House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1142 South Florida Museum/Bishop Planetarium
Requester:	Dr. Peter Bennett		Organization:		South FL Museum/Bishop Planetarium
Project Title:	South Florida Museum/Bishop Planetarium		Date Submitted:		01/27/2000 5:19:49 PM
District Member:	Rudolph Bradley		Service Area:		County
Counties Affected:	Manatee
Recipient:	South FL Museum/Bishop Planetarium		Contact:		Kim Griffin
	201 10th St. W.		Contact Phone:		(727) 893-1840
	Bradenton 34205
Project Description:
The South Florida Museum,Bishop Planetarium and Parker Manatee Aquarium complex is a private, non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. The facility consists of a natural and cultural history museum, founded in 1947; a fully-equipped planetarium and observatory added when the current museum building was constructed in 1966; and an aquarium that houses two manatees, built in 1993. The $1 million requested will fund, along with private monies, the first major renovation of the museum and its exhibits since its construction more than 30 years ago. The planned renovation includes enlarging and enhancing existing classroom space to serve over 25,000 school children who visit annually from a minimum of eleven Florida counties. The existing artifacts and exhibits will be redesigned and woven into a contiguous storyline of the region's natural and cultural history, from prehistoric times to present day. The exhibits will feature enhanced preservation and security with climate-controlled conditions and proper lighting. Renovated storage vaults will facilitate cataloging of the collections and allow them to be made available to scholars and museums in Florida.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
Classroom space will be enlarged by approximately 4,000 square feet to better serve the school children and young visitors who come to the Museum each year from the Gulf Coast region. The docent-led education programs related to exhibits will be increased in content and quality. The installation of fiber-optic cable and RoadRunner Internet, through an in-kind gift from Time Warner Communications, will increase access of educational opportunities throughout the state and the world. The South Florida Museum is the only facility in the state to present a comprehensive interpretation of the significance of the multicultural and natural history of Florida's Gulf Coast. The redesign of the exhibits will create seamless exhibition/design linkages and integrate the Planetarium and Aquarium into Museum interpretation. As the Museum is renovated, the facility will be reconditioned to provide an environment that allows for better care and display of the collections, including the "never seen" Tallant Collection of Indian Art of Ancient Florida. This collection of early Floridian items is one of the most significant collections of pre- and immediate-post Colombian artifacts in existence. Improved cataloging and security will allow the Museum to expand its loan of individual items and traveling exhibits to museums across the state, currently done only on a limited basis.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Upon completion of this project, the South Florida Museum will see an increase in the number of school children who visit, as well as increased admissions from tourists and local citizens. All of the collections, particularly the important Tallant Collection, will be displayed in a more cohesive storyline, with conservation and security concerns addressed. A new conservation area will allow scholars and interns a place to use the resources in the South Florida Museum, as well as provide the space to protect priceless artifacts. The improved conservation and cataloging facilities will result in an expanded loan program,allowing people throughout the state of Florida to view collections from the Museum. The renovated building will improve accessibility for physically challenged visotors and large tour groups.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$1,000,000
Total cost of the project:		$5,000,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?					Yes
	Cash Amount:	$3,933,000		In-Kind Amount:	$67,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?					No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?					No
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?					Unknown
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?					Unknown
Is there a documented need for this project?					Yes
	Documentation:	Comprehensive Plan
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?					Yes
	Hearing Body:	Manatee County Legislative Delegation Hearing
	Meeting Date:	09/30/1999