The mission of the Laboratory for Technological Literacy is to investigate, expand, and demonstrate approaches to improve technological literacy through informal science and technology education programs and resources. These include museums, the media and the web. In a society that is increasingly reliant on science and technology for day-to-day living, Americans most participate in a Democracy that requires them to make decisions as citizens on technologies they do not understand.

As identified in the National Academy of Engineering's "Technically Speaking" Study and Report, over 70% of the US population relies on sources of informal science and technology education to stay current on technological advances. Yet the available resources for this type of informal and self-education are few. There is comparatively little in the way of new resources being created, or research being done, to increase and improve such resources. The Lab works both independently and with the media to address these shortfalls.