April 2019 
Thanks to Our Dedicated Volunteers

In honor of National Volunteer Month, Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, would like to thank our more than 40 volunteers who dedicate their time to serve as greeters, docents and committee members at the Keys History & Discovery Center. As the only bricks-and-mortar museum in the Upper Keys dedicated to preserving and sharing the vast and unique history and ecology of our community, we rely on volunteers to keep open the doors of the Discovery Center five days a week, Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. These loyal individuals share their passion for our mission and help educate all visitors who come through our doors. To the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Lisa Bradeen and to the many others who spend their time with us, we thank you . Please know we couldn't do it without you.
 
Regards, 
Jill Miranda Baker
Foundation Executive Director
 
P.S. If you are interested in joining our special group of volunteers, please click here or call 305-922-2237.
Foundation Partners with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

An exciting partnership which will bring a new permanent exhibit to Keys History & Discovery Center is being undertaken between Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, both not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organizations. The exhibit is expected to be complete in December 2019. It will be housed in the Keys History & Discovery Center, which is operated by the Foundation. In addition, BTT will be a top-level sustaining member of the organization for at least five years, making an annual contribution of $10,000.
 
"To be affiliated with an organization as well-respected locally and globally as BTT is so gratifying," said Foundation Executive Director Jill Miranda Baker. "As a young not-for-profit, entering our sixth year, garnering their respect is one of our most significant accomplishments to date."
 
The addition of an exhibit featuring the importance of the sport fishery and the habitat in which they live, further allows the Foundation to fulfill the mission of 'discovery' within the only bricks-and-mortar history and ecology museum in the Upper Keys.
 
"We are thrilled to partner with the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center," said Jim McDuffie, BTT President and CEO. "With its impressive exhibit space and historic location, the Center is a fitting home for our Circle of Honor, which will recognize legendary anglers and conservation leaders who have made significant contributions to the conservation of our bonefish, tarpon and permit fisheries. The partnership also gives BTT the opportunity to create an educational exhibit that will highlight the ecological and economic significance of the Keys' flats fishery."
 
The project, expected to cost an estimated $40,000, is being funded by BTT and through efforts of a capital campaign.
 
"It is particularly exciting to join with yet another organization that shares a mission of preserving and sharing the unique ecology of the Florida Keys and the surrounding waters," said Miranda Baker.
 
The Foundation also has a long-term partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory which resulted in Coral Reef Exploration, a comprehensive permanent exhibit which brings the Florida Keys ecosystem to land.
 
For more information on becoming a part of this unique and comprehensive exhibit, call 305-922-2237 or via info@keysdiscovery.com.
Encounters: Friend or Foe? Art Exhibit Now on Display

The interdependence of plants, animals, and insects in Biscayne Bay's terrestrial and aquatic environments is a subject that warrants close scrutiny. To highlight the complex natural relationships that occur in the area's four distinct ecosystems, members of the Miami-based  Tropical Botanic Artists collective used a variety of media and artistic approaches to create the exhibition  Encounters: Friend or Foe?  

The original works of art with informative labels illustrate life-sustaining interactions among Biscayne Bay's abundant plants, animals, and insects.  Biscayne Bay's ecosystems support hundreds of species, many found nowhere else in the United States. The artists illustrated encounters ranging from mollusks grazing on mangroves, to marine animals interacting with underwater plants, to nesting birds catching native fish to feed their chicks, to butterflies and other insects pollinating or laying eggs on the indigenous vegetation.

The exhibit was first shown at Biscayne National Park in early 2017 to mark two milestones: the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 and the 50th anniversary of Biscayne National Park in 2018.

The exhibition has traveled to several Florida venues, sponsored in part by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and private donations.

The Tropical Botanic Artists collective was established in Miami in 2006 to highlight the beauty of tropical plants through art. Its members come from all walks of life and each brings a unique viewpoint to his or her work. They share a love of the natural world and that fascination is reflected in their art. 
Coral Reef Exploration Acknowledged in National Magazine
The permanent exhibit  Coral Reef Exploration was included in the March/April 2019 issue of  MUSEUM magazine's  What's New at Your Museum  section.  MUSEUM magazine is a bi-monthly publication by the American Alliance of Museums.  See Here.
 
If you haven't visited Keys History & Discovery Center lately, make time to see this amazing exhibit, which features  three aquariums, educational storyboards, interactive kiosks and video monitors focused on providing both a beautiful and educational view of our unique coral reef ecosystem and the challenges it faces.
 
The largest of the aquariums, at 1,250 gallons, showcases species that make their home on and around the Florida Keys coral reefs, including corals, fish, and invertebrates. Two smaller aquariums, at 280 gallons each, support live corals and invasive lionfish.
Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, which operates Keys History & Discovery Center, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. As such, donations to the Foundation help support the annual fund, as well as specific projects.  For more information about making a contribution, Visit our website or call 305-922-2237.  Keys History & Discovery Center is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.