SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM CELEBRATES LATEST EXPANSION
Ribbon Cutting Opens New Discovery Playground and Multi-purpose Center
(West Palm Beach, Fla.) – The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is growing. A recent ribbon cutting ceremony opened the newest expansions, the Discovery Playground and Multipurpose Center. Representatives from community organizations such as the Cultural Council and the Junior League of the Palm Beaches along with board members of the nearly 60-year-old organization attended the April 19th openings at the Science Center. Children were on hand to play on the equipment to show off their enjoyment of the new addition.
Children enjoying the new Discovery Playground at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.
The Science Center has worked with PNC and other funders to provide the opportunity for all children to access to a unique space for fun. “Our support of the Discovery Center’s new playground and multipurpose center is a strategic investment in the future of South Florida,” said Cressman Bronson, PNC regional president for Florida east. “By helping ‘children of all ages’ to learn about science in a fun and interactive way, we support a solid foundation for the well-being of local children, their families and ultimately, our economy.”
Disadvantaged and at-risk youth can be exposed to this uplifting opportunity. “An estimated 100,000 children a year will be able to play on the new equipment, 80 percent of which are from Title I schools,” said Lew Crampton, president and CEO of the Science Center. “We are grateful for the opportunity to pair up with PNC to be able to open every mind to science and provide additional space for kids to learn, especially those that might not otherwise have this opportunity.”
Additionally, the Science Center has taken the Multipurpose Center, a gift from the City of West Palm Beach, and has converted the building into a classroom environment suitable for workshops and creative spaces with 3D printers, robotics labs and computer programming spaces. During the ribbon cutting ceremonies, educators were on hand with demonstrations in every classroom to foster excitement and display how the new equipment will be used.
The new Multipurpose Center project is sponsored part by the department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council of Arts and Culture and the State of Florida. Additional partners include The Junior League of the Palm Beaches, Gast Construction Group and the City of West Palm Beach.
The mission of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is to “open every mind to science” and the indoor/outdoor venue features more than 100 hands-on educational exhibits, a 10,000 gallon fresh and salt water aquarium- featuring both local and exotic marine life, a digital planetarium, conservation research station, Florida exhibit hall, Pre-K focused “Discovery Center,” an interactive Everglades exhibit and the 18-hole Conservation Course – an outdoor putting course with science-focused education stations. For more information on these new offerings or SFSCA general information, call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org. Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @SFScienceCenter.
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