The
National Inventors Hall of Fame (
NIHF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The
Hall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human, social and economic progress possible. there were 460 inductees. New inductee announcements are made in mid-February.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame was founded in 1973 on the initiative of H. Hume Mathews, then chairman of the National Council of Patent Law Associations (now called the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations). The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office became a cosponsor of the NIHF the following year.
The Hall is currently located in Alexandria, Virginia, with satellite offices in the
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, area and in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California.
Originally housed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Hall outgrew its location and moved to Akron. Ohio. The Hall of Fame building in Akron, which also housed hands-on interactive exhibits, opened to the public in 1995. The building is currently under construction to build the National Inventors Hall of Fame School Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning.
During the annual induction ceremony, a new class of inventors is recognized. Inventors must hold a U.S. patent to be considered, and the invention must have contributed to the welfare of mankind and have promoted the progress of science and the useful arts. A National Selection Committee and Blue Ribbon Panel select inductees.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame takes part in physical activities that embody the inventive spirit. The National Inventors Hall of Fame promotes future generations of inventors through Invent Now Kids, a major subsidiary of the organization, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition. In addition, the National Inventors Hall of Fame is involved with many ventures as well as special projects with national partners.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum
The National Inventors Hall of Fame was initially located in Washington D.C., near the Ronald Reagan Airport. In 1986, a committee was formed to find a more prominent location. In 1987, Akron, Ohio, patent attorney, Edwin (Ned) Oldham, a newly appointed representative to the National Council of Patent Law Associations, while at a site-selection meeting, learned that the
Franklin InstituteThe Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
in Philadelphia was the frontrunner for the new location of the NIHF, prompting Oldham to wonder if Akron might have a chance. Through Oldham's efforts, the NIHF new location came to be Akron, construction on the facility was completed in 1995. Currently the building is a middle school called the NIHF STEM Middle School.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum is now located in Alexandria, Va. Located on the United States Patent and Trademark Office campus as part of the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum, it allows visitors to learn more about the inventors and their profound life changing work. Inscribed on large displays are the names of the inductees, and the museum also includes interactive kiosks, a digital portrait gallery, and a theater.
Invent Now
Invent Now operates the National Inventors Hall of Fame at the headquarters of the
United States Patent and Trademark OfficeThe United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
in
Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. The museum features exhibits about all the honorees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, including digital portraits. Other exhibits include artifacts and documents from the collections of the Patent and Trademark Office.
See also
- List of African-American inventors and scientists
- NASA spinoff
A NASA spin-off is a spin-off of technology that has been commercialized through NASA funding, research, licensing, facilities, or assistance. NASA also publishes an annual journal titled Spinoff which features products whose development can be linked to NASA, for example through NASA funding ,...
- Science and technology in the United States
The United States came into being around the Age of Enlightenment , a period in which writers and thinkers rejected the superstitions of the past. Instead, they emphasized the powers of reason and unbiased inquiry, especially inquiry into the workings of the natural world...
- Technological and industrial history of the United States
- Timeline of United States inventions
The following articles cover the timeline of United States inventions* Timeline of United States inventions * Timeline of United States inventions * Timeline of United States inventions...
- Timeline of United States discoveries
Timeline of United States discoveries encompasses the breakthroughs of human thought and knowledge of new scientific findings, phenomena, places, things, and what was previously unknown to exist...
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
- Yankee ingenuity
Yankee ingenuity is an American English reference to the self-reliance of early colonial settlers of New England, United States. It describes an attitude of make-do with materials on hand. It is inventive improvisation, adaptation and overcoming of dire straits when faced with a dearth of...
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