Mashantucket ― Wondr Nation, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s online gaming entertainment company, announced this week it will sponsor the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center over the next five years, providing it with financial and programming support.

According to a news release, Wondr Nation will develop “virtual reality experiences” for museum exhibits, introduce STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities for young museum visitors and help the museum reach a broader audience by livestreaming its programming.

"As a tribally owned company, we are deeply committed to the preservation and advancement of the Mashantucket Pequot culture,” Anika Howard, Wondr Nation’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “This partnership allows us to extend our impact by providing enriching tech-forward educational experiences for the tribal community and the public. We are humbled to bring our expertise in emerging technologies to the museum to honor the tribe's history."

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe also owns Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Wondr Nation and the museum will collaborate on programming “that shares inspirational stories, educates on cultural topics, and extends access to key resources,” Wondr Nation said in the release. One of the partnership’s first initiatives will be a free Artisan Entrepreneur Symposium on Tuesday, May 23. The event will focus on the perspectives and needs of artisan entrepreneurs.

"We are thrilled to have Wondr Nation as our lead sponsor," said Joshua Carter, executive director of the museum. "Their technical expertise and dedication to engaging audience experiences will help us to enhance our offerings and bring the museum's exhibits to life in exciting ways.”

The tribe announced the creation of Wondr Nation, a rebranding of the former Mashantucket Pequot Interactive, a year ago in a bid to expand the tribe’s digital footprint.

Wondr Nation is the official holder of the online gaming license the state awarded the tribe in 2021. Its purview includes FoxPlay Casino, a social casino app that offers not-for-money wagering on casino games, as well as the tribe’s partnership with DraftKings, which developed and manages Foxwoods’ real-money online gambling and sports-betting operations.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com