OUR MISSION

Our mission is to provide programs, facilities, and resources to schools, teachers and the public, to promote astronomy as a stimulating educational and cultural activity for people of all ages.

Our current programs are designed to:

* Develop astronomical facilities and programs for the visitors and residents of Mount Desert Island and Down East Maine.

* Provide space science resources to Maine's teachers and schools.

* Increase understanding of NASA's contribution to the betterment of life on Earth.

* Promote Maine's starlit skies in order to foster public stewardship of all starlit skies.

* Strengthen the local community.

Initiatives under development include:

* Implementing a mobile science center featuring a Digital STARLAB.

* Establishing Acadia National Park and the Mount Desert Island archipelago as a dark sky preserve.

* Developing and managing a permanent space science center featuring a public observatory, planetarium, and theater.

* Providing people of all ages with the tools of astronomy and the training to use them.

* Training and supporting an organization of volunteers.

* Implementing a K-12 educational program for teachers, providing CEU credits.

* Establishing an endowed lecture series.

* Supporting the establishment of an astronomy club on Mount Desert Island.

* Generating new employment opportunities for our region.

The Island Astronomy Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. All contributions are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law. You may download our IRS Form 990-EZ for 2007 here.