- Bezos gave $200 million to the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum just days before going to space himself.
- This was the largest donation the Smithsonian has received since its founding in 1846.
- Of this amount, $130 million will go to establishing an education center named after Bezos.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Jeff Bezos is due to jet off into space in a matter of days on Blue Origin’s upcoming spaceflight, but he’s decided to break another record before that.
Bezos gave the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum a whopping $200 million on Wednesday. This is the biggest donation the institution has received since its founding in 1846, per the Washington Post.
Of this amount, $130 million will establish an education center with Bezos’ name on it. According to a news release from the Smithsonian, the Bezos Learning Center will be built on the museum’s east side. It will host programs to get students interested in joining STEAM-related (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) industries.
The remaining $70 million will help fund a pricey $1 billion renovation that the Air and Space Museum is currently undergoing.
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“The Smithsonian plays a vital role in igniting the imaginations of our future builders and dreamers,” Bezos said, according to the institution’s news release.
“Every child is born with great potential, and it’s inspiration that unlocks that potential. My love affair with science, invention, and space did that for me, and I hope this gift does that for others,” Bezos added.
The Smithsonian’s leadership thanked Bezos for his “historic” gift in the same news release, saying the funds will help the institution “reimagine and transform” itself.
Bezos’s support for the Smithsonian’s space-related work comes just days before he’s due to travel on the New Shepard rocket.
The former Amazon CEO, who stepped down from his position at the company on July 5, will take off into space on July 20. He will be accompanied by his brother Mark Bezos, 82-year-old aviator Wally Funk, and an unnamed bidder who secured a seat onboard for $28 million. Blue Origin plans to launch them to the Kármán line, about 62 miles above the ground.
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