photo by: University of Kansas

A portion of the Panorama exhibit at KU's Natural History Museum is shown in this undated file photo.

A $2 million gift will be used to restore one of the most iconic exhibits at KU’s Natural History Museum — the 132-year old Panorama exhibit that features stuffed specimens ranging from birds to bears.

University of Kansas alumni Tom and Jan Hardy have provided a $2 million donation to begin preservation efforts of the historic exhibit, which was created KU naturalist Lewis Lindsay Dyche for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

The gift will provide “essential infrastructure and environmental updates” to the exhibit, and will serve as a key step in the eventual full restoration and preservation of the displays, KU said in a release on Tuesday.

The Hardys, who live in Cincinnati, have long been admirers of the nearly 360 degree exhibit that often is highlighted as part of school field trips and other such events that frequently take place at the museum on the Lawrence campus.

“Our motivation was to pick a place where we could — very literally — make a difference,” said Tom Hardy, whose father, a letterman on the KU football team, was the first of his family to attend KU. “My dad enjoyed the exhibit, and he graduated in 1925. It’s more than 100 years old now — it’s time.”

The Panorama also has been a longtime visible sign of KU’s standing in the world of plant, animal and fossil collections. KU’s Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum has 11 million plant, animal and fossil specimens, and 2 million archaeological artifacts. The collection is used by researchers from around the world.

“We are so grateful for the Hardys’ generosity and dedicated service to KU,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “Their gift ensures this vital KU landmark and educational resource will continue to inspire students and the public for years to come.”

Tom Hardy, a Hoisington native, lived at KU’s Battenfeld Scholarship Hall as a student and initially studied physics. He switched to economics after a University Honors Program advisor suggested he explore a business class. He graduated in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and earned his MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He became a leader in the life insurance industry and since 2002, has been chairman and CEO of Unity Financial Life Insurance.

Jan Hardy met her future husband while she also was studying economics at KU. She was easy to spot as only one of two women in the major at KU at the time, and is a 1961 graduate of the program.

KU expects to announce additional plans for restoration of the Panorama project in the near future, the university said.