The Washington Pavilion plans to renovate two floors of the Kirby Science Discovery Center and introduce family-friendly exhibits at the Visual Arts Center next year with the help of several corporate sponsors.

The Pavilion announced Wednesday its new Pillar Partners recognition program highlighting significant supporters. The partners include six businesses and the city of Sioux Falls. The corporate sponsors are Avera Health, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls, First Premier Bank, Premier Bankcard, Howalt+McDowell Insurance and Sanford Health. Each recently made a multiyear financial commitment to the Pavilion.

“These organizations have been supportive of the Pavilion for a long period of time and will continue to partner with us into the foreseeable future,” said Darrin Smith, Pavilion president and CEO. “It was important to us that we recognize these longstanding and significant sponsors for their trust and commitment to the Washington Pavilion.”

In 2017, the Pavilion broke the all-time record for highest number of Pavilion Performance Series subscribers, the highest number of tickets sold in a calendar year and the largest number of tickets sold to a single show. Pavilion memberships are up more than 15 percent since 2015 and museum attendance is at its highest in almost five years.

In addition to its exhibit changes, the Pavilion is developing what it calls a new patron engagement model for the entire facility to enhance the visitor experience.

“The Washington Pavilion continues to pay big dividends for Sioux Falls, and with Darrin and his team taking public-private partnerships to an all-new level, I know we can expect even bigger things,” Mayor Mike Huether said. “We are so fortunate to have stewards in our community that were announced today.”