Located in Queens — America’s most diverse county — NYSCI is committed to creating a world where diversity unlocks innovation, and where people learn to use science, technology, engineering, and math to tackle complex 21st century challenges.

NYSCI is more than a world-class destination for learning and play. It is where exhibits inspire visitors, where young scientists get their start, where community members come to learn, and where critical STEM education research occurs.

NYSCI has a strong track record of success - we welcome 500,000 visitors annually, provide professional development for more than 2,500 local teachers, and offer 2,000 high-school and college students mentoring opportunities with STEM professionals. Over the last three decades 95 percent of the more than 4,000 young people participating in our Science Career Ladder program have gone on to college, and 70 percent of our alumni work in STEM fields.

The Great Hall features dalle de verre, an architectural technique that arranges small segments of glass within a concrete structure. More than 5,000 2-by-3-feet panels of glass make up the building’s facade.

Architect Wallace K. Harrison previously employed the dalle de verre technique in his design of the Fish Church in Stamford, Conn. Harrison also led the design of the United Nations headquarters, the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, and the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The antecedents of the Great Hall’s design extend from medieval cathedrals to mid-20th century architectural innovations. When built, the Great Hall was the largest poured-in-place concrete structure in the world.

Beginning in 2008, NYSCI undertook a comprehensive modernization effort. The project received $25 million in capital support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York City Council and the Office of the Queens Borough President. Major philanthropic support was also generously provided by American Express.

In 2009, workers completed repairs to the exterior facade. Renovations to the interior and its surrounding plaza were completed in 2015.