A pipe dream four years ago is reality today, a project that wasjump started with a $10-million lead pledge from the SBCFoundation, the philanthropic entity of SBC Communications. Thedonation marks the largest corporate contribution ever given to anywomen's project or organization in the country's history and hasprovided necessary funds to get the project rolling. "Without SBC'ssupport, this museum would not have been built," says Cathy Bonner,museum founder. "Through its corporate gift, SBC has once againshown that it recognizes and values the contributions of women, notonly to society, but also to its own company."

The facility, initiated by the Austin-based Foundation ofWomen's Resources, is being heralded as the nation's first,comprehensive national museum dedicated to women's accomplishmentsand holds the distinction of being the nation's first millenniumproject, an honor bestowed two years in Washington, DC, at itsofficial launch by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. The selectionof Dallas as the host city couldn't be more fitting since it'ssituated 32 miles south of Texas Woman's University, nationallyrecognized for its women's collections spanning all walks of lifefrom individuals to the Women of the Gulf War Collection. A women'smuseum source tells GlobeSt.com that the facility is negotiatingwith TWU for programming and artifacts. Part of TWU's archivedcollection for the WASPS, an all-female corps of ferry pilotsduring World War II, already is part of the Women's Museumexhibitions, GlobeSt.com was told.

Technology is a key part of the Smithsonian-affiliated project.More than 11,000 sf of exhibit space is allocated on three levels,featuring a mix of multimedia, interactive and traditionaldisplays. The women's stories featured in the museum span 500 yearsof American women and includes an Unforgettable Women exhibitprofiling 38 women who have made a distinctive mark on AmericanSociety. That particular exhibit has a pool of 100 outstandingwomen's memorabilia to draw upon and will be rotated annually. Twoof the honorees, Lady Bird Johnson and her press secretary, LizCarpenter, were on hand with more than 2,000 others at a gala sneakpreview held two days ago.