SCIENCE Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach toasts 60 years

60 YEARS OF SCIENCE

This spread: Images from the Cox Science Center and Aquarium’s 2021 gala. This page, from left: Harrison and Frances Fisher; Mayor Keith and Lorna James; Helene and Matt Lorentzen. Opposite page, clockwise from above: Howard and Wendy Cox; Bob and Christine Stiller; Lew and Kathleen Crampton.

PALM BEACH IS RENOWNED for its palm-lined streets, iconic shopping district, thriving arts and cultural scene and genteel, old-Florida charm. Few might know it as an innovation hub. Yet tucked away is a magical place that has introduced generations of residents and visitors to the wonders of the universe and the potential of scientific and technological discovery.

Founded as a vision of the Junior League of Palm Beach County, the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium opened at the dawn of the space age. Scientific and technological innovation, the race to the moon and deep-sea exploration had opened a whole new world of endless possibilities for the American public and industry. And, for more than six decades, the Science Center has delighted, thrilled, inspired and sparked the imagination of young people who now return with their children and grandchildren.

So it was no surprise that Palm Beachers turned out in force to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the newly renamed Cox Science Center and Aquarium, a gala that kicked off a capital campaign to embark on a 21st century transformation of the Science Center and its goal to open minds to science for generations to come.

The capital campaign was launched with a $20 million keystone gift from Island residents Howard and Wendy Cox, for whom the Science Center has been renamed. The campaign will more than double the Science Center’s size, with a three-story science pavilion, new exhibition spaces, and one of the state’s biggest indoor aquariums.

More importantly, the campaign will enable the Science Center to expand its visitor, educational, and career programs. Currently, it provides services for 350,000 guests annually, with an additional 175,000 Title I students participating in outreach programs. In the first year of the new, expanded Science Center, these numbers are expected to double.

“Nearly half of Palm Beach County students are economically-disadvantaged, but learning and education are the pathways to upward mobility,” said Howard Cox. “The Science Center and its programs are a force multiplier, supercharging the efforts of the region’s schools, especially in digital and robotic technologies, marine and aquatic conservation, and the STEM disciplines. The capital campaign will enable us to double the

number of young people who can participate in these programs both onsite and virtually, and it’s the most impactful investment we could make.”

The Science Center showed gala attendees its transformative powers through an evening of “shocking” entertainment that combined science education with immersive, highly interactive fun. Electronic performance art group ArcAttack provided music via its customized singing Tesla coils, and Dutch fashion designer Anouk Wipprecht displayed technology-enhanced clothing integrated with sensors and other wearable devices, such as robotic dresses. Paired with exquisite cuisine and breathtaking crafted cocktails, it made for a memorable evening that highlighted the Science Center’s success over six decades.

“During the last decade, the Science Center has come a long way, becoming a popular destination for local families and tourists and serving as the preferred science education partner for the Palm Beach County schools,” said Palm Beach Town Council member Lew Crampton, who chairs the Science Center’s Board of Trustees and attended with his wife, Kathleen, who co-chaired the evening with Christine Stiller. “Tonight shows us the future, and how providing the Science Center with the resources it needs can make a difference in children’s lives.”

The Coxs’ donation is the largest in the Science Center’s history, and reflects their shared commitment to philanthropy in tandem with lives of personal and professional accomplishment. Howard Cox is a Special Limited Partner with venture capital firm Greylock Partners, a past chairman of the National Venture Capital Association and a recipient of lifetime achievement awards from the NVCA and Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the boards or advisory committees of more than two dozen nonprofits, including the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach.

Wendy Cox is a member of the Science Center’s Board, a private investor, a tutor for early literacy in West Palm Beach and chairwoman of the Bingham Family Foundation, whose mission supports STEM education, a priority for area schools and the Science Center. “We are excited to continue the progress so many generous and visionary donors and visitors have made to get the Science Center to this pivotal point of growth,” she said. “Tonight, we show our appreciation for the contributions of the board, staff and friends of the Science Center to enable us to confidently launch the capital campaign.”

Honorary chairs for the event were Wendy and Howard Cox, Kathleen and Lew Crampton, Frances and Jeff Fisher, Helene and Matt Lorentzen and Christine and Bob Stiller. Attendees included Shani and Britton Core, Carolyn and Ed Sasso, Jodi and Allen Gast, Cathy and Dale Hedrick, Mayor Keith and Lorna James, Allison Ridder Johnstone, Dr. John Kelly, LeeAnne and Joe LaBanz, William Meyer, David and Lynn Nicholson and Karly and Heath Randolph.

The last word came from Kate Arrizza, the Science Center’s CEO. “Palm Beach County is home to the nation’s 10th largest public school system, and is more than worthy of a top-10 environment outside of the classroom to foster science education and knowledge for children from all socioeconomic backgrounds. We hope the Coxs’ gift and tonight’s event will inspire more contributions to the capital campaign by others in the community and increase awareness of the Science Center’s offerings and value to the greater South Florida region.” ◆

The Cox Science Center and Aquarium. Opposite page: Images from the Cox Science Center and Aquarium’s 2021 gala. Clockwise from top left: Dave and Suzanne Frisbie; Bill Meyer and Tiffany Bufton; Harvey and Christina Oyer; David and Lynn Nicholson; Heath and Karly Randolph; Dale and Cathy Hedrick; Harvey Oyer, Frances Fisher, and Matt Lorentzen; Kate Arrizza; Ed and Carolyn Sasso.