Hormel Institute leaders aren’t done seeking money for part of the expansion.

Director of Development & Public Relations Gail Dennison and the Institute are looking for $3 million in donations to fund a new, 250-seat lecture hall on the Institute’s west side, adjacent to its main lobby. It will serve as a place for local and international scientists to come together.

“It will also be a place where we can invite scientists from around the world to come and share their research in Austin, Minnesota,” Dennison said.

Currently, the Institute only has space to host about 100 people. The lecture hall — aimed to be part of the expansion construction — would bring scientists together to accelerate discoveries through collaborations, Institute officials said.

While the main expansion is fully funded, officials with The Hormel Institute will be seeking donations for the lecture hall.

Dennison also announced two Nobel Prize-winning scientists will lecture at The Hormel Institute in coming months.

“The sharing of research is one of the most important function you can do,” Gail Dennison said.

The lecture hall will also include a multifunction area that can serve as a dining hall for up to 150 people, as support space for seminars and large meeting, and for other purposes.

Donations are already coming in for the lecture hall. U.S. Bank Foundation pledged $150,000, and Ecolab pledged $50,000.