NOAA has been bringing science to life for 50 years.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
NOAA has been bringing science to life for 50 years.
It is NOAA's 50th Birthday!!
NOAA was founded in 1970, and after five decades we head into the future as an innovative force, changing the way the world is viewed, serving as a vital pillar of U.S. economic growth and competitiveness, and enhancing the safety and the well-being of everyone in our Nation.
Of course, NOAA's culture and core values of science, service and stewardship took root well before 1970. We trace our lineage to 1807, when Thomas Jefferson established the Survey of the Coast, America’s first scientific agency. Over the last 50 years, NOAA's dedicated workforce has built upon the foundations of the Survey of the Coast and our other trailblazing legacy agencies, showing the value of bringing them together into a single agency.
As NOAA celebrates its 50th anniversary, we continue to pursue new scientific frontiers that stretch from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, advancing President Jefferson’s vision of a world where science and innovation flourish and serve the public good.
I hope you enjoy this story map, which celebrates our heritage of science and service and shows how it shaped some of our recent achievements.
Happy 50th, NOAA!