Miami Science Museum
Encyclopedia
The Miami Science Museum is an attraction located in the city of Miami, Florida
USA. The museum itself also contains the Space-Transit Planetarium
, Weintraub Observatory and a wildlife center. The museum is currently working to transplant the museum from its current location to Park West at Bicentennial Park
in Downtown Miami
along with the Miami Art Museum
. Construction is set to begin on the new museum in Downtown in late 2011, with a grand opening expected in late 2014.
The Miami Science Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at the Vizcaya Station.
building on Bayshore Drive. When it arrived at the new location it was renamed "Museum of Science and Natural History".
In 1953, the Guild of the Museum of Science was formed adding the efforts of volunteer assistance to the staff, operation of the Museum Store, as well as tours and outreach programs.
The museum began to outgrow its new home again and a special committee headed by Claire Weintraub recommended that Miami should establish a major independent science museum which could service citizens of all ages. By 1960, the first building of the community's new science museum opened its doors. The facility was located on 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of the historic Vizcaya
complex, and was built and furnished rent-free by the County.
Late 1966 saw the construction of a Space Transit Planetarium, which soon became the leading facility of its kind in the world. Its activities now include international television programming (see Star Gazer
).
In 1989, the Museum's lease agreement with the county for the Vizcaya site was extended for 99 years.
The yearly operating budget has grown to 2.5 million dollars, and the property currently totaling only 48000 square feet (4,459.3 m²).
The museum currently showcase these exhibits:
In March 2011, Miamian Phillip Frost
donated $35 million to the construction of the new Miami Science Museum in Downtown Miami
. Frost's donation to the museum, is one of the largest donations to Miami's cultural institutions. The museum is expected to break ground in late 2011, to be completed by the end of 2014. The Miami Art Museum
which is also building a new building in Bicentennial Park
is a year ahead, with an expected completion in 2013.
, the world’s first and only weekly television series on naked-eye astronomy. The projection dome room is 65' in diameter and has seating for over 230. It utilizes a Spitz STP (Space Transit Planetarium) star projector.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
USA. The museum itself also contains the Space-Transit Planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
, Weintraub Observatory and a wildlife center. The museum is currently working to transplant the museum from its current location to Park West at Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park (Miami)
Bicentennial Park is a public, urban park in downtown Miami, Florida. The park opened in 1976 on the site of several slips served by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. It was named "Bicentennial Park" to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States in that same year...
in Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
along with the Miami Art Museum
Miami Art Museum
The Miami Art Museum is an art museum located in Downtown Miami, Florida, in the United States. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for the Fine Arts, and in 1996 became the Miami Art Museum...
. Construction is set to begin on the new museum in Downtown in late 2011, with a grand opening expected in late 2014.
The Miami Science Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at the Vizcaya Station.
History
The Museum first started as "The Junior Museum of Miami" and was a private non-profit organization established in 1949. It was located inside a house on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 26th Street. The Museum grew so rapidly that in 1952 it relocated to the Miami Women's ClubMiami Women's Club
The Miami Women's Club is a historic site in Miami, Florida. It is located at 1737 North Bayshore Drive. On December 27, 1974, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:* at * ** **...
building on Bayshore Drive. When it arrived at the new location it was renamed "Museum of Science and Natural History".
In 1953, the Guild of the Museum of Science was formed adding the efforts of volunteer assistance to the staff, operation of the Museum Store, as well as tours and outreach programs.
The museum began to outgrow its new home again and a special committee headed by Claire Weintraub recommended that Miami should establish a major independent science museum which could service citizens of all ages. By 1960, the first building of the community's new science museum opened its doors. The facility was located on 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of the historic Vizcaya
Villa Vizcaya
Vizcaya, now named the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida...
complex, and was built and furnished rent-free by the County.
Late 1966 saw the construction of a Space Transit Planetarium, which soon became the leading facility of its kind in the world. Its activities now include international television programming (see Star Gazer
Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer
Star Gazers is a five-minute astronomy show on public television previously hosted by Jack Foley Horkheimer, executive director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium...
).
In 1989, the Museum's lease agreement with the county for the Vizcaya site was extended for 99 years.
The yearly operating budget has grown to 2.5 million dollars, and the property currently totaling only 48000 square feet (4,459.3 m²).
The museum currently showcase these exhibits:
- Stingray Sea Lab
- Earth from Space
- Room for Debate
- Heart Smart
- Energy Tracker
- Fuels of the Future
- Moving Things
In March 2011, Miamian Phillip Frost
Phillip Frost
- Early Career :Dr. Frost earned a B.A. in French Literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1957. He received an M.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1961 and attended the University of Paris from 1955 to 1956. He served as a Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service...
donated $35 million to the construction of the new Miami Science Museum in Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
. Frost's donation to the museum, is one of the largest donations to Miami's cultural institutions. The museum is expected to break ground in late 2011, to be completed by the end of 2014. The Miami Art Museum
Miami Art Museum
The Miami Art Museum is an art museum located in Downtown Miami, Florida, in the United States. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for the Fine Arts, and in 1996 became the Miami Art Museum...
which is also building a new building in Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park (Miami)
Bicentennial Park is a public, urban park in downtown Miami, Florida. The park opened in 1976 on the site of several slips served by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. It was named "Bicentennial Park" to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States in that same year...
is a year ahead, with an expected completion in 2013.
Planetarium
The planetarium was opened on November 4, 1966. It is home to Jack Horkheimer's Star GazerJack Horkheimer: Star Gazer
Star Gazers is a five-minute astronomy show on public television previously hosted by Jack Foley Horkheimer, executive director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium...
, the world’s first and only weekly television series on naked-eye astronomy. The projection dome room is 65' in diameter and has seating for over 230. It utilizes a Spitz STP (Space Transit Planetarium) star projector.