So long Carnegie Science Center, hello Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center

Scott Tady, Beaver County Times
Updated ·3 min read
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PITTSBURGH ― The Carnegie Science Center got a new name.

The Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center. is now the official name for Pittsburgh's North Shore science site.

Kamin Science Center will be the condensed name used by visitors.

The name change follows a historic $65 million gift from longtime patrons Daniel and Carole Kamin in support of the science center. The gift includes an initial contribution to the museum’s endowment as well as a bequest.

Artist rendering of the new sign that will adorn the newly named Kamin Science Center.
Artist rendering of the new sign that will adorn the newly named Kamin Science Center.

“This is the largest monetary gift in the history of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh − the largest, that is, since the original contribution of our founder Andrew Carnegie,” Steven Knapp, president of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, said Tuesday at the press announcement. “Dan and Carole have been generous supporters of our museums for many years, and with this unprecedented gift they are further establishing their legacy as true leaders in Pittsburgh’s philanthropic community. Their forward-looking generosity will establish a firm foundation for the Science Center as it expands its capacity to inform and inspire its audiences within and beyond our region.”

Daniel Kamin, a Pittsburgh-based commercial real estate entrepreneur, traces his personal dedication to science to childhood visits to Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, the precursor to Carnegie Science Center, in the city's North Side. The Buhl Planetarium was renamed Carnegie Science Center and opened to the public in its current North Shore location in 1991.

“I vividly recall crafting my own telescope during many inspired visits to The Buhl, so I have a great appreciation for the role the Science Center plays in educating and inspiring our young people,” Kamin said in a press release. “The Science Center is a vital contributor to the economic vitality of the Pittsburgh region and a great partner to our schools and science-based businesses. Carole and I were inspired by the future vision presented by the Science Center’s leadership, and we felt compelled to support it in a meaningful way.”

Daniel and Carole Kamin have been patrons of Carnegie Museums for decades, and in 2017 were inaugurated into the Carnegie Nobel Quartet Society, which recognizes lifetime giving to Carnegie Museums that exceeds $1 million. Carole Kamin is an emeritus member of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History advisory board and a longtime member of Carnegie Museum of Art’s Women’s Committee. She also previously worked as a buyer/manager for both the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History gift shops. In 2016, a $5 million commitment from the Kamins permanently endowed the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s director position, now held by Gretchen Baker, who is the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin director of the museum.

Tuesday's unveiling of the new name and artistic rendering for what's been known since 1991 as the Carnegie Science Center.
Tuesday's unveiling of the new name and artistic rendering for what's been known since 1991 as the Carnegie Science Center.

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“This gift tells a great story − a young boy from Pittsburgh is inspired by his time spent exploring the region’s beloved science museum and, decades later, now makes a history-making gift to that very organization to inspire future generations in the same way he was,” Jason Brown, Henry Buhl, Jr., director of the science center and vice president of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, said. “It’s the embodiment of our mission and shows how someone can come full circle from being the inspired young person to helping to provide the same opportunities for the or the next generation.“With this gift to our endowment, over the coming years we can advance our vision of an organization that prioritizes investments in new exhibitions and programs, is dedicated to innovation, and can transform our beautiful riverfront campus to further establish the Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Science Center as a centerpiece of science education and meaningful community engagement.”

By making science both relevant and fun, the science center’s goal is to increase science literacy in the region and motivate young people to seek careers in science and technology.

The center reaches more than 700,000 people annually through its hands-on exhibits, camps, classes and off-site education programs.

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Carnegie Science Center gets a new name, Kamin Science Center