The New York State Museum knowingly and improperly collected about $600,000 in federal funding, a report conducted by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Interior found. USGS paid half the hourly wages of museum employees for the time they spent on the project. The museum also made personnel and budget changes to the project without federal approval. The New York State Department of Education has been "fully transparent and cooperative" throughout the investigation, JP O'Hare, a department spokesperson, said in a statement. The first phase of the initiative includes new exhibits, a kids zone and the reopening of the museum café and gift shop.