Hey—we've moved. Visit
The Keyword
for all the latest news and stories from Google
Official Blog
Insights from Googlers into our products, technology, and the Google culture
Supporting our beloved science museums
April 6, 2011
I touched the moon.
President Kennedy, NASA, and a
museum
put the rock that inspired my boyhood imagination into my hands and made me a “museumophile.” Since then, I’ve savored
Wenninger
’s polyhedra and the evolution of the
astrolabe
in London, analyzed
Konrad Zuse
’s pioneering computers in Munich, seen the original Earth globe in Vienna, toured a coal mine in Chicago, learned the secret of Samurai swords and measured a 50-foot tapeworm in Tokyo, learned the origins of oceanography in Monte-Carlo, studied
Tycho Brahe
’s astronomical apparatus in Beijing, loved a Foucault pendulum and
Ames window
in San Diego, viewed a remote-control fly in Langley, winced at the
Siamese twins’ conjoined liver
in Philadelphia and admired Cleopatra’s eyeliner bottle in San Jose. What an amazing journey through human creativity—all thanks to museums!
Museums do more than entertain and teach. I’ve spoken with many Googlers who cite their own experiences in science museums as a positive influence on their decision to become engineers. By transforming the curious learners of today into the innovators of tomorrow, museums perpetuate both creativity and accomplishment. That’s why I’m thrilled that Google is supporting science museums with a total of $12 million in grants to the
Museum of Mathematics
in New York, the
New York Hall of Science
, the
Science Museum London
(via the
Friends of Science Museums
), the
Exploratorium
and the
California Academy of Sciences
in San Francisco, the
Museum of Science & Industry
in Chicago and the
Museum of Science
in Boston.
When looking to support these beloved institutions, we naturally gravitated towards museums in communities where Googlers volunteer and have ties. Our funds are going to meet diverse needs of the museums, from the construction of new facilities to the development of new exhibitions to new curricula that will extend their work outside of the museum walls.
Many of these museums have operated in our communities for quite some time, but another wave of science museums was built mid-century during the space race when the
National Science Foundation
realized the importance of getting the general public excited about scientific pursuits. The need for science and math museums is no less important today, as the
U.S. has made research and development
in biomedical research, information technology and clean energy technology a national priority. As leading destinations for school field trips, museums are touchpoints where students come into contact with science and math.
Our collaboration with the museums won’t end by signing a check. With so many Googlers already working with these museums, we’re excited to find additional ways Google can help these museums educate adults and spark a love of science in children.
Besides, how else can we all touch the moon?
Posted by Michael T. Jones, Chief Technology Advocate
Labels
accessibility
41
acquisition
26
ads
131
Africa
19
Android
58
apps
419
April 1
4
Asia
39
books + book search
48
commerce
12
computing history
7
crisis response
33
culture
12
developers
120
diversity
35
doodles
68
education and research
144
entrepreneurs at Google
14
Europe
46
faster web
16
free expression
61
google.org
73
googleplus
50
googlers and culture
202
green
102
Latin America
18
maps and earth
194
mobile
124
online safety
19
open source
19
photos
39
policy and issues
139
politics
71
privacy
66
recruiting and hiring
32
scholarships
31
search
505
search quality
24
search trends
118
security
36
small business
31
user experience and usability
41
youtube and video
140
Archive
2016
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2011
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2010
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2009
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2008
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2007
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2006
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2005
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2004
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Feed
Google
on
Follow @google
Follow
Give us feedback in our
Product Forums
.
Follow
