The opening ceremony was held on the lawn below Davenport House before a large audience which included the attendees of CSHL annual RNA Tumor Virus Meeting. The program was opened by CSHL Director James D. Watson. Dedicatory remarks were then made by past Chairman of the CSHL Board of Trustees, Dr. Harry Eagle of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Closing remarks were made by Dr. Vincent DeVita Jr., Director of the National Cancer Institute.