American Institute Science Laboratory Collection
name: label: Donor
content: Arias, Irwin M.
label: Creator
content: American Institute Science Laboratory
label: Names
content: Platt, Henry, -1999
label: Names
content: Watson, Thomas J., 1914-1993
topic: label: Topic
content: Laboratories
label: Topic
content: Science -- Study and teaching
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Irving Arias, 2016.
creator: label: Donor
content: Arias, Irwin M.
label: Creator
content: American Institute Science Laboratory
setName: label: See more items in
content: American Institute Science Laboratory Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents the American Institute Science Laboratory and the students who conducted research in it.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: The American Institute Science Laboratory, grew out of the Westinghouse Pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair, when the "Junior Hall of Science" was moved to an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.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Cubic foot (2 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1939-2006
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1380
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Reports
label: Type
content: Histories
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Articles
label: Type
content: Videocassettes
label: Type
content: Resumes
label: Type
content: Magazines (periodicals)
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2018.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Reports
label: Genre/Form
content: Histories
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence
label: Genre/Form
content: Articles
label: Genre/Form
content: Videocassettes -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Resumes
label: Genre/Form
content: Magazines (periodicals)
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 1930-1950
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: 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.