On November 20, 1999, more than 1,000 people showed up in Wall Township at the site of the former Army base Camp Evans, a part of the World War II expansion of Fort Monmouth, to visit the brand new learning center just opened, now known as the InfoAge Science & Technology Museums.
According to the Asbury Park Press, “For 86 years, until it was closed in 1993, Camp Evans served as one of the most important sites in the world for telecommunications research and development. The site was closed as part of the post Cold-War effort to streamline the military, and the Army has been cleaning up the site for transfer to public and educational use.”
“The site should be saved on its historic merits alone,” said InfoAge Founder and President Fred Carl. “And it also represents a ready-made park for the area.”
Today, the center is a leading voice for historic preservation, learning and research. Here is how they describe their facility and mission:
The Information Age Learning Center incorporated in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization located at the New Jersey shore in Wall Township. Since its beginning, InfoAge has evolved into a consortium of science and history museums and exhibits which serve as the focal point for the preservation and interpretation of New Jersey’s rich communications, computer, and electronic technology and history. It is a place where children and families are educated in the technologies we use today, many of which were developed at Camp Evans.
The MISSION of the Information Age Science and History Museum and Learning Center (InfoAge) is to preserve, educate, and honor scientific innovation to inspire new generations of thinkers, dreamers, and visionaries.
Our mission is broken into three Sub-Missions: DEVELOP an Interactive hands-on Learning Center focused on the evolution and preservation of communications, electronics, and related technologies; Learning Center: As a National Historic Landmark, INSPIRE people – especially children – to learn and appreciate information technology to improve their lives and career opportunities; and Memorial: As New Jersey’s WWII Living Memorial, HONOR the accomplishments and service of veterans, civilians, and military contractors by recognizing their contributions and by preserving this unique historic site.
Our VISION: Our parking lots filled with yellow school buses and students who are motivated to pursue the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
We are a hub for hands-on education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM).
The first InfoAge museum/exhibit spaces were opened in 2005 in the Marconi Hotel. Since then InfoAge has expanded its education and historical program offerings and display space at our Camp Evans campus. We currently have over 40,000 square feet of space dedicated to our scientific, historical, and educational museums, exhibits, and programs. As additional funding becomes available, we will restore, renovate and/or repair an additional 42,000 square feet of this National Historic Landmark and expand our programs accordingly. InfoAge volunteers continue the work of restoration as they raise funds and establish educational science and history programs focusing on STEAM (Science, Technology, Electronics, Art and Math).
STEAM Education
STEAM is an educational program developed to prepare primary and secondary students for college and graduate study in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). In addition to subject-specific learning, STEAM aims to foster inquiring minds, logical reasoning, and collaboration skills. By visiting InfoAge, you can learn about the magic and mystery leading to the invention of wireless telegraphy and early radio, hear your voice bounce off the moon, program historic computers, and study electronic warfare. You can see artifacts from local shipwrecks, be amazed by military vehicles, and operate model trains. You can see what made up an authentic nuclear fallout shelter, build a 3-D printed robot, and understand home front contributions to the military.
History Happened Here
Our campus is different than other science centers. We are the stewards of 16 buildings on a historic campus which opened in the early 1900s as a Marconi wireless telegraph station, served as a Navy/RCA communications laboratory during World War I, and was known as the Camp Evans Signal Corps Research and Development laboratory from World War II until 1997. These events and others earned us designations by the U.S. Department of the Interior on the National Register of Historic Places and prestigious status as a National Historic Landmark. We also became a Save America’s Treasures site (Bill Clinton administration) and Preserve America Steward (George W. Bush administration). We are a World War II Living Memorial for the State of New Jersey. Read more about our unique history!
Sources:
Stine, Don. (1999). 1,000 people tour historic Camp Evans. Asbury Park Press, November 22, 1999, P. 3.
About InfoAge Science & Technology Museums. Available: https://infoage.org/about/
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