Michael Bloomberg Donates $50M to Boston Museum of Science

BOSTON, MA — In honor of his parents and the institution's impact on his own life, three-time New York mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday unveiled a vast new contribution to the Boston Science Museum.

“I went every Saturday, and it changed my life,” Bloomberg, who grew up in Medford, told The Boston Globe. “It just showed me the possibilities and showed me what was out there in ways that traditional school didn’t do.”

Now 74, Bloomberg is giving back in a big way.

Bloomberg Philanthropies on Tuesday unveiled plans to donate $50 million to the museum, the largest gift in the institution’s 186-year history, according to the philanthropy.

The historic gift establishes the William and Charlotte Bloomberg Science Education Center, in honor of Bloomberg's parents. It supports the museum's existing educational initiatives, and supports the creation of new computational thinking and food science initiatives.

“I know how important this Museum is and what an impact it can have on young people – because I was one of those young people,” Bloomberg said in a press release. “My visits to the Museum inspired my interest in science and technology and forever shaped the way I think. People often remember the first teacher to have a profound impact on their lives. For me, that teacher was the Museum of Science.”

Photo by Sang-Min Yoon, Flickr/Creative Commons