MOXI: The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation of Santa Barbara presented a creative and innovative fundraiser at the museum that was enjoyed by a sold-out crowd of 400-plus.
Guests could wander and explore all three floors, including the Levinson Family Sky Garden on MOXI’s expansive rooftop with views of the mountains, ocean and harbor.
Funds raised from the silent auction and event sponsors support STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education and help ensure MOXI is accessible to students and those in the community who need it most.
“MOXI@Night is our biggest fundraising event of the year,” President/CEO Robin Gose told Noozhawk. “We rely on the support of this community to keep our doors open, to offer engaging educational programs, and to help provide free and reduced admission to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience what we have to offer. With the community’s continued support, we can inspire and engage more children in hands-on STEAM learning.”
The party was spread throughout the museum’s 17,000-square-foot facility, where guests were free to interact with the exhibits. A blue-hued infinity room packed with balloons proved to be a fun outlet on the second floor, along with a flip book photo booth. There were full-service bars on each floor along with passed hors d’oeuvres and gourmet food stations.
After the special Moxi Moment on the rooftop, the Late-Night Lava Lounge opened at 10:30 p.m. in the McMillan and Kenny Families Fantastic Forces Courtyard, where supporters enjoyed dancing, silent disco, nightcap cocktails and late-night eats.
Throughout MOXI@Night, attendees experienced a variety of creative pop-up performances by local dance troupes and others.
The event committee included co-chairs Jill Chase and Pamela Dillman Haskell, Amanda Lynn Allen, Kelly Almeroth, Ashley Nichols Blevins, Belle Hahn Cohen, Patricia Connor, Robin Gose, Jennifer Hecht, Jill Levinson, Kate MacNaughton, Katie McNab, Jillian Muller, Nini Munoz, Louise Reed, Kathleen Sain, Elizabeth Schreiber, Nancy Sheldon and Noelle Wolf.
The event was supported by MOXI board of directors president Jill Levinson, first vice president Chris Kroes, second vice president Nancy Sheldon, secretary Sergio Villa, treasurer secretary Scott Hadley, Susan McMillan, Alixe Mattingly, Josh Blumer, Jill Chase, Marcia Cohen, Dagny Dehlsen, Tyler Duncan, Elizabeth Gabler, Lisa Hearst Hagerman, Jennifer Hecht, Richard Hutton, Ryan Muzzy, Eloy Ortega, Ann Pieramici, Leanne Schlinger, Fiona Stone and Noelle Wolf.
Sponsors
» Lightspeed: Jurkowitz and Levinson families, and Melinda Goodman Kemp and Robert Kemp
» Hypersonic: Kevin and Kelly Almeroth, Jill and Chad Chase, Elizabeth and Lee Gabler, Lisa and George Hagerman, Kay McMillan, Susan McMillan and Tom Kenny, and Nancy and Mike Sheldon
» Supersonic: Marcia and John Mike Cohen, Lisa and Sam King, Montecito Bank & Trust, the Mosher Foundation, and Missy and Chuck Sheldon
» Mach 1: Arlington Financial Advisors/Duva family, Bartlett, Pringle, & Wolf LLP, Patricia and Josh Connor, Sean and Jenny Hecht, Jeff and Hollye Jacobs family, Alixe and Mark Mattingly, Ann and Dante Pieramici, Purnell Santa Barbara Workwear, the Santa Barbara Foundation, and Carrie Towbes and John Lewis
» Kinetic: AB Design Studio Inc., Jen and Skip Abed, Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cox Communications, Jennifer Smithmick and Max Drucker, Robin Gose and Chris Mosier, Pamela Dillman Haskell and Christopher Haskell, Josh Stichter, HUB International, Andrea and Richard Hutton, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Marymount of Santa Barbara, Matthew Lloyd and Nini Muñoz, Nanette and Henry Nevins, Northern Trust, Jeannette and Kevin Root, Leanne Schlinger and Nick Diebolt, Village Properties, Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin, Geof and Laura Wyatt, Merryl Snow Zegar and others.
» Entertainment sponsor: QAD
» Flip book photo booth: Bank of America
» Silent disco: Ashley Nichols Blevins
MOXI opened in 2017 after 20 years of planning and a $25 million capital campaign. MOXI’s mission of igniting learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity is based on the premise that education comes through engagement and enjoyment. Exhibits are designed for children and adults alike.
Click here for more information about MOXI, or call 805.770.5003.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Rochelle Rose can be reached at rrose@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.