Morris Museum launches first Smithsonian Spark!Lab in New Jersey, with leadership support by BASF

• Will commemorate the 10-year anniversary of BASF's STEM education programs in North America

FLORHAM PARK and MORRISTOWN, NJ, September 14, 2021 - New Jersey's only Smithsonian Affiliate, The Morris Museum, will unveil Spark!Lab, a cutting-edge facility, on September 24. The tenth such facility in the nation, this Smithsonian-created learning space will inspire young visitors to create, collaborate, and innovate. Spark!Lab is made possible by leadership support from BASF with additional support provided by Gay H. Osborn on behalf of the Blanche and George Jones Fund, Inc.

Spark!Lab offers any child (ages 5-12 and accompanied by an adult), a new informal approach to hands-on learning. Instead of following step-by-step instructions, young inventors will be empowered to problem-solve and overcome real-world obstacles. Spark!Lab offers many unique, project-specific stations, where inventors can engage directly with engineering and design challenges.

'Spark!Lab is a dynamic, inquiry-based educational space where our children will develop the confidence and 21st-century skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond,' stated Dr. Cleveland Johnson, Morris Museum's President and CEO. 'Bringing such amazing Smithsonian resources to our community is part of our growing commitment to STEAM education in New Jersey.'

'Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at BASF. For more than a decade our STEM education programs have inspired the future scientists, engineers, and innovators that will be essential to our continued success as the world's leading chemical company,' said Molly Borst, Manager of STEM Education at BASF Corporation. 'The Spark!Lab at the Morris Museum will allow our community to explore inventions and innovation, contributing to a sustainable future.'

To learn more about STEM Education at BASF visit, http://basf.us/STEM or follow us on Facebook.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.

About the Morris Museum

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum is an award-winning, multifaceted arts and cultural institution serving the public through its exhibitions and performances, which strive to interpret the past and discover the future through art, sound, and motion. The Museum is home to the historic and internationally-significant Murtogh D. Guinness Collection of Mechanical Musical Instruments and Automata. The Museum's Bickford Theatre is a 312-seat performing-arts facility, offering unique programming in film, jazz, and live performance through its innovative series, Live Arts. As New Jersey's only Smithsonian Affiliate Museum, it launched Spark!Lab, a dynamic, Smithsonian-created learning space which will inspire young visitors to create, collaborate, and innovate. A strong team of volunteers assists the Museum's professional staff in many operations. Training for volunteer Spark!Lab Ambassadors is offered on a quarterly basis. To learn more, visit www.morrismuseum.org.

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