Cooper-Hewitt: Doodle 4 Google Contest

Don’t you just love the holiday-themed doodles Google comes up with on its home page—like when a powdered wig hung from one of the "o’s" in Google and the second "g" was melded into a treble clef for Mozart’s birthday, and the letters were written in Braille (well, 2-D Braille that is, of course) for Louis Braille’s? Dennis Hwang, Google’s clever artist behind the playful takes on the company’s traditional logo, has said that he chooses special days that seem to be "in line with the Google brand." I think it’s fun to guess the more obscure anniversaries he takes on. Why the double helix winding through the six, blue, red, yellow and green letters? Oh, yes, it’s the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA! (FYI: If you can’t figure them out on your own, clicking on the logo directs you to a list of Google results on the topic.)

Well, if you ever fancied designing one—and you are a student K-12—now is your chance. Google, in conjunction with the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, recently announced its second annual "Doodle 4 Google" contest. The theme: "What I Wish for the World." The grand-prize winner, to be announced on May 20, will have their doodle displayed on the search engine’s home page the following day, in addition to receiving a $15,000 college scholarship and a $25,000 technology grant for their school. The top four designs overall and the 40 regional winners will be shown in an exhibition at Cooper-Hewitt from May 21 through July 5. Registration closes March 17 and all entries are due March 31. Happy doodling!

Megan Gambino | | READ MORE

Megan Gambino is a senior web editor for Smithsonian magazine.