November 29, 2000
00-73

United States Patent and Trademark Office and National Inventors Hall of Fame Unveil a New Museum Exhibit Tested By Time: Ten Inventions That Get The Job Done

United States Patent and Trademark Office and National Inventors Hall of Fame Unveil a New Museum Exhibit Tested By Time:Ten Inventions That Get The Job Done

PRESS RELEASE

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) along with the National Inventors Hall of Fame unveil a new exhibit at its museum on November 30th in Arlington, Virginia. The exhibit, entitled Tested By Time: Ten Inventions That Get The Job Done, showcases ten of the many innovations of the 19th and 20th centuries that have become an integral part of our lives.

A large number of these innovations that include patents, trademarks and copyrights have been successful, but the ones displayed are among the classics. Visitors to the museum will see the many faces of Mickey Mouse, enjoy the beauty of long-stemmed roses and get a little history on the baseball bat. Also showcased are: eyeglasses, the harmonica, lipstick, the sewing machine, the shopping cart, aspirin and adhesive bandage.

WHAT:             Museum Opening & Exhibit: Tested By Time: Ten Inventions That Get The Job Done

WHERE:           2121 Crystal Drive, Suite 0100 in Arlington, Virginia.

WHEN:             Thursday, November 30, 2000
                        10:00a.m - 4:00 p.m.

Regular museum hours are: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm except Federal holidays. The present exhibit will run November 30, 2000 through summer 2001.

USPTO, a user fee-funded agency of the United States, within the Department of Commerce, administers laws relevant to granting patents and registering trademarks. The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office advises the Secretary of Commerce and other Federal departments and agencies on intellectual property policy matters. Over 6 million patents have been issued since the first patent in 1790 and 2.3 million trademarks have been registered since the first in 1870. Last year USPTO issued 161,000 patents and registered 104,000 trademarks.

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