July, 2013 – South FL Science Center Featured on National Geographic

LOCAL SCIENCE CENTER RECEIVES NATIONAL TELEVISION ATTENTION FOR NEW ATTRACTION

The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium will be featured on National Geographic

(West Palm Beach, Fla)  On Saturday, July 20^th, the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium (SFSCA) has plans to make a huge splash on national television.  The program will also repeat on Saturday, July 27^th at 11am and 7pm. The Science Center, which was formerly the South Florida Science Museum, will be featured on Nat Geo WILD’s reality show Fish Tank Kings.  Fish Tank Kings features the adventures of Fort Lauderdale-based aquarium specialists, Living Color Aquariums, as they redesign 14 massive fish tanks for the newly opened Science Center.

“As part of a much larger expansion, the new aquarium is definitely one of the top attractions,” said Lew Crampton, CEO of the Science Center.  “There is so much ‘eye candy’ in the aquarium tanks.  We definitely have something for everyone.”  He continued by saying, “This opportunity for national exposure is a terrific way to help us reach even more people with our mission of ‘opening every mind to science.’”

The new aquarium was designed so that guests would take a natural tour through all of Florida’s marine ecosystems – including the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and, even, backyard canals.  Over 90 different varieties of fish are on display – including some of Florida’s most beautiful native fish such as Queen Angels, Pink Wrasse, sharks, and seahorses as well as some fish that have invaded Florida’s habitat.

Not only are the contents of the tanks a huge attraction, but the tanks themselves were designed with careful consideration.  The pop-up tank, for example, features a crawl through space where visitors can “pop-up” inside the center of the tank for a 360-degree view.  Another popular hot-spot is the touch tank, which allows visitors the ability to touch all different types of marine wildlife – including sea urchins, rays and starfish.

Promising to highlight the successes and challenges of undertaking such a huge project, the show will first air on Nat Geo WILD on Saturday, July 20^th at 10pm, with repeat episodes airing on Sunday, July 21^st at 1am and Saturday, July 27^th at 11am and 7pm.  According to producers for the show, the 14 massive tanks at the SFSCA were one of the “biggest, most intensive and most impressive jobs” ever featured on the show.  To tune in, please check your local cable directory.

The mission of the SouthFloridaScienceCenter and Aquarium (SFSCA) is to open every mind to science through the strategic programming of interactive exhibits, engaging community-based camps and events. Founded in 1959 and formally known as the South Florida Science Museum, the new SFSCA features more than 50 hands-on educational exhibits, a 4,000 gallon fresh and salt water aquarium featuring both local and exotic marine life, a digital planetarium, Conservation Research Station, Florida Exhibit Hall and an interactive Everglades Exhibit showcasing the richly diverse ecosystem that the Everglades water-environment supports. The SouthFloridaScienceCenter is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach.

For more information about the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium, please call 561-832-1988, or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org.  Like the Science Center on Facebook at SF Science Center and follow SFSCA on Twitter @SFScienceCenter.