MetLife Foundation Awards $1 Million to Science Museums

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Grants will support intergenerational programs and underwrite exhibitions to promote understanding of aging, brain health and healthy lifestyles

NEW YORK, December 4, 2006 -- MetLife Foundation today announced the grant winners of its Partnership for Intergenerational Learning program. Fifteen science museums from around the United States were awarded grants totaling $1,000,000, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people. Grants range from $30,000 to $100,000.

The purpose of the program is to increase educational opportunities across the age spectrum and encourage exhibitions that promote a better understanding of aging, brain health and healthy lifestyles. The winning museums will use the grants to create new exhibitions and implement intergenerational science education programs that employ appealing and accessible formats.

The program builds on the Foundation's Partnership for Lifelong Learning initiative for science museums in 2005, which emphasized learning for all ages. Combined, the two initiatives have awarded grants to 36 science museums across the country totaling $2.25 million and directly benefiting 7.2 million people.

"MetLife Foundation has a long history of partnering with museums to support learning and development opportunities for people of all ages," said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "Science museums, in particular, serve as excellent community and educational resources and are well positioned to provide an environment for intergenerational learning and exploration. We are pleased to support these museums in their work to engage young people, older adults and families through programs that will promote discovery and build community."

Examples of Winning Projects

* The Aging Machine will be part of the new permanent "You are the Exhibit" gallery at the Health Museum in Houston. The exhibit will use a time machine approach to provide visitors the opportunity to view their own bodies as they age, based on individual health choices such as smoking, sun exposure and obesity. The exhibit's goal is to promote healthy lifestyles for children and adults.

* The Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium will partner with the Center on Aging at the University of Miami to develop an exhibit consisting of a series of experiments related to staying sharp into later years. The exhibit will engage people of all ages with how scientists make discoveries about aging and the brain.

* Explora, based in Albuquerque, will develop and pilot a collaborative intergenerational learning program that will engage middle school students and residents of a senior center at a local Native American community. Best practices from the program will be shared with science museums through the Association of Science-Technology Centers.

* The Discovery Center of Science and Technology in Syracuse will construct a 500 square foot exhibit on the brain. The exhibit will offer interactive experiences and provide information in multiple formate to visitors about the important functions of the brain and how good brain health, exercise and mental fitness can play a role in improving their quality of life.

* The Good Health Can't Weight exhibit at the New Detroit Science Center in Detroit will feature interactive exhibits and multimedia displays that highlight the significance of healthy eating and regular exercise. It will provide hands-on learning experiences for individuals of all ages. In addition, educational programs will be an integral part of the exhibit.

Complete List of Partnership Grant Recipients

* Brogan Museum of Art and Science (Tallahassee, FL)
* DaVinci Discovery Center (Allentown, PA)
* Discovery Center of Science and Technology (Syracuse, NY)
* Explora (Albuquerque, NM)
* Gateway to Science Center (Bismarck, ND)
* Gulf Cost Exploreum Science Center (Mobile, AL)
* The Health Museum (Houtson, TX)
* Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium (Miami, FL)
* Montshire Museum of Science (Norwich, VT)
* New Detroit Science Center (Detroit, MI)
* New York Hall of Science (Flushing, NY)
* Palouse Discovery Science Center (Pullman, WA)
* Science Museum of Minnesota (St. Paul, MN)
* ScienceSouth (Florence, SC)
* SciTech Hands on Museum (Aurora, IL)

Partnership for Intergenerational Learning

Supporting and increasing educational opportunities for people of every age is a key emphasis for MetLife Foundation. Museums play an important role in helping people experience and understand our world and are valuable assets for communities. 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 Intergenerational Learning, a grant program for science and technology museums in the United States that engages people across the age spectrum in learning.

In partnership with the Association of Science-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 long-range implications.

"The Association of Science-Technology Centers and our members are extremely grateful for MetLife Foundation's continued support for a mission we share – making people of all ages more aware of health-related issues that are relevant to their daily lives," said Bonnie VanDorn, ASTC's executive director. "MetLife Foundation has long recognized the important educational role science centers and museums play in their communities, and this generous investment will help to ensure that these community resources are able to continue to do what they do best – engage their visitors in hands-on science learning."

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.

Media contact:
John Calagna (212) 578-6252