© 2026 KWBU
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Dr Pepper Museum receives $1.023M gift, will add 23-foot bottle in Downtown Waco.

Dr Pepper Museum representatives pose for a photo with Michael Hillman after The Hillman Family Foundation announced their commitment for a $1.023 million donation to the museum at Wednesday's board meeting. From left: Chris Dyer, President & CEO of Dr Pepper Museum; Michael Hillman; Autumn Outlaw, Director of Marketing & Development; Adrian Sepcic, Board Chair
Courtesy: Dr Pepper Museum
Dr Pepper Museum representatives pose for a photo with Michael Hillman after The Hillman Family Foundation announced their commitment for a $1.023 million donation to the museum at Wednesday's board meeting.
From left: Chris Dyer, President & CEO of Dr Pepper Museum; Michael Hillman; Autumn Outlaw, Director of Marketing & Development; Adrian Sepcic, Board Chair

The Dr Pepper Museum is getting a major financial boost, the nonprofit announced Wednesday.

Museum leaders announced a $1.023 million commitment from the Hillman Family Foundation honoring Cornerstone Caregiving, one of the largest private donations in the museum’s history.

The gift begins with $123,000 to fund a new 23-foot-tall Dr Pepper bottle installation planned for the museum’s courtyard this May. The number is a nod to the soda’s famous 23 flavors.

The bottle will be unveiled during the museum’s 35th Birthday Bash on May 9 and is expected to become a new downtown landmark.

In the press release Wednesday, Waco native Michael Hillman says his family is proud to support the museum and the city where Dr Pepper was first created.

In 2025, the museum welcomed a record 272,000 visitors.

Molly-Jo Tilton joined KWBU in 2024 as the station's Multimedia Reporter. She covers all things Waco for KWBU, from City Council to the local arts scene. Her work has appeared on The Texas Standard and NPR's All Things Considered.