Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation
FACT SHEET
Overview The Need
The new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Science is at the core of the most pressing Education, and Innovation will invite visitors issues of the dayhuman health, climate change, and biodiversity conservation, among to experience the Museum not only as a place others. There is an urgent need to enhance of public exhibitions but as an active scientific the public understanding of science and to and educational institution. provide educational experiences that support informed engagement with these topics. The Gilder Center will include new exhibition and learning spaces with state-of-the-art There is an equally critical need to address technology and access to the Museums world- challenges in STEM (science, technology, class collections. It will also expand access to a engineering, and math) education. The broader range of the Museums resources for Gilder Center will expand the reach and deepen the impact of the Museums work students, teachers, and families, offering new in science education, building on a strong learning opportunities and inviting all visitors foundation of successful programs such to share in the excitement of discovery. as Urban Advantage, the Master of Arts in Teaching Program, and the Science Research Project Cost Mentoring Program, which already serve teachers and students throughout New York The project cost is estimated to be $340 City, New York State, and beyond. million. The building is named for Museum Trustee Richard Gilder in recognition of his The Gilder Center will make physical and lifetime giving to the Museum, which includes programmatic connections among existing a new lead gift for the building. and new galleries, classrooms, collections, and library resources to highlight links across Project Information scientific disciplines and to place educational experiences within current scientific practice. More information about the project is available at amnh.org/GilderCenter Over the last several decades, annual Museum attendance has grown from approximately Contact us with questions: three million to approximately five million. To GilderCenter@amnh.org accommodate this growth, the proposed design 212-769-5246 includes links to 10 Museum buildings through approximately 30 connections, vastly improving visitor circulation and experience.
amnh.org/GilderCenter Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation
FACT SHEET
Design Process and Timeline
The Gilder Center is designed by Jeanne Gang In April 2016, the New York City Department of of Studio Gang Architects. Ralph Appelbaum Parks and Recreation, as lead agency, conducted of Ralph Appelbaum Associates is designing a City Environmental Quality Review public the exhibition experiences, and the landscape scoping meeting. An environmental impact architect is Reed Hilderbrand. statement (EIS) is being prepared for public review and comment. Approximately 80 percent of the 245,000-gross- square-foot project will be located within the In July and September 2016, the Museum held area currently occupied by the Museum. Three public informational meetings about the project. existing Museum buildings will be removed to minimize the Gilder Center footprint in Theodore On October 5, 2016, Manhattans Community Roosevelt Park to about 11,600 square feet Board 7 (CB7) approved the architectural design (approximately a quarter acre). for the Gilder Center and landscape design for the adjacent part of Theodore Roosevelt Park. In June 2016, the Museum revised the original concept design proposal, to be submitted to On October 11, 2016, Landmarks Preservation the New York City Department of Parks and Commission evaluated the appropriateness Recreation, for the area of the park in front of the of the projects architecture and design, and Gilder Center, the below-grade service area, and changes to the adjacent park, and unanimously the service driveway with the goal of preserving approved the application. two notable trees. The revised proposal, developed with the Park Working Group formed On April 25, 2017, the Final Scope of Work for to advise on the parks design, reduces the this projects EIS, with a summary of comments number of trees removed from the Park to 7 and and responses to those comments, was issued. expands areas for play and respite to maintain On May 18, 2017, NYC Parks issued the draft EIS. the parks essential character and existing uses. A copy of the draft EIS can be obtained online at For the Columbus Avenue faade, the design http://nyc.gov/parks/amnh-gilder. team has selected Milford pink granite, the stone On June 15, 2017, NYC Parks will hold a public used on the Central Park West faade, or granite hearing on the draft EIS at 6 pm at the American similar in color and character. Museum of Natural History.