Hoffman Foundation Pledges $1 Million for Connecticut Inventions & Science History Exhibit
at Connecticut Center for Science & Exploration

HARTFORD, CT – (June 27, 2005) – The Connecticut Center for Science and Exploration announced today that it has received a commitment of $1 million from the Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation. The Hoffman Foundation’s gift will aid in the development of the Connecticut Inventions & Science History Exhibit at the Center, which will showcase Connecticut’s rich history of innovation.

“The Hoffman Foundation is proud to be a part of a Connecticut educational landmark that brings value to our community and has a profound impact on the redevelopment of Hartford,” stated Marion Barrak, president of the Hoffman Foundation. The exhibit will be one of the major exhibits currently being developed by the Center.

“The Center’s interactive exhibits will engage visitors in doing real science and relate it to everyday activities,” said Dr. Theodore S. Sergi, president of the Center. “We are tremendously appreciative of the Hoffman Foundation’s commitment to one of our most important exhibit galleries, to science education in Connecticut, and to the renaissance of our Capital City.”

The team of designers, Thinc Design of New York and Jeff Kennedy Associates of Boston, are currently designing an exhibit concept plan incorporating state-of-the-art technology. The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation Exhibit Gallery will showcase past and present inventions, as well as examine potential future developments in science. The exhibit designers will be incorporating elements from an array of Connecticut inventions that have had a significant impact on society and the world, such as the cotton gin, anesthesia, the helicopter, and the submarine.

Progress

The Connecticut Center for Science & Exploration, which will be built between the new Connecticut Convention Center/Marriott Hotel complex and Downtown Hartford’s Riverfront Promenade, is nearing its construction phase.

“We are on course to begin full-scale construction this fall,” said Dr. Sergi. “We are closer every day to our goal of encouraging more children to explore, study, and enjoy science in a science center that will be a source of pride and inspiration for all of Connecticut.”

The Connecticut Center for Science & Exploration will spark creative imagination and an appreciation for science by immersing visitors in fun and educational hands-on, interactive experiences. The Center, which is planning a state-of-the-art science center facility as part of Hartford’s downtown and riverfront development initiative, is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing science education throughout the state of the Connecticut, providing learning opportunities for students and adults of all ages, and engaging the community in scientific exploration.

The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation is a private foundation that was founded by Marion O. Hoffman and her sister Doris C. Chaho in 1983. The foundation is currently run by Mrs. Chaho’s daughter Marion Barrak. The foundation has supported organizations in Connecticut and throughout the country in the disciplines of medicine, education, the arts, and various charitable activities.

Contact: CT Center for Science & Exploration
Michelle Morales – (860) 727-0457 (ext 116)