Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation at the American Museum of Natural History

June 12, 2019 - The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) today broke ground on the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, the spectacular new facility that will add exhibition galleries, state-of-the-art classrooms, an immersive theater, and a redesigned library, reveal more of the Museum’s scientific collections, and link 10 Museum buildings to improve visitor flow throughout the campus.

Featuring breathtaking architectural forms inspired by natural Earth processes, the Gilder Center will introduce visitors of all ages to current research through cutting-edge exhibitions and innovative education programs in dedicated learning zones. With new exhibitions that include a multi-story glass-walled Collections Core housing approximately 4 million scientific specimens, the Gilder Center will for the first time allow Museum visitors to see into working collections areas, revealing and underscoring the physical evidence that underpins scientific knowledge. For the Gilder Center, the Museum will seek a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification—a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement—by deploying a range of innovative design strategies to reduce waste and conserve energy.

Construction of the Gilder Center has started during the Museum’s 150th anniversary celebration, which began officially in March 2019. During the multi-year anniversary period, the Museum will realize a range of physical and programmatic initiatives inspired by a legacy of scientific exploration and education that serves as a crucial conduit between science and society. These initiatives will elevate every aspect of the Museum’s activities, from engaging visitors in the wonders of the natural world to raising awareness about critical issues such as biodiversity and climate change to ensure that the Museum can continue to nourish the curiosity of generations of New Yorkers and millions of visitors from around the world onsite and online. Capping the 150th anniversary initiatives will be the opening of the Gilder Center.

The Gilder Center project will add several major new exhibition galleries and an immersive theater to AMNH; create a multi-story glass-walled Collections Core to allow visitors to better observe and understand the importance of scientific collections; expand public access to the Museum’s educational resources, including in an enhanced Research Library and Learning Center; and encompass the most comprehensive modernization of educational spaces in 90 years, with renovation of existing classrooms and the addition of several age-specific learning zones.

The Gilder Center project includes improvements to the adjacent portion of Theodore Roosevelt Park, with a new landscape design by Reed Hilderbrand that adds seating and gathering areas, expands circulation, revitalizes plant beds, and enhances park infrastructure.