Washburn Award

Honoring Excellence

Washburn Award logo

Through its board of trustees and prizes and awards committee, the Museum of Science presents the Bradford Washburn Award annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution toward public understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in our lives.

Established in 1964 with a trustee’s anonymous gift, the Bradford Washburn Award is the highest honor the Museum bestows. Brad Washburn was not only the visionary director of this great institution for 40 years, he was also an explorer, cartographer, photographer, and a passionate defender of the environment. The Washburn Award has been bestowed on individuals who embody Brad’s spirit of adventure and his ability to translate and interpret science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for the public.

The Museum presents each awardee with a reception, an honorarium, and an embossed golden medal that depicts a youth at the pinnacle of a mountain, eyes turned upward, seeking still a higher prize. It symbolizes the spirit of attainment, as well as the quest for perfection.

Prize Winners: