CHICAGO, IL.- Are YOU ready to eat, sleep, science? Then the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, wants to hear from you.

The Museum today announced the Month at the Museum experiment, and the beginning of a nationwide search for an individual to live in the Museum 24/7 for 30 days this fall. This “curious, adventurous, outgoing” individual will be part of a unique experiment: living inside the Museum of Science and Industry from Oct. 20 to Nov. 18, 2010.

After the month is up, the winner will walk away with $10,000, a package of tech gadgets that helped to record the experience, an honorary lifetime membership to MSI, and, most importantly, a host of unique memories.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, ultimate hands-on learning experience,” said Rob Gallas, MSI’s vice president and chief marketing officer. “We hear so often from guests that a single visit here changed their lives. We’re curious to find out what spending an entire month here can do.

“The individual selected through our intensive judging process will have full run of the Museum and will be free to go places and do things nobody has done before, like sleep in the U-505 submarine or 727 jet, or maybe lay back in the human-sized hamster wheel,” Gallas said. “Then he or she will tell the world daily about the experiences through a blog and social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.”

Month at the Museum applicants must submit a 60-second video, a 5x7 photo, write a 500-word essay; complete a detailed application and mail all items to the Museum by Aug. 11, 2010. All entrants must be 18 years or older and meet all required criteria. Additional information and applications are available at the Month at the Museum website, monthatthemuseum.org.

“You don’t have to be a future Einstein to take part in Month at the Museum. Lacking basic science knowledge is not a deal-breaker,” Gallas said. “Any fun-loving, curious individual with a positive attitude who is excited to embark on this adventure and ready to share what he or she learns should apply, regardless of their own basic science knowledge.”

Living inside the 14-acre, 117-year-old building, the winner of Month at the Museum also will mingle with guests, students and teachers while having access to all the fun and education the Museum offers daily—learning labs, teacher workshops, live science demonstrations, groundbreaking exhibits and interactive experiences. He or she will also have a personal living space and office in the Museum designed and furnished by Month at the Museum retail partner CB2.

After the last guest has left the building, the doors have been locked, the lights go dark and the exhibits are deserted—what happens? Well, this person will find out!

“We hope the winner of Month at the Museum will truly immerse himself or herself in a new environment, soak up knowledge and amazing experiences, and leave transformed in some way,” said Gallas. “And, above all, have fun!”