BlendtecCEOTomDicksonhasdonated$1millionandcommittedan additional$1milliontowardconstructionofTheMuseumof NaturalCuriosity,
a$28.5millionchildren’ssciencemuseumscheduledtoopeninUtahinMay.ThanksgivingPointInstitute,thenonprofit501organizationthatisspearheadingthe
project,hasrecognizedDickson’scontributionbynamingthemuseum’seducationarmTheDicksonAcademyofCuriosity.
Dickson’sinvolvementwasinspiredbythemuseum’sfocusonhands’onlearning,experimentationanddiscovery-thesametraitsthatledDicksonhimselftobecomea
serialinventorandsuccessfulbusinessman.Hisinventionsincludethefirsthigh speedgrainmillanddozensofblenderinnovationsthathavebeenincorporatedinthe
Blendtecline.Healsoparticipatedindevelopmentofthefirstmotionsicknesspatchandtheonlyintrauterinedevicethathasbeenonthemarketsincethe1970s.
Dicksonalsocreatedandstarsinthetongue’in-cheek”WillItBlend?”seriesonWillItBlend.comandYouTube,whereheblendsiPhones,marbles,golfballsand
otherobjectsinBlendtecmachinestoshowcasethepowerofhisproducts.Theseriesisaviralmarketingphenomenon,driveninpartbythemadscientistpersonathatDicksonassumesoncameraandthat,again,matcheshisvisionofthemuseum’srole.
ThegoalwillbeachievedinpartthroughTheDicksonAcademyofCuriosity,whichwillsponsorfieldtrips,summerdaycampsandongoinginteractiveeducational
activitiesunderthesupervisionofeightfull-timeeducationalstaffandnumerousvolunteers.Itwillalsobenurturedthroughthemuseum’s45,000squarefeetofhands’on,interactiveeducationinfivemainexhibitareasincludingaRainforest,Waterworks,Kidopolis,TravelingExhibits,andafive-acreoutdoorChildren’sDiscovery
Garden.
Morethan300,000visitorsareexpectedatthemuseumeachyear,includingchildrenfromunderprivilegedschoolsandBoysandGirlsClubsthroughoutUtah.Itwillb locatedinLehi,halfwaybetweenSaltLakeCityandProvo,atThanksgivingPoint,afarm,gardenandmuseumcomplexthat attractsmorethan1.9millionannual
visitorsfromall50 statesandaroundtheworld.Thesiteis16milesfromBlendtec’sheadquartersinOrem,UT.
posted by Sarah McCallum
01/25/14
