PPG Supports Unique STEM Educational Space for Young Children in Italy

Playlab opens at National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan

PPG announced the opening of Playlab, a unique educational space dedicated to children aged 3-6 at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. PPG provided a $630,000 (€600,000) community engagement grant and donated around 200 gallons (750 liters) of SIGMA COATINGS® paints by PPG for the project.

Playlab features five interactive rooms designed collaboratively by museum staff and external experts to encourage children’s curiosity, creativity, and exploration in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics):

• “Where We Find Ourselves” invites children to explore nature through soundscapes, sensory play, and artistic installations by film producer Andrew Amondson.
• “Le Beau Chantier” encourages sensory-motor learning and creativity with foam shapes and interactive installations by French artists Yvan Clédat and Coco Petitpierre.
• “Forest of Light” offers opportunities for shadow play, digital art, and storytelling through installations by the Italian-based auroraMeccanica collective.
• “Cabinet of Curiosity” integrates storytelling and symbolic play, featuring objects from daily life and Museum collections, including artwork by model maker Tristan Blondeau.
• “Atelier” provides guided workshops led by Museum educators and guest artists, focusing on inquiry, collaboration, and creative tinkering.

Furniture in the rooms was decorated with PPG products including Sigma Contour Aqua-PU, featuring LTA+ technology. This innovative coating repels grease and dirt while providing exceptional resistance to scratches and abrasion, making it ideal for spaces used by children. The laboratory walls were coated with Sigma Sigmatex Rapid, a highly breathable and water-repellent interior paint that can be applied directly on drywall and gypsum finishes without a primer and is ready for re-coating in just 30 minutes.

“PPG’s contribution has been essential in bringing Playlab to life,” said Fiorenzo Marco Galli, general director, National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci. “Its financial support and expertise in paints have enabled us to create a unique space where young children can explore, imagine and develop a lifelong interest in science and technology. We are grateful for PPG’s commitment to fostering creativity and learning in our youngest visitors.”

“Playlab is much more than an educational space – it is a place where art and science come together to inspire children to play, invent and explore,” said Pedro Serret-Salvat, PPG president and general counsel, EMEA. “Our contribution of paint, expertise and financial support reflects PPG’s strong commitment to the Milan community, where we have a significant presence. We are proud to help create this vibrant and inclusive environment, enabling children to discover the wonders of science from an early age while enriching the city’s educational and cultural landscape.”

PPG has been collaborating with the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci since 2016, supporting various initiatives to inspire young learners in science and technology. These initiatives include “Speed Date,” where students received advice from PPG chemistry experts; “Night at the Museum,” allowing children to act as scientific investigators alongside their parents; and “Introduction to Science,” which provided nearly 500 secondary school students and their teachers with hands-on lessons in the museum’s chemistry and physics labs. In 2021, PPG deepened the partnership by funding the design and renovation of the interactive i.lab Chemistry laboratory.

Learn more about the Playlab at: https://www.museoscienza.org/it/Playlab and click here to watch video highlighting PPG’s support. 

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $17.5 million in 2023, supporting hundreds of organizations across nearly 40 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled workforce in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

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About PPG Industries

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $18.2 billion in 2023. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

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Contact:

Alessandra Pozzi – Corporate Communications – pozzi@ppg.com

Source: PPG Industries, Inc.