Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon

www.omsi.edu
Press Contact: Lee Dawson, OMSI Publicist
503-797-4586-office; 503-913-8072-mobile
ldawson@omsi.edu

Left to right: Mrs. Laura Bush, Director Nancy Stueber, community member Priyam Shah, and IMLS Director Anne Radice. Click image for a larger version.

Part brain-powered playground for kids and adults, part cutting-edge classroom for communities across the state, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) serves to inspire wonder for the kid in each of its visitors.

Today, OMSI is one of the largest and most successful campuses of its kind in the country, offering 219,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, hands-on demonstrations, a big-screen OMNIMAX® Theater, the Northwest’s largest planetarium, and the USS Blueback – the last fast-attack, diesel-powered submarine built by the U.S. Navy, now decommissioned. Visitors to the museum can touch a tornado, uncover a fossil, surf the Internet, enter the world of virtual reality, experience an earthquake, or simply experiment on their own in one of the many hands-on labs.

But just as OMSI bills itself as destination tourism for the Mr. Wizard in each of its visitors, it is equally passionate about bringing the love of science to thousands of classrooms and students who can’t always make the trip to Portland. Each year, OMSI reaches millions of people through direct visits, outreach programs, camps, classes, and after-school science clubs, traveling exhibits, and fairs – one of the largest outreaches of its kind in the nation. With a range extending across six western states, including Alaska, and some 200,000 students, OMSI is able to bring the museum experience directly to them through Traveling Programs and Fairs – programs that include interactive presentations on forensics, live animal demonstrations, and the popular Discovery Dome Portable Planetarium.

“OMSI is a national leader in science education," said U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). "This award recognizes the outsized impact this center of learning has on our region. Congratulations to the staff of OMSI for your invaluable work inspiring our next generation of scientists and innovators.”

"I am pleased that the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry has been awarded this prestigious prize and is getting the recognition it deserves," said U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). "For decades OMSI has been instrumental in inspiring kids and adults alike to learn about science, technology and the environment around them. Oregon has always recognized OMSI as a cultural icon, and it’s great to see it now being recognized nationally."

“This recognition by the Institute of Museum and Library Services is confirmation of what generations of Oregon families have known for some time—that OMSI is a true national treasure,” said U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR).

Community Member Priyam Shah – Energy-Efficient Teen
Born and raised in Portland, OR, 15-year-old Priyam Shah has immersed himself in science at numerous OMSI camps and weekend activities for more than a decade. Then, just two years ago, Shah learned about sustainable and green practices through OMSI's Rising Star Youth Leadership Program. Shah’s passion for energy efficiency and sustainable practices prompted him to research and develop economic models to convince his parents to embrace eco-friendly practices when they built their new home.