- What is the Lemelson Center?
- How do I get to the Lemelson Center?
- What is the difference between the Lemelson Center and the Lemelson Foundation?
- I'm an inventor. Will the Lemelson Center help me develop, patent, and/or promote my invention?
- How do I contact the Lemelson Center?
- How can I support the Center's work financially?
- How do I navigate this website?
1. What is the Lemelson Center?
The Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation is part of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Founded in 1995 through a generous gift from inventor Jerome Lemelson and his family, the Center documents, interprets, and disseminates information about invention and innovation; encourages inventive creativity in young people; and fosters an appreciation for the central role that invention and innovation play in the history of the United States. The Center offers a diverse array of symposia, educational outreach programs, exhibits, research opportunities, and documentation projects.
2. How do I get to the Lemelson Center?
The Lemelson Center is located in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, DC, on the National Mall. The nearest Metro stations are Federal Triangle and Smithsonian on the Orange/Blue lines. For more information on visiting the National Museum of American History, please visit the Museum's website.
3. What’s the difference between the Lemelson Center and the Lemelson Foundation?
The Lemelson Foundation is a private philanthropy established by one of the country’s most prolific inventors, Jerome Lemelson (1923-1997), and his family. The Lemelson Foundation uses its resources to inspire, encourage, and recognize inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs, with a growing emphasis on those who harness invention for sustainable development where the needs are greatest.
In addition to the Lemelson Center at the National Museum of American History, the Lemelson Foundation lends support to the Lemelson Assistive Technology Development Center at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA; the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA; VentureWell (formerly the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance), based in Hadley, MA.; and the University of Nevada at Reno E-Team program.
4. I’m an inventor. Will the Lemelson Center help me develop, patent, and/or promote my invention?
The Lemelson Center is dedicated to the history of invention and so cannot provide help with patenting or marketing inventions. However, our sister program at MIT has information on its website that inventors might find helpful. Please visit the Lemelson-MIT Program’s site and click on “Inventor’s Handbook.”
Also, consider joining an inventors’ organization to connect with a community of peers who can be an excellent source of information and support. The United Inventors Association of the United States lists local groups on its website. Subscribing to a magazine like Inventor’s Digest that is geared towards independent inventors can also be useful.
5. How do I contact the Lemelson Center?
Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History
Room 1210, MRC 604
14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012
Phone: 202-633-3312
Fax: 202-633-4593
E-mail: LemCen@si.edu
Connect with us on social media:
6. How can I support the Center's work financially?
Thank you! We are happy to discuss your interest in donating to the Lemelson Center. Please drop us a note at LemCen@si.edu to start the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you!
7. How do I navigate this website?
Here are a few tips for moving around.
Click any of the big topics in the black bar at the bottom of the page (or the MENU icon on mobile devices) to get started:
- EXPLORE takes you to stories about historical and contemporary inventors and their work—some familiar, some surprising. Be sure to check out our blog for viewpoints from our team.
- STUDY offers resources for those researching the history of invention, from archival collections at the Smithsonian and beyond to books published by the Lemelson Center and fellowship and internship opportunities with us.
- TRY opens the door to unleashing your own creativity. Learn about Spark!Lab, our hands-on invention center, and test out some of our activities at home.
- ABOUT fills you in on the mission of the Lemelson Center, our team, news, events, exhibitions, and our founders, Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson.
- MULTIMEDIA holds all of our audio and video content, as well as selected gems about invention and innovation from around the web.
- A NOTE ABOUT PDFs ON THIS SITE: Every effort has been made to ensure that PDF files available for download meet common accessibility standards. If you encounter a problem with a PDF, please let us know by emailing lemcen@si.edu. Thank you!
Looking for something specific? Use these shortcuts at the bottom of the page:
Click the magnifying glass and enter a search term.
Or click the tags button to find everything on a particular subject.
Not sure what you want to see?
Click the question mark to be whisked away to a surprise location on the site! It's a fun way to dip into our content.
Clicking our name in the black bar at the top of the page will take you back to the homepage.
Scroll down to see our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feeds, or click the plus sign to go directly to Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr.
You can leave comments on any of the stories you read across the site or send us an email at lemcen@si.edu.
Thank you for visiting!
Have a question that isn’t answered here?
