Museum of Science, Boston, MA, USA

The mission of the Museum of Science, Boston is to stimulate interest in and further understanding of science and technology and their importance for individuals and for society.

The idea behind the Museum goes back to the establishment of the Boston Society of Natural History in 1830 and their opening the New England Museum of Natural History in 1864. After World War II the Museum moved to its current premises in the Science Park and officially opened as the new Museum of Science in 1951.



Rapid expansion saw the Charles Hayden Planetarium, funded by major gifts from the Charles Hayden Foundation, opened in 1958. The Elihu Thomson Theater of Electricity, which houses the 2 1/2 million volt Van de Graaff generator — given to the Museum by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1956 — opened in 1980. Two of the Museum's more recent additions, the Red Wing housing the Roger L. Nichols Gallery for temporary exhibits, and the Mugar Omni Theater, exemplify the Museum of Science's commitment to making science fun and accessible to all. The Mugar Omni Theater, opened in 1987, utilizes state-of-the-art film technology to project larger-than-life images onto a five-story high, domed screen, creating a "you are there" experience for viewers.

With the National Center for Technological Literacy (NCTL), the Museum is reaching out and improving technology and engineering education nationwide to help the United States realize its potential.