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Message from the Executive Director
2018 is turning into a year of wonderful growth for
Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, the not-for-profit which operates
Keys History & Discovery Center. With the long-overdue addition of a highway sign on U.S. 1, our admissions have increased 15
% over the same period in 2017. The annual
Art Show of the Purple Isles, the 52nd of the organization and the third in the Discovery Center, brought in more than 1,000 visitors during its three week run in March. Additionally, our lecture series co
ntinues to attract audiences averaging about 80 per night, with many becoming annual members.
We are thrilled to have the opportunity to present
Treasures of NOAA's Ark, an exhibit about and developed by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) telling the story of its 200+ y
ear history.This is on display through February 2019 and is a fascinating lesson for kids and
adults alike.
Ocean Reef resident Bonnie Sorensen, a
retired tradeshow executive, has joined the Foundation's Board of Directors. She currently serves as chairman of the board for Tradeshow Logic, an event solution company founded by her and her daughter.
Sorensen, originally from Ohio and a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, now splits her time between Marietta, GA and Ocean Reef. Her Keys home is on the same property at which she spent much of her childhood vacationing with her family. She and her husband Norm have five children, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Florida Humanities Council (FHC) awarded the Foundation a grant of $5,000 to develop
Walk Historic Islamorada to add to the FHC's collection featuring walking tours of historic Florida via their Florida Stories app. The
Historic Islamorada tour features 10 stops beginning at the iconic Green Turtle Inn and ending at the Pioneer Cemetery on the property of Cheeca Lodge. This launches in June. Download the Florida Stories app to learn more.
The excitement at the facility continues to grow as we meet our mission of 'discovery' by partnering with
Mote Marine Laboratory to bring the installation of three aquariums for the
Coral Reef Exploration
exhibit. See the story below for full details and a rendering.
Thank you for joining us on this journey as we continue to preserve and share our Upper Keys story for decades to come.
Best regards,
Jill Miranda Baker
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Time for Discovery! Expanded Partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory Brings Coral Reef Exploration Exhibit
Florida Keys History & Discovery Center is excited to announce a partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory to bring the addition of the Coral Reef Exploration exhibit.
The comprehensive exhibit will feature 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, will showcase 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, will support live corals and invasive lionfish.
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Conceptual design of Coral Reef Exploration exhibit.
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Located in the heart of Islamorada, the addition of the Coral Reef Exploration exhibit will allow the Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, which operates the Keys History & Discovery Center, to fulfill the mission of 'discovery' within the only bricks-and-mortar history & discovery center in the Upper Keys. Partnering with Mote Marine Laboratory, also a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, will serve to bring this engaging exhibit to life. In addition to their primary campus in Sarasota, Mote operates the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration on Summerland Key and the Mote Living Reef Exhibit at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary's Eco-Discovery Center in Key West.
This $250,000 project is funded in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and through in-kind contributions from Mote, including annual maintenance and upkeep following completion of the installation. An additional $150,000 is needed to cover the costs of the project and we are asking for your support. Your gift will help us to educate locals and visitors for generations to come.
Aquarium Naming Rights
$100,000 = Coral Reef
$25,000 = Live Coral
$25,000 = Invasive Lionfish
Additional Levels
(to be recognized within exhibit area)
$20,000-$24,999 = Shark
$15,000-$19,999 = Grouper
$10,000-$14,999 = Grunts
$5,000-$9,999 = Wrasse
$1,000-$4,999 = Damsel
For more information on becoming a part of this unique and comprehensive exhibit, contact Foundation Executive Director Jill Miranda Baker at 305-922-2237 or via info@keysdiscovery.com.
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Keys History & Discovery Center Presents...
Final presentations for the season are in May. Since October, we've had a range of enlightening speakers, sharing history, personal stories and educational research. Lecture season will begin again in fall of 2018.
Wednesday, May 2
-- Towers in the Sand: The History of Florida Broadcasting with broadcaster and author Donn Colee.
Wednesday, May 16
-- Solving a Sunken Mystery: The Investigation and Identification of a 16th Century Shipwreck, with Corey Malcom, PhD., Director of Archaaeology, Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.
Doors to the Discovery Center open at 5 p.m., to allow guests to see current exhibits. Presentations begin at 6 p.m. Members of the Discovery Center are free. Cost for non-members is $25, which includes admission and light appetizers. A cash bar in available.
Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made via e-mail at
info@keysdiscovery.com or by at
305-922-2237.
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Watch with Us the 144th Kentucky Derby on the Big Screen!
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Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, which operates Keys History & Discovery Center, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Board of Directors is comprised of members of the community who serve voluntarily.
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