LG Electronics USA officially cut the ribbon on the LG Exploratorium, a new high-tech immersive learning space for area school children that promotes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) and environmental education while giving students the opportunity to interact with robotics, artificial intelligence and other technologies.
“The LG Exploratorium is a fun, interactive, hands-on educational space for elementary and middle school-aged students to visit and learn how innovation can be used to impact people’s lives, improve productivity, and protect the environment,” said LG Electronics North America CEO Thomas Yoon. “The LG Exploratorium represents an investment in our social and economic future, and when we invest in our communities, we create a stronger society for everyone.”
The LG Exploratorium aims to inspire new generations of students to pursue careers in STEAM fields and serve as a destination for class field trips and immersive, enhanced learning experiences for students. Exhibits include an artificially intelligent robot artist, interactive digital seascape, electric vehicle drive simulator and more. LG has partnered with Discovery Education to develop age-appropriate curriculum for grades K-8 that aligns with the state’s rigorous standards.
“Our mission at Discovery Education is to prepare learners for tomorrow by creating innovative classrooms connected to today’s world. The LG Exploratorium aligns with this mission by allowing students to engage with technology while exploring STEAM-related career paths,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “Together, we designed engaging resources for K-8 students that enhance enrichment and integrate the hands-on Exploratorium experiences into what they are studying in the classroom. We are excited to what possibilities this opens up for students!”
“The LG Exploratorium will contribute immensely to New Jersey’s economic and education landscapes and inspire innovation among young New Jerseyans,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “As we respond to a host of formidable challenges both today and in the future, it’s crucial that we equip the next generation of New Jersey leaders with the skills they require to build a stronger and more prosperous Garden State.”
“Any opportunity for our students to expand their learning opportunities in creative ways is a net positive for our communities. I hope that Englewood Cliffs students and students from around our great state can utilize this new facility to expand their minds and their knowledge horizons well into the future,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.
“LG Electronics has been a great corporate neighbor and valuable member of the Englewood Cliffs community,” said Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario M. Kranjac. “By opening its doors, LG is providing through the LG Exploratorium a unique opportunity for our students to learn and grow and be inspired by technology and innovation to pursue careers in high-demand STEAM fields.”
LG also welcomed its first guests to the LG Exploratorium, a group of fourth graders from nearby Englewood Cliffs’ Upper School, which was honored with a 2022 National Blue Ribbon by the U.S. Department of Education for overall academic performance and progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
“For many students, STEAM is their first exposure to fulfilling and rewarding careers in New Jersey’s key industries. By engaging students at an early age with hands-on experiences, it gives them a glimpse of what careers in science, technology, engineering, art and math may be like,” said Englewood Cliffs Schools Superintendent Jennifer R. Brower, Ed. D.
The LG Exploratorium is located at LG’s North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. and further solidifies LG’s continued commitment to the community and the region. Visitors are welcomed to the LG Exploratorium by compelling, interactive video content shown on advanced commercial displays from LG Business Solutions, including curved open-frame OLED displays and touch-screen digital signage displays.
The 350,000-square-foot, $300 million campus, which had a pandemic opening in 2020, was designed to preserve the scenic views of the New Jersey Palisades and earned the highest-level LEED Platinum certification for its sustainability, efficiency and lower carbon footprint. Commercial Property Executive ranked LG’s Englewood Cliffs headquarters as the No. 1 LEED-certified building in New Jersey.
The facility offers significant economic development and other benefits to Englewood Cliffs, Bergen County, and the State of New Jersey, having created more than 2,000 labor jobs during construction and growing local employment to more than 800.
Among the public officials and leaders attending today’s grand opening event were Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (N.J.-09); State Senator Gordon Johnson; Assemblymembers Shama Haider, Ellen Park and Chris Tully, chair of the Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee; Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco; Bergen County Commissioners Tracy Zur, president, Mary Amoroso, Germaine Ortiz and Steve Tanelli; Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and members of the township council; Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich; Alpine Mayor Paul Tomasko; Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland; Dr. Jordan Schiff, Acting Assistant Commissioner for Division of Teaching and Learning Services, New Jersey Department of Education; Christopher Cox, Office of Innovation, New Jersey Department of Education; Jorge Santos, Chief Real Estate Development Officer, Economic Development Authority; Englewood Cliffs School District Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Brower and Board President Shanna Jafri; and representatives from the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), Teach NJ, and NJ STEM Teachers.
