Celebrate 50 Years of Innovation With the National Inventors Hall of Fame!
Behind the NIHF ScenesDate January 11, 2023
Est. Reading Time 3 mins
So much can happen over the course of 50 years. Since 1973, the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) has been connecting generations of innovators, and so far we’ve reached more than 3 million children, educators and inventors across the country.
From the beginning, everything we’ve accomplished has been the result of partnership, collaboration and generous support for our mission to recognize inventors, promote creativity, and advance the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Now, we’re inviting you to join us in celebrating 50 years of innovation, inspiration and impact.
Honoring the Past, Present and Future of Innovation
The National Inventors Hall of Fame was founded in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and the NIHF Museum, located within the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, honors more than 600 Hall of Famers and counting. Commemorating each Inductee in the Gallery of Icons™ and in a wide variety of rotating exhibits, our museum sparks the innovative spirit in visitors of all ages.
Since 1990, NIHF has relied on our supporters to help us reach beyond the walls of our museum to both recognize and reward emerging innovators through the Collegiate Inventors Competition® (CIC) and provide transformative education programs for PreK through college. These nationwide programs including Camp Invention®, our flagship K-6 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) summer camp, offer hands-on experiences that are directly influenced by our Hall of Famers.
NIHF education programs have grown from partnering with a few school districts in Camp Invention’s first year to reaching children and educators in more than 1,000 districts across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. And in 2021, for the first time in NIHF’s history, we provided a combined 1 million days of invention education.
None of this would be possible without the support of our entire NIHF family — from our Inductees, sponsors and donors, to the local educators who lead our programs and the families who prioritize innovative learning opportunities for their children.
Sharing Stories to Inspire the Next 50 Years
As we reflect on our evolution and dream of what we’ll do next, we invite you to join us in exchanging stories of creativity, persistence, entrepreneurship and empowerment.
Throughout 2023, NIHF will share insights and inspiration from our Inductees, CIC Finalists, sponsors, educator partners and program participants – and we want to hear from you too! We’ll be reaching out each month to not only impart lessons and stories, but to ask you to share some of your own.
We want to know about what inspires you, who you consider an innovative role model, what you value most about your involvement with NIHF and what lessons you’ve learned through your own innovative journey.
Enter Our 50 Years of Innovation Sweepstakes!
When you share a story about your involvement with NIHF, you’ll be entered to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend our 2023 Induction Ceremony this October!
Don’t miss your chance to enjoy an unforgettable experience alongside incredible inventors — visit our website now to learn more and enter our sweepstakes.