Museum of Science, Boston

Press Release [Return to listing page]

July 30, 2010

BOSTON, July 30, 2010—This summer, discover the life and work of George Washington Carver, a man who used his intellect to become a groundbreaking scientist, educator, and humanitarian with a lifelong mission to bring practical knowledge to those in need.

On Saturday, July 31, the Museum of Science, Boston will open George Washington Carver, an exhibition following the life and innovations of the man himself, from his beginnings in a remote frontier town to his success as a teacher and researcher at the famed Tuskegee Institute. Carver's pursuit to "help the man farthest down" was realized through his development and teaching of organic farming as well as home improvement practices to those less fortunate.

Created by The Field Museum, Chicago, in collaboration with Tuskegee University and the National Park Service, George Washington Carver features more than one hundred artifacts, along with videos, interactive displays, and recreated scenes that allow visitors to learn how Carver laid the groundwork for organic farming and today's research on plant-based fuels, medicines, and everyday products. Visitors may examine Carver's ideas on chemistry and learn how he blazed a trail for the development of products such as laundry soap, linoleum, wallboard, and more—all made from plants.

Exhibition highlights include:

>The Jesup Wagon: Observe up close a life-size reproduction of Carver's horse-driven wagon–a kind of moveable school that Carver designed to bring his ideas to farmers in their fields and to homemakers in their homes. The wagon is stocked with plants and products that Carver used in his demonstrations—from seeds and soil samples to recipes, sewing supplies, and simple farm equipment.

>Laboratory Artifacts: Discover the roots of Carver's "mighty vision" of exhausted fields turning green with crops and see the laboratory bench and instruments he used to make that vision real.

>Oral Histories of Carver's Legacy: Hear from those whose lives were touched by Carver as well as "modern-day Carvers" working to develop the potential of plants in modern medicine and space exploration.

George Washington Carver will be presented at the Museum of Science from July 31 through October 24, 2010. Admission to George Washington Carver is included with regular Exhibit Halls admission: $21 for adults, $19 for seniors (60+), and $18 for children (3-11). For more information, the public can call 617/723-2500, (TTY) 617/589-0417, or visit mos.org

About the Museum of Science:

The Museum takes a hands-on approach to science, engineering and technology, attracting about 1.5 million visitors a year via its programs and 700 interactive exhibits. Founded in 1830, the Museum was first to embrace all the sciences under one roof. Highlights include the Thomson Theater of Electricity, Charles Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, 3-D Digital Cinema and Butterfly Garden. Reaching 25,000 teens a year worldwide via the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network, the Museum also leads a multi-museum, $20 million National Science Foundation-funded nanotechnology education initiative. The Museum's Science Is an Activity exhibit plan has been awarded many NSF grants and influenced science centers worldwide. Its National Center for Technological Literacy® aims to enhance knowledge of engineering and technology for people of all ages and inspire the next generation of engineers, inventors, and scientists. The Museum is ranked #3 by Parents Magazine in its list of the country's "Ten Best Science Centers." For more information visit mos.org.