With its wide array of interactive exhibits, thought-provoking shows and cultural features, along with a steady stream of young students and families coming in everyday since 1830, administrators at one of Boston’s biggest museums feel they could use an upgrade to their computer systems.
Now Microsoft has made it happen.
The computer tech company, known for its long history of contributions to charity, gave $1.9 million worth of software and other support to the Museum of Science in Boston, the museum announced recently. The endowments include the most up-to-date Microsoft Office programs as well as server and development tools.
In a statement, leaders at the museum celebrated a continuing partnership with Microsoft that has comprised of not only financial charity but corporate volunteerism involving Microsoft’s 1,000 Boston-area workers.
"This is a milestone partnership," said Ioannis Miaoulis, president and director of the museum. "We all look forward to the collaborations Microsoft will make possible, from corporate volunteer programs to new exhibits that showcase the latest innovations in technology."
The museum has been a beneficiary of Microsoft ’s philanthropy since 1997, according the statement. The computer company is not alone: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and MathWorks, both of Massachusetts, stand along with Microsoft as what the museum calls its premier partners.
"We are pleased to support one of Boston’s most vital institutions," said Ted MacLean, general manager of Microsoft’s strategic alliances division. "The museum is undergoing exciting changes in the ways it presents information and delivers educational information. We are thrilled to help make these shifts a reality."
Microsoft founder and board member Bill Gates has made education the focus of his philanthropy, giving back to the community by recently pledging $335 million in grants to enhance the performance of teachers in four major cities around the country, Tampa Bay’s St. Petersburg Times reported.
