CHICAGO — On Sunday, May 19, the Museum of Science and Industry will officially be renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in recognition of the historic $125 million gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, Founder and CEO of Citadel and Founder of Griffin Catalyst. The donation, which was previously announced in October 2019 and is the largest in the museum's history, will ensure that generations of visitors will continue to discover the wonders and joys of scientific exploration at one of the world's premier science museums.

"For nearly a century, the Museum of Science and Industry has ignited the curiosity and imagination of more than 190 million visitors," said Ken Griffin. "I am proud to support MSI in its mission to inspire the inventive genius in everyone."

"We are incredibly grateful to Ken Griffin for his historic and generous investment in our Museum, our mission, and our long-term future," said Dr. Chevy Humphrey, President and CEO of the Griffin MSI. "This gift helps us create exhibits of the future geared toward the next generation of scientists and leaders; it allows us to dig our heels in deeper to support science education in local schools and neighborhoods in new, more profound ways; and it enables us to carry out our mission to inspire the inventive genius in all of us."

As part of the Museum's renaming, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry has also refreshed its brand identity to reflect the Museum's desire to create an accessible, accommodating, and flexible experience for all. The new visual elements include a modernized logo that preserves the iconic cube logomark paired with the Museum's new name in the Big Shoulders typeface-chosen specifically for its ties to the city of Chicago.

In celebration of its first official day as the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Museum will offer free admission for all on Sunday, May 19 and launch several new experiences made possible by Griffin's donation, including the Griffin Studio-a one-of-a-kind digital space-and its premiere exhibition Notes to Neurons, a multimedia experience that utilizes immersive audio, gesture and movement recognition, and other interactive technologies to actively engage guests on a journey to discover the power of music in our lives and its ability to connect us to one another.

Other experiences and exhibits supported by Griffin's historic gift include:

• The newly renovated Henry Crown Space Center. With new multimedia and interactives, the refreshed exhibit experience delivers the most up-to-date information about space exploration missions.
  
  
• A new home for the SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft-the mission-flown Dragon spacecraft that undertook two missions to deliver cargo and scientific experiments to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017 and 2019.
  
  
• A new Giant Dome Theatre film experience, Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels. Told through the inspiring stories of the researchers, doctors, scientists and patients behind ground-breaking medical innovations, Superhuman Body shows the extraordinary ways our bodies work—and how science and technology help us to intervene when things go wrong. The MacGilivray Freeman film is presented by Edwards Lifesciences and Kenneth C. Griffin with support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Broad Institute, Lilly Foundation, RK Mellon, Biogen, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Monell Foundation, and Silicon Valley Bank. 
  
  
• A new digital experience in the Museum's historic Rotunda that will activate the architectural heart of the Griffin MSI through interactive technology and large-scale projection. The cinematic feature show and multimedia experiences will sequence throughout the day, opening a window into the shared human qualities that are at the core of science.

"The renaming provides an opportunity for us to celebrate the Museum's legacy and embrace its future," said David Vitale, Griffin MSI Board Chairman. "Ken Griffin's generous contribution ensures sustained support for the Griffin MSI to continue the tradition of bolstering science education and learning within our community."

"Ken Griffin's generosity ensures that the Griffin MSI will indefinitely remain a local treasure committed to providing unparalleled, pioneering experiences that inspire the inventive genius in all who visit. The Griffin MSI has consistently ignited the first flame of scientific curiosity in our local youth, remaining the premier destination for school field trips among Chicago's cultural institutions and a cornerstone of informal education for the people of Chicago," said John Canning Jr., Griffin MSI Life Trustee.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry first opened its doors to the world on June 19, 1933, in a restored building from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Founded by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, the Museum was inspired by the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany, which featured buttons, levers, and pulleys that guests were encouraged to manipulate to truly learn how things worked. Upon opening, the Griffin MSI became the first interactive museum in North America and remains the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Generations of Chicagoans and visitors have enjoyed iconic experiences such as the U-505 submarine, the Coal Mine, Science Storms, and YOU! The Experience, among many other pioneering and interactive exhibits on display.

For more information about the Museum's renaming and new brand identity, experiences, and exhibits, visit www.msichicago.org.

Photos can be dowloaded here, please credit: Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.

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About Griffin Catalyst

Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world's greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communities. For more information, visit griffincatalyst.org.