[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 9, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 9, 2014

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the New York Hall 
of Science on the 50th anniversary of its dedication. The Hall of 
Science is a true jewel that Queens and all New Yorkers are so proud to 
have in our city.
  This year, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens celebrates the 75th 
anniversary of the 1939-40 World's Fair and the 50th anniversary of the 
1964-65 World's Fair.
  The fairs brought the world together in Queens to share experiences 
and see the newest technologies and products that would one day change 
our world.
  What began as a fair pavilion showcasing exhibits about atomic 
energy, space exploration and satellite communication has evolved over 
five decades into one of the world's preeminent centers for science 
education and teacher professional development.
  The legacy of the Fair is present not just in the vintage NASA 
rockets still in the museum's front yard, but in the spirit of 
innovation, discovery and a quest for knowledge that still permeates 
the Hall of Science's more than 400 exhibits, which include the 
country's largest Science Playground and a miniature golf-course where 
each hole teaches a lesson in space physics.
  In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Hall of Science has just 
completed a $50 million fundraising campaign. Two new exhibitions are 
coming on line this year. Design Lab will introduce visitors to the 
creative design process and Connected Worlds will present an immersive 
digital environment where visitors can explore sustainability and learn 
how their personal actions have a global impact. The campaign has also 
enabled a $25 million restoration of the Great Hall, the original 
World's Fair pavilion. Wallace Harrison's iconic space-age ``Cathedral 
to Science'' with its soaring stained glass walls rising 100 feet in 
the air once again stands as a majestic, inspirational destination for 
hundreds of thousands of people to get excited about science, 
technology, engineering and math.
  The New York Hall of Science is also preparing to host its fifth 
annual World Maker Faire on September 20-21. At the great World's 
Fairs, governments and industry presented exhibitions on what they 
thought the future would hold. At World Maker Faire, it is the makers 
themselves who are offering a preview of the future. More than 600 
projects will be on display, giving people a glimpse at the best of 
creativity in all its forms. The Hall's President, Dr. Margaret Honey, 
was among the distinguished guests invited by the President to 
celebrate the first ever White House Maker Faire earlier this year, and 
the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has been a 
major supporter of the maker movement as it has grown and evolved 
worldwide. The movement is tapping into our innate sense of curiosity, 
creativity and collaboration, with staggering results. More than 100 
maker faires took place around the globe last year.
  The National Science Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library 
Services, the Office of Naval Research, NASA and the U.S. Department of 
Education have all been major supporters of the Hall of Science. 
Recognizing this important institution's impact on education for 
students, teachers and families, these agencies, not to mention my 
office and the entire New York delegation, have all supported 
investments in new educational resources, exhibits and programs that 
each year serve a half-million museum visitors (many of them children 
on school field trips), help more than 3,000 teachers enhance their 
capacity as educators, and inspire countless young people to pursue 
careers in the STEM fields.
  Today, I salute the Hall of Science, a respected leading institution 
among science education centers worldwide. I wish that all Americans 
have the chance to visit the Hall at some point in their lives. For the 
New Yorkers that haven't visited yet, I hope you have a chance to visit 
this Queens treasure as soon as you can.

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