The Biogen Idec Foundation has announced a five-year, $1 million grant to the Museum of Science, Boston in support of the museum's middle- and high school-level science education and outreach programs.

The grant will establish the Biogen Idec Foundation Science Education Fund, which will provide a steady stream of support for programs that engage students across the state — especially those from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds — in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and have the potential to partner with the biotechnology company's Community Lab. Programs receiving support from the fund also will provide hands-on experience in scientific inquiry and encourage students' interest in STEM careers.

To date, the museum has raised $192 million toward a $250 million capital campaign goal; the campaign ends in 2015. In addition to STEM programs, campaign funds will be used to support three new major exhibits, facilities upgrades, and an expansion of the museum's pre-K-12 engineering curricula programs.

"The Biogen Idec Foundation and Museum of Science share a commitment to support STEM education in our schools through innovative programming and leveraging our scientific expertise," said Biogen Idec Foundation chair Tony Kingsley. "Through establishing a permanent fund with the museum, we hope to inspire a lifelong love of science in current and future generations of New England students."