The Miami Science Museum (MiaSci), in collaboration with Ideum and the Institute for Learning Innovation, was awarded a $500,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to acquire a new spherical display system. The project, entitled: Hurricanes and Climate Change: Local Impacts and Global Systems, will allow visitors to explore the global dimensions and local impacts of climate change. Planning for the project has already begun and the exhibit is scheduled to be open to the public at MiaSci in early 2011.
Rendering of the Future Exhibit
This grant gives MiaSci an opportunity to design and develop a multi-user, bilingual, user controlled interface that will advance the kinds of programming and technology currently capable with Magic Planet and other spherical display systems. This resource will also allow MiaSci to develop exhibits that draw visitors of all ages and educate visitors with different learning styles. The main goal is to raise public understanding of earth’s climate system, the human causes of climate change and the potential threats of global warming.
The project will support NOAA’s Climate Literacy goals and Education Strategic Plan, bringing together informal learning experts, climate change experts, and public officials involved in climate adaptation planning, including Miami-Dade County’s Office of Sustainability, who will be supplying relevant County data and informational resources that will be used to develop the exhibit.
A particular focus of the project will be on climate-related impacts here in South Florida, including the dangers posed by rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes. The development of the Hurricanes and Climate Change: Local Impacts and Global Systems exhibit is part of the Museum’s ongoing effort to develop interactive and educational content for the future MiaSci in downtown Miami scheduled to be opened in 2014.
Miami Science Museum celebrated the launch of MiaSci Community Days on Sunday, August 29th. Over 1,700 residents from Miami-Dade County visited the Museum for the kick off event free of charge.
MiaSci Community Days is a series of free* admission opportunities on select weekdays to ensure that each and every member of the community has the opportunity to visit and connect with the Museum. Guests will enjoy the Museum’s exhibits and programming as well as fun and exciting activities.
Residents of Miami-Dade County are invited to visit the Museum on weekdays between 3-6 p.m. from Monday, August 30th–Thursday, September 30th, excluding Labor Day.
“We are so pleased to invite the residents of our community to visit the Museum during MiaSci Community Days,” said Gillian Thomas, President and CEO, Miami Science Museum. “We are really looking forward to welcoming residents of the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County to the Museum to enjoy our current facility and learn what the future has in store for MiaSci.”
*Residents of Miami-Dade County will be given free admission to the Museum with proof of address (driver’s license, voter registration or light bill) on designated days and times (August 30-31st and weekdays in September from 3-6 p.m. daily, excluding the Labor Day holiday). One proof of address is valid for up to four immediate family members. Offer only valid during designated MiaSci Community Days.
After a year of development and data collection (read about the launch of the project here), the Museum recently finished the first phase of the Green Roof Demonstration Project, an exhibit and research piece for the new Museum. Temperature data from the last year has helped the new Museum’s engineering teams better understand how these kinds of roofs work in Miami’s unique climate.
The second phase of the project got kicked off this month with FIU students and architecture professor David Rifkind, who helped replant the roofs with a fresh batch of native plants. The new plantings correspond to the most recent designs by ArquitectonicaGeo, the Miami-based landscape architecture firm working on the new museum’s green roof. Meanwhile, here at the current Museum, the roofs will continue to serve as a one-of-a-kind exhibit, so stop by and check them out!
James Corner Field Operations was recently awarded the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum’s 2010 National Design Award for Landscape Architecture. The Landscape Architecture Award is given to an individual or firm that has delivered exceptional pieces of work in urban planning or park and garden design. Winners are admired for their continued excellence in embodying great levels of creativity and originality while attempting to solve problems that will enhance overall lifestyle.
Miami Science Museum (MiaSci) is proud to partner with Field Operations, and is on track to showcase a unique combination of traditional architecture and scientific design. MiaSci and the Miami Art Museum (MAM) have jointly appointed Field Operations to design the shared plaza between the Museums. The Plaza will serve as a centerpiece with lushly planted public gardens that overlook Biscayne Bay and the Park.
“We are delighted to be recognized with the prestigious 2010 National Design Award, and are very excited about working with both MiaSci and the Miami Art Museum to design a world-class public space and garden,” said James Corner, Principal, Field Operations. “The site is spectacular, and the adjacency of these two amazing buildings sets up a unique opportunity for Miami to enjoy a new and extraordinary social nexus.”
Field Operations is a New York based firm leading in innovative landscape-architecture and urban-design practice. Spearheaded by James Corner, the firm has consistently delivered strong pieces of contemporary work to clients across the globe. Among Field Operations’ most recognized pieces are the High Line in New York City, the pools and gardens of City Center in Las Vegas, Fresh Kills Park on Staten Island and soon, Museum Plaza in Downtown Miami.
More than 17,000 people from across the nation attended the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2010 National Convention and Design Exposition in Miami last month.
The theme of this year’s convention was “Design for the New Decade” based on the organization’s stance that as a new decade begins in the 21st century, architects and design professionals continue to learn how the next 10 years could revise the traditional ways they practice architecture.
Vincent Chang, partner at Grimshaw Architects, penned an article about the new Miami Science Museum that was published in the AIA 2010 National Convention guide. Check out Vincent’s article here (click on the pages below to enlarge):
MiaSci received a BIG delivery yesterday. Literally.
Goodyear delivered an 8,000-pound, nearly 12-foot tall tire to MiaSci today for the upcoming Fuels of the Future exhibit. Tires such as these are generally used on large trucks that mine tar sands, a material that contains oil. The tire will be on display in the exhibit as an engineering marvel and a symbol of the extremes we go to for oil.
Debuting in July 2010, Fuels of the Future addresses one of the key issues behind climate change, transportation, by exploring alternatives to today’s gasoline powered vehicles. The exhibit will also feature a solar-powered car, an air-
powered car, digital media and hands-on activities. Visitors will even have the chance to build and test their own solar- and air-powered cars out of Legos!
Fuels of the Future is the latest component of MiaSci’s Energy Tracker exhibition, which includes the existing Energy Dance Floor, and the Human Yo-Yo and Giant Lever in the Energy Garden. The Energy Tracker is part of MiaSci’s ongoing efforts to prototype new ways to deliver content about alternative energy sources, in support of the new Museum slated to open in 2014.
Stop by MiaSci to check out the Giant Tire and the rest of the Energy Tracker exhibit soon!
