Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the American Institute Science Laboratory Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1380
Creators:
Arias, Irwin M.
American Institute Science Laboratory
Dates:
1939-2006
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Cubic foot
2 boxes
Repository:
The collection documents the American Institute Science Laboratory and the students who conducted research in it.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection includes a written history of the laboratory, photographs of students conducting experiments, lists of students, letters, resumes, descriptions of the students' research projects, a magazine, articles about the participants, and a report written by one of them on the subject of plastics. Also included are videocassettes of interviews of some former students in a film project titled
Gifted Children
.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is arranged into one series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The American Institute Science Laboratory, grew out of the Westinghouse Pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair, when the "Junior Hall of Science" was moved to an IBM lab on 5th Avenue in New York. Thomas J. Watson of IBM approved it and Dr. Henry Platt ran it. It enabled young aspiring scientists (aged 13-15) to conduct their own laboratory research during after school hours and weekends. Between 30 and 40 students participated, many of them later describing the experience as one of the highlights of their lives. Most went on to have distinguished careers in science and medicine. It closed after 18 months due to World War II. A later iteration of it was started in Boston in 1998, and was named for Henry Platt.

Administration

Author
Alison Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Irving Arias, 2016.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2018.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
American Institute Science Laboratory Collection, 1939-2006, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Social Security numbers are present and have been rendered unreadable and redacted. Researchers may use the photocopies in the collection. The remainder of the collection has no restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Reports Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Histories Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Articles Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Videocassettes -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laboratories Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Resumes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Science -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Magazines (periodicals) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 1930-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Watson, Thomas J., 1914-1993 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Platt, Henry, -1999 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu