National Museum of Mathematics facts for kids
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| Established | November 17, 2009 (chartered) |
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| Location | 225 Fifth Avenue Manhattan, New York City |
| Public transit access | New York City Subway:
Port Authority Trans-Hudson: HOB-33, JSQ-33 (via HOB), or JSQ-33 to 23rd Street MTA New York City Bus: M1, M2, M3, M55, M7, M20 |
The National Museum of Mathematics, also called MoMath, is a fun and interactive museum in Manhattan, New York City. It was the first museum in the United States made just for mathematics. It opened on December 15, 2012.
MoMath has over thirty interactive exhibits. These exhibits help people understand and enjoy math more. One cool thing at the museum is a special tricycle with square wheels. It can ride smoothly on a wavy surface called a catenary.
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About MoMath's History
Before MoMath, there was another math museum on Long Island. It was called the Goudreau Museum. When it closed in 2006, a group of people, led by Glen Whitney, decided to open a new math museum.
They got permission from the New York State Department of Education in 2009. They also raised over 22 million dollars in less than four years. This money helped them rent a large space in a building in New York City. The museum moved to a new temporary spot at 225 Fifth Avenue in March 2024.
Fun Programs and Activities
MoMath offers many exciting programs that make math come alive!
Math Midway: A Traveling Exhibit
Math Midway is a traveling show with interactive math displays. It has a square-wheeled tricycle that rides smoothly on a wavy track. Another exhibit, the Ring of Fire, uses lasers to show cool shapes. There's also an "organ function grinder" where you can create your own math rules and see what happens.
Math Midway first appeared at the World Science Festival in 2009. It traveled all over the country, reaching more than half a million people. In 2016, the Math Midway exhibit was sold to the Science Centre Singapore.
Math Midway 2 Go
Math Midway 2 Go (MM2GO) is a smaller version of Math Midway. It includes six of the most popular exhibits. MM2GO started visiting science festivals, schools, and libraries in 2012.
Math Encounters Speaker Series
Math Encounters is a monthly talk series. Different mathematicians are invited to give lectures. These talks are designed to be interesting for high school students and adults. Topics have included "The Geometry of Origami" and "Mathematical Morsels from The Simpsons and Futurama."
Cool Exhibits to Explore
In October 2016, MoMath opened an exhibit called The Insides of Things: The Art of Miguel Berrocal. This exhibit showed puzzle sculptures by a Spanish artist named Miguel Ortiz Berrocal. Each sculpture could be taken apart into many small pieces. Inside, you might find a tiny piece of jewelry or another surprise!
Distinguished Chair Program
MoMath also has a special program called the Distinguished Chair for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics. This program invites famous mathematicians to share their knowledge with the public.
- The first person to hold this position was Manjul Bhargava, a professor from Princeton.
- Later, Peter Winkler from Dartmouth College became the Distinguished Chair.
- In 2020, Rutgers University professor Alex Kontorovich took on the role. He shared programs about the history of math and how math connects with music.
- The 2021-22 Distinguished Chair was Steven Strogatz, a professor from Cornell University.
- In 2021, Tim Chartier, a professor and professional mime, was announced as the fifth Distinguished Chair.
- Ingrid Daubechies, a professor from Duke University, is set to be the Distinguished Chair for 2023-24.
See also
- Mathematica: A World of Numbers... and Beyond – a classic exhibit about math concepts.
- Mathematics education in the United States
- Science tourism
