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MetLife Foundation Awards $1.25 Million to Science Museums; Grants Will Support Education Programs and Underwrite Exhibitions to Promote Understanding of Aging

Posted on: Wednesday, 27 July 2005, 12:00 CDT

MetLife Foundation today announced the grant winners of its Partnership for Lifelong Learning program. Twenty-six science museums from around the United States were awarded grants totaling $1,250,000, directly benefiting over 3.4 million people.

The purpose of the program is to increase science education opportunities for people of all ages and encourage exhibitions that promote a better understanding of aging. The winning museums, selected from 86 science museums submitting proposals, will create new exhibitions, implement science education programs for young people and older adults, and provide teacher training and internship opportunities and professional development to encourage young people to enter the science and teaching professions.

"MetLife Foundation has a long history of supporting educational programs through museums," said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "Museums enrich our lives in so many ways. Science museums, in particular, are among the most popular museums and serve as excellent community and educational resource. We are pleased to support these museums in their effort to engage people of all ages and diverse backgrounds in discovering and learning about new things."

Examples of Winning Projects

-- Life: The Science of Aging will be the latest addition to the

Hall of Life exhibition at the Denver Museum of Nature and

Science. A collaboration with the University of Colorado at

Bolder, Children's Hospital at University of Colorado Health

Sciences Center, and the Colorado Consortium for Older Adult

Wellness, Life: The Science of Aging will focus on the

molecular science behind aging, changes that occur during the

life span and the personal choices that can have a positive

affect on health and longevity.

-- To honor senior citizens for their contributions to society

and to foster respect for elders, the Brogan Museum of Art and

Science in Tallahassee is partnering with Florida Department

of Elder Affairs, Florida State University Geriatric Medical

School and Tallahassee Community College to create a

multi-media project entitled Wisdom of the Ages: Lessons

Learned at Our Elders' Knees. The project will include an

interactive photography exhibition, an audio-visual

production, a related website and teacher resource materials.

Mobile replicas of the exhibition will be on display at

various locations. Inter-generational programs and outreach

effort will reach populations of diverse cultural and ethnic

backgrounds.

-- The National Atomic Museum's (Alberqueque, NM) "Up 'n' Atom

Mobile" is an interactive science and technology education van

that takes hands-on science learning programs to rural schools

in New Mexico and on Native American land. During the 2005 -

2006 school year, the "Up 'n' Atom Mobile" program will reach

5,500 students in grades 4 - 12.

-- The grant will support the Des Moines-based Science Center of

Iowa's School and Group Programs, which reaches 50,000

students a year through an array of interactive exhibits and

hands-on activities to stimulate development of students'

critical thinking skills, increase their interest in science

and technology careers and further their understanding of

science concepts and theories. Collaborating with area

education organizations, public schools and youth service

groups, the Science Center takes science programs to

under-served children throughout the state.

-- Recognizing an increasing interest among working adults and

seniors in learning about science and new technology, the

Discovery Museum and Planetarium in Bridgeport, CT has

partnered with a number of community organizations and the

local public access cable program producer to create the

Discovery Learning Series. The program will include 6 - 8 week

long science courses, seminars and lectures that are taylored

to the interest and learning styles of working adults and

seniors.

Complete List of Partnership Grant Recipients --------------------------------------------- Arizona Science Center (Phoenix, AZ) Brogan Museum of Art and Science (Tallahassee, FL) Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh, PA) Catawba Science Center (Hickory, NC) COSI Toledo (Toledo, OH) Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Denver, CO) The Discovery Museum and Planetarium (Bridgeport, CT) The Discovery Place (Charlotte, NC) Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium (Saint Johnsbury, VT) The Franklin Institute Science Museum (Philadelphia, PA) Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, NJ) Maryland Science Center (Baltimore, MD) McWane Center-Discovery 2000 (Birmingham, AL) Museum of Discovery and Science (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Museum of Science (Boston, MA) National Atomic Museum (Albuquerque, NM) The New Detroit Science Center (Detroit, MI) New York Hall of Science (Flushing, NY) Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum at Chicago Academy of Sciences (Chicago, IL) Orlando Science Center (Orlando, FL) Pacific Science Center (Seattle, WA) Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (San Diego, CA) Science Center of Iowa (Des Moines, IA) Science Central, Inc. (Fort Wayne, IN) Science Museum of Minnesota (Saint Paul, MN) SciTech Hands on Museum (Aurora, IL)

Partnership for Lifelong Learning

Supporting and increasing educational opportunities for all people is a key emphasis for MetLife Foundation. Recognizing the important contributions and educational value of museums, MetLife Foundation has awarded grants totaling over $20 million in recent years to museums across the country. To further its commitment to education and support for the museum field, MetLife Foundation created the Partnership for Lifelong Learning, a grant program to encourage science museums to develop innovative programs that reach people of all ages and engage them in learning,

In partnership with the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), an invitation to apply was extended to all the science museums in the United States. The selection process was based on the museum's ability to meet a significant need; project outcomes; commitment to serving diverse populations; innovation and, and long-range implications.

"MetLife Foundation's Partnership for Lifelong Learning program provides a wonderful opportunity for science centers and museums across the country to continue and expand their efforts to engage visitors of all ages," said Bonnie VanDorn, ASTC's executive director. "The funded projects will have a significant impact on communities large and small, demonstrating what science centers do best: helping the public explore important issues like aging in ways they not only understand, but enjoy."

MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to continue the company's long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. The Foundation supports programs that improve education, promote health, encourage parental involvement and family engagement, help revitalize neighborhoods and stress accessibility and inclusion. In recent years, a focus on Alzheimer's and aging issues has been added. MetLife Foundation stresses education in all its programs. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities and educating young people, the Foundation contributes to arts and cultural organizations across the United States, with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broad audiences through inclusive programming, and making arts more accessible for all people. For more information about the Foundation, please visit its Web site at www.metlife.org.

Source: Business Wire

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