Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate (also known as the Kennedy Institute) is a non-profit civic engagement and educational institution on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, next to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on the University of Massachusetts Boston campus. Named for long-time U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, the Institute contains a full-scale reproduction of the United States Senate Chamber, a replica of Kennedy’s Washington, D.C. office, and digital exhibits. The organization includes the Kennedy Home in  Hyannis Port, which was donated to the Institute in 2012 as part of a "mission of educating the public about the U.S. government, invigorating public discourse, emphasizing the importance of bipartisanship, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the public square." Mission. The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in the United States government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities. Exhibits . The Senate Chamber. The building houses the only full-scale reproduction of the United States Senate Chamber. Visitors are encouraged to explore the space with the help of exhibit interpreters and participate in the Institute’s signature daily programs, such as Today’s Vote and Great Senate Debates. Digital exhibits. The exhibit halls feature technology-driven projected displays that immerse visitors in the history of the Senate through exhibits such as What is the Senate?, Traditions of the Senate, and People of the Senate. In addition, the halls include interactive exhibits, such as How a Bill Becomes a Law, where  visitors work together to negotiate and select ice cream sundae toppings, vote on bills, override vetoes, and practice the skills needed to guide legislation through Congress. Senator’s Office. This exhibit features a full-scale replica of Senator Kennedy’s Washington, D.C., office, where visitors, equipped with provided tablets, are able to explore the stories behind pieces of the collection. Public programs and special events. The Institute offers a series of public programs and special events hosted in Boston and Washington, D.C. on local and national issues. These programs are open to the public. Getting to the Point. The Getting  to the Point series convenes individuals with diverse perspectives to discuss current issues and the challenges the United States government is facing. Getting to the Point takes on various formats from town halls to keynote lectures and panel discussions, and showcases speakers from all walks of life. Since opening, the Institute has hosted a variety of speakers ranging from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to the late Congressman John Lewis and Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martínez. Across the Aisle. This series brings together government leaders with disparate ideologies, from different  political parties who are collaborating on a common cause. In moderated discussions, Across the Aisle highlights the type of civil discourse, negotiation, collaboration, and leadership that leads to solutions for pressing problems. The series features members of Congress, governors, mayors, and other elected officials and both national and local issues. Oral History Project. The Edward M. Kennedy Oral History Project, created in partnership with the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, was released in September 2015. The project is a compilation of interviews from current and former members of the Senate, House, administration officials, foreign leaders , Senate staff, issue advocates, journalists, family, and friends documenting Senator Kennedy’s service. The Institute has hosted a speaker series that draws on this resource to highlight current and future national issues before the U.S. Senate. Educational programs. The Kennedy Institute offers a comprehensive set of non-partisan civic education classes and programs for students in grades K-12, as well as for college and graduate students and lifelong learners in adult-education classes. Programs are available both in-person at the Institute’s facility on Columbia Point in Boston, taking full advantage of its unique full-scale replica of the  United States Senate chamber, and also as online offerings via Zoom and Google Meet. The Kennedy Institute’s programs are suitable for social studies, government, civics, and American History classes. All Kennedy Institute programs are free of cost for public school students from Massachusetts, and scholarships are often available for free or reduced-cost attendance for other students, including stipends to defray the cost of transportation. The standard registration fee for non-Massachusetts-public-school students is $5 per K-12 student, and $10 per college or graduate student. For in-person visits, the Institute can typically serve groups  of up to 50 or 60 students total, depending on the program. The Kennedy Institute offers its online programming at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, 11 a.m. Mountain Time, and noon Central Time on Tuesdays through Fridays as a way to maximize access to its civic education offerings for students from other states. In all programs, highly trained Kennedy Institute program leaders present Democratic, Republican, and other viewpoints on issues being explored, in grade-level-appropriate ways for each student group. Current Kennedy Institute civic education offerings include: The form for K-12 teachers, college and graduate-school professors, and adult-education  class leaders to request to sign up their class for a visit or program is at <nowiki>https://www.emkinstitute.org/resources/school-visit-request-form</nowiki> Also available from the Kennedy Institute's website are a broad range of classroom, educational, and teacher professional-development resources, including: Layout, location, and design. Layout. The Institute’s facility is a 68,000 square foot (6,317 m) building designed by Rafael Viñoly, targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) specifications for sustainable building. The centerpiece of the Institute is a full-scale recreation of the Senate Chamber. The halls lining the Chamber are  known as the Chamber Surround, and feature the majority of the Institute’s exhibits. The Institute also features a replica of Senator Kennedy’s Washington, D.C. office, a Special Exhibits gallery, an Orientation Theater, and three technologically equipped studios for educational programs and breakout sessions. The Institute also includes a café, a gift shop, and a coat check. Location. The Institute is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The Institute is on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Boston, adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and next door to the  Massachusetts Archives and Commonwealth Museum. The Institute can be reached from nearby Interstate 93 or by taking the Red Line or the Commuter Rail to JFK/UMass station and boarding the free shuttle bus (#1) that drops off in front of the Institute. Design and technology. The Institute’s concept, design, and production are the result of a collaboration between Senator Edward M. Kennedy, his wife Vicki Reggie Kennedy, and Ed Schlossberg of ESI Design. During the production process, Control Group was brought on for software development, Richard Lewis Media Group for media elements, Electrosonic for projection technology, and Gigantic  Mechanic for game mechanics. History. Construction, dedication, and opening. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 8, 2011. The Institute was dedicated by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2015, with Vice President Joe Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama in attendance. The Institute opened to the public on March 31, 2015. Cost and operations. The cost of the institution was $78 million in 2011, with $38 million in federal funding and a $60 million endowment that helps to pay for the $10–12 million annual operating budget of the Institute. As of 2017, admission tickets cost  $16 for adults with a $2 discount for Massachusetts residents. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increased emphasis on virtual opportunities for programming while in-person visitation resumed after a six-month hiatus in October for group tours on Wednesdays. The Institute's 2018 Form 990 filing lists net assets of $65,030,602 for the Institute and revenue less expenses of -$6,537,740, compared to revenue less expenses of -$7,452,014 in 2017. Leadership. Sue Heilman was named Interim Executive Director of the Institute on March 26, 2020. Heilman has more than 25 years' experience growing and leading  mission-based organizations and has served as the interim executive director of The Lenny Zakim Fund, Alternatives for Community and Environment, Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, MassEquality, and the Hull Lifesaving Museum. Previously, Heilman served as the Executive Director of Horizons for Homeless Children for 18 years, and Thompson Island Education Center for five years. Her consulting practice has included strategic planning, board development and fundraising planning for a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Victim Rights Law Center, Steps To Success, School on Wheels, New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Family Nurturing Center, Piers  Park Sailing Center, and Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. She also currently facilitates Empower Success Corps’ Nonprofit Executive RoundTable, a monthly leadership development gathering of nonprofit leaders. The Institute was previously led by Dr. Jean F. MacCormack from 2014 to 2017, Andrew Tarsy from 2012 to 2014, and Peter Meade from 2009 to 2012. It was announced on November 4, 2019, "with mixed emotions" that the Institute’s president, Mary K. Grant, Ph.D., who only assumed leadership in 2018 would be leaving within the month. Kennedy Cape House. In 2012, the Kennedy family donated the main house of the historic  Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port to the Institute fulfilling a promise made by Senator Kennedy to his mother, Rose, to donate the house for charitable use. The Institute announced that it hopes to use the house to host educational seminars and other forums, and that it eventually plans to open it to visitation by the public.