The Smithsonian will receive a $200 million donation from Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chair of Amazon, and founder of aerospace and space flight company Blue Origin. The donation is the largest gift to the Smithsonian since the Institutionโs founding gift from James Smithson in 1846.ย A $70 million portion of the donation will support the renovation of the National Air and Space Museum and $130 million will launch a new education center at the museum. ย
The education center will be housed in a new facility to be constructed on the east side of the museumโs plaza at its flagship location on the National Mall. It will feature programs and activities that inspire students to pursue innovation and explore careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) fields, and it will help teachers better utilize the Smithsonianโs collections. The center will connect to all Smithsonian museums, coordinating STEAM-related collections and experts across the Institution and promoting inquiry-based learning in visitors of all ages, with a focus on under-resourced communities. The center will activate programming through innovative community partnerships to reach students and teachers in Washington, D.C., and in communities across the country. It will be built in conjunction with the second half of the museumโs ongoing revitalization. The new center will be named the Bezos Learning Center in honor of Bezosโ donation.
The gift will also help enable a technological transformation of the museumโs galleries and public spaces, including the creation of new interactive experiences to inspire visitors, students, teachers and families.
โSince its inception, the Smithsonian has benefited from both federal funding and the generosity of visionary donors,โ said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. โAlmost 175 years ago, Mr. Smithsonโs inaugural gift laid the groundwork for this innovative approach, bringing together private philanthropy and public funding. Today, as we emerge from a pivotal moment in history, Jeffโs donation builds on that original tradition and will help us reimagine and transform the Smithsonian. This historic gift will help the Smithsonian achieve its goal of reaching every classroom in America by creating a world-class learning center with access and inspiration at its heart. We are grateful to Jeff for his generosity and for his passion and commitment to education, innovation and technology. This donation will fuel our nationโs future leaders and innovators.โ
In accepting Bezosโ gift, Smithsonian Board of Regents Chair Steve Case, the chairman and CEO of Revolution and founder of America Online, said, โJeffโs early curiosity about space exploration helped inspire him to think big and act boldly, and as a result he has played a defining role in the expansion of the internet.ย Weโre delighted that Jeff is making this commitment to help us extend the Smithsonianโs reach and impact, as we seek to inspire the next generation of scientists, astronauts, engineers, educators and entrepreneurs.โ
โAt this moment, the first human to set foot on Mars might be in elementary school,โ said Ellen Stofan, the Smithsonianโs Under Secretary for Science and Research and former director of the National Air and Space Museum. โAs the largest and most visited aerospace museum in the world, the museum wants to spark that passion and enrich the imagination and ingenuity of every student who visits the Smithsonian. For many years, Jeff has been an avid supporter of the Smithsonian and the museumโs mission to โignite tomorrow.โ With this gift, we will be able to continue our transformation and further expand the National Air and Space Museumโs ability to reveal the possibilities of space exploration.โ
โThe Smithsonian plays a vital role in igniting the imaginations of our future builders and dreamers,โ Bezos said. โEvery child is born with great potential, and itโs inspiration that unlocks that potential. My love affair with science, invention and space did that for me, and I hope this gift does that for others.โ
Bezos has a long history of supporting the Smithsonian. He was a founding donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and has contributed to the National Air and Space Museum. Bezos was honored during the National Portrait Galleryโs 2019 American Portrait Gala with the Portrait of a Nation Prize and was awarded a Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for Technology in 2016. His portrait was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery in 2017. He was also a featured speaker at the National Air and Space Museum for the 2016 John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History.
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
