South Florida Museum Connection Fall 2016
If you weren’t able to attend our Annual Snooty’s Gala in early November, you missed being “Starstruck” — that was our theme this year in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Bishop Planetarium. The Planetarium opened in 1966 as we moved to our current home on 10th Street West. It was the height of the space race and the community was excited to build a place where they could reach for the stars. We’re still the place where you can reach the stars — thanks to the Digistar 5 dual projection system we installed in the Planetarium in 2013. This full-dome, state-of-theart system also allows us to bring you the most current astronomy news and programming from sources like NASA. In fact, there’s no other planetarium in Florida that has this capability, which we were able to install thanks to an early gift to our Connect fundraising campaign. Connect is also allowing us to bring other major changes to the Museum — including a new grand façade, an improved physical layout and new programming that will increase our ability to connect with our many audiences. (See our Campaign update on page 6.) These changes will have a dramatic impact on the very identity of the Museum and our essential role in the wider community. Already, thanks in-part to exhibitions like Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas, we’re drawing more visitors and members to the Museum. We’ve always played an important role in the community. But the metamorphosis we’re now undertaking will be transformative — for visitors who want to explore new ideas, for Bradenton’s reinvigorated downtown and for you — our members and supporters. We know you’ve always been proud of the Museum and we’re pleased to be building something you can continue to be proud of for the next 50 years and beyond!
Brynne Anne Besio CEO
Get Your Copy Now: Guinness World Records 2017 book—The Snooty Edition November is Manatee Awareness Month in Florida — a month set aside by the state to raise awareness about the fact that waters are cooling and manatees are moving to warmer zones. So it’s especially timely that Guinness World Records has released their 2017 edition featuring none other than our own favorite manatee ambassador, Snooty! In 2014, the South Florida Museum’s beloved Snooty was officially certified as the world’s oldest-known manatee by Guinness World Records. Now, you can have your own copy of the official record when you pick up the latest print edition of the book. “We’ve had the privilege of caring for Snooty for more than 67 years,” said Marilyn Margold, Director of Living Collections at the Museum. “During his lifetime, he has taught us much about caring for manatees and about the need to support the conservation of wild manatees. Yet even after all these years, there is still much we can learn from him.” During his amazing lifetime, Snooty has greeted more than 2 million visitors, with still more people viewing his activities on the Museum’s online SnootyCam. He has also been an ambassador for wild manatee conservation and helped to foster the rehabilitation of 30 sick or injured manatees in the Museum’s Stage 2 manatee rehabilitation facility, the Parker Manatee Aquarium. The facility is part of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership, a self-governing group originally created by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that is today made up of organizations that participate in manatee rescue and rehabilitation.
Volunteer Here! At the South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium volunteers play an integral role in helping the staff and Board achieve our mission. Volunteers can take on many different roles at the Museum; here’s a sampling of the positions we offer. In most cases, no experience is necessary and we will train you; in other positions, you bring your skills to us! For full details, visit SouthFloridaMuseum.org/GetInvolved/Volunteer.
Snooty is currently fostering two manatees: Sarasolo and Icecube, who were suffering from cold stress when they were brought in for rehabilitation. Manatees typically start moving to warmer waters when the temperatures dip below about 68 degrees F. If they’re exposed to prolonged cold temperatures, they start to lose body heat and cannot adequately digest their food. That can lead to a condition called cold stress, which can be fatal. As the water temperatures begin dropping in the fall, manatees travel to warm-water spots for the winter. That means boaters need to take extra care to watch out for them, especially in shallow-water areas. When you’re out on the water this season, be sure to keep an eye out for Snooty’s wild cousins!
Volunteer positions: • Tour guide • Family Night educator • Bartender & food sales (must be 21 or older) • Greeters/ticket takers • Collections & exhibitions assistants • Office support in membership, marketing and database entry • Facilities & maintenance assistants • Finish & fabrication carpenters • Manatee care • Touch tank facilitators
Introducing Guide Night at the South Florida Museum Have you ever been interested in sharing your love of archaeology, paleontology, manatees or even the moon with others? If so, then the South Florida Museum invites you to join us for an upcoming Guide Night. Guide Night is a new program designed to provide continuing education for current South Florida Museum volunteers and offer them the opportunity to meet other volunteers. Residents interested in learning more about volunteering at the South Florida Museum are also invited to attend. “As the Museum grows and evolves, our educators will be working closely with volunteers to help them share stories about our primary collections,” said Jeff Rodgers, Director of Education. “That’s why we’ve developed a new series of field guides covering major scientific disciplines and how they relate to our collections and exhibitions. We’ll be presenting these field guides to our current docents and potential new docents during our Guide Nights.” While each Museum field guide stands alone as a learning resource, the materials are designed to interconnect, helping docents make important
connections across the Museum and across space and time. Guide Nights take place quarterly and include light refreshments, an opportunity to socialize with other volunteers and continuing education about the Museum’s collections. For information and the schedule, please contact Coordinator Susan McCarthy, SMcCarthy@SouthFloridaMuseum.org.
Manatee Rehab Update In October, Museum staff did pre-release exams on Sarasolo and Icecube. Icecube now weighs in at 753 pounds and is 8 feet 4 inches long; Sarasolo weighs 668 pounds and is 7 feet 10 inches long. Both manatees are doing well and we hope to release them in January or February, depending on weather conditions. Before release, both will be fitted with practice satellite tags. These tags won’t send out any signals — we know they’re in the Aquarium of course! Instead, they help the animals get used to wearing belts around their peduncles (the place where their tails connect with their bodies) and understand that the belts won’t be an obstacle to diving for food or surfacing for air. Tagging the manatees before release helps us monitor their conditions back in the wild.
Stay current with manatees in rehab by reading our Think Tank blog online: SouthFloridaMuseum.org/TheAquarium/TheThinkTank.aspx or by signing up for our Think Tank enewsletter at SouthFloridaMuseum.org/Subscribe
From Student Camper to Aspiring Historian The South Florida Museum has been an integral part of Hunter Windham’s life for most of his 20 years. Hunter, a Bradenton resident, was one of the first students to attend the Museum’s Summer Science Camp while he was in elementary school. The camp sparked his interest in history and, when he was in middle school, he became a student facilitator, helping younger children learn about history and science. In 2013, when he was in high school, Hunter became a part-time tour guide and helped to develop the Museum’s interactive “History Comes Alive!” program supported by a special grant. In organizing and bringing the event to life, Hunter rallied friends from Manatee High School’s Key Club and the Mam’selles service club to bring historical figures to life — complete with costumes and props. “I think it’s really important for young people to connect with history,” says Hunter, who has also helped shape and coordinate other familyfriendly programs at the Museum. Today, he’s a student at State College of Florida, where he’s studying history. But that doesn’t mean he’s left the Museum behind. After high school graduation, Hunter approached the Museum staff about putting his years of experience to work when he applied for a part-time job. Today, you can still find him giving tours and working with students.
“It was during my time at the Museum that I realized a career in history was even possible. Today, I’m happy to continue to support the Museum’s mission while also gaining valuable experience that will support my future career.”
A New Space for Early Learning Thanks to contributions from the Mildred Schwartz Lentini Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Conrad and Ruth Ann Szymanski Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation, the SunTrust Foundation and the Manatee Education Foundation we have welcomed a Title 1 Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Education Program (VPK) to our campus in partnership with the Manatee County School District (MCSD). Willis Smith Construction and Mosaic also provided in-kind support. VPK is a free pre-kindergarten program that gives parents the choice of educational settings and program options. A school closing meant that MCSD needed a VPK location. Hosting the class is also allowing us to refine plans for the Mosaic Backyard Universe, a new wing we’re planning to open in 2018 that will provide children ages 2-8 with opportunities to explore and understand the world around them in a backyard setting. In the meantime, we’ve created a new dedicated outdoor space for the VPK program on the Museum’s front lawn. The Backyard Universe and hosting the VPK program underscore our commitment to early childhood learning, while at the same time we are also expanding programs and spaces for learners of all ages, said Museum CEO Bynne Anne Besio. “Our expansion and renovations will enhance the services we already provide to the community and to the Gulf Coast region — to its educational landscape, to its cultural assets and especially to residents, visitors and our many community partners.”
Dinosaur Discoveries Brings Unexpected Discovery for Museum’s Director of Education Before he came to the South Florida Museum, Director of Education Jeff Rodgers worked at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), where one of his jobs was to create exhibitions that traveled to schools and communities throughout New York City in the back of 40-foot RVs called Moveable Museums. One of the first exhibitions was The Paleontology of Dinosaurs, and Jeff knew that any dinosaur exhibition for kids simply must have a T. rex. Rumor had it that the museum once had a one-seventh scale model of T. rex that would be perfect for the RV; alas, it was nowhere to be found. However, while looking for the model, Jeff found the original molds — one for each of the model’s 207 individual bones. Lacking a budget to create a new model, Jeff and some friends (lured with free pizza) spent several weekends casting the bones in plastic and painting them. After six weeks, the model was mounted on a sturdy metal frame that allowed T. rex to survive the daily commute over the city’s potholed streets. Fast-forward 20 years to the arrival of crates for the Museum’s most recent temporary exhibit Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas from AMNH. Lo and behold, one of the crates held a one-seventh scale model of T. rex! Jeff instantly recognized his model and emailed his friends back in New York to verify. “Is that the model I think it is?” The reply? “That is indeed the model from the Moveable!” Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas, is organized by leaders in the field of paleontology: the AMNH, New York (www.amnh. org), in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; The Field Museum, Chicago; the Houston Museum of Natural Science; and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh.
“It just goes to show that you never know how the work that you do will carry over into the future. Every day I walk through Dinosaur Discoveries and I smile a little smile as I think ‘this model is just like a real fossil. It has a story in it that can tell us something about the past.’ But I have to admit — it does make me feel a little old!” The exhibit uses a combination of major fossil finds, captivating computer simulations and provocative models to create a detailed examination of recent scientific sleuthing about these fascinating animals. The exhibit showcases the array of investigative tools — from bioengineering computer software to CT scans — used by modern scientists to reinterpret many of the most persistent and puzzling mysteries of dinosaurs: what they looked like, how they behaved and how they moved. It also explores the complex and hotly debated theories of why — or even whether — dinosaurs became extinct. Are dinosaurs’ descendants still walking the earth today? Visit the exhibit — which is at the Museum through Dec. 31 — and find out! (Viewing Dinosaur Discoveries is included in the price of admission.)
Your Legacy Can Help Future Generations Did you know that you can support future generations of Museum science campers, student field trippers and other youth program attendees simply by leaving a legacy gift to the South Florida Museum? Legacy Gifts are made as part of your estate planning process. And when you designate the South Florida Museum as a beneficiary in your will or any part of your estate plan — and let us know that you’re doing so — we’ll recognize you as a member of our Planned Giving Society. For more information on making a planned gift to the South Florida Museum, please contact Martha Wells, Director of Community Engagement, at 941.746.4131, ext. 135, or email her at MWells@SouthFloridaMuseum.org.
TRIM
Connect: The Campaign for the South Florida Museum In 2015, the South Florida Museum embarked on a major initiative to implement its new Master Campus and Programming Plan — a new design of the Museum’s spaces, programs and exhibits. The initiative includes Connect, a $12 million fundraising campaign that will support the initial phases of the Master Plan implementation. These changes to our programs and spaces will allow us to explore new ideas, serve new audiences and connect with the Riverwalk as an anchor in Bradenton’s reinvigorated downtown as never before. Our ambitious Plan will also position the Museum as a leader in the museum community. The latest building designs include one of the most exciting pieces of the Master Plan: The Commons, a new 6,000-square foot, two-story expansion along 10th Street West. Outside, visitors will see a new façade of glass, aluminum and mixed materials that are designed together to suggest movement or change and further engage with the downtown streetscape. Inside, visitors will find a new admissions lobby, an enlarged Museum store and a café that consolidate the amenities the Museum offers into a central, accessible location and that can also accommodate the larger crowds the new Museum is sure to attract. On its second level, The Commons will also feature a 1,500-square-foot community room, which will serve as a smaller meeting space or classroom. In addition, The Commons will house a new 2,400-square-foot gallery, allowing for rotating exhibitions. The Museum’s Master Plan includes our new Pathways programming initiative being developed by the Museum’s own staff experts. This innovative program — which is expected to be implemented in 2017 — will integrate technology into the Museum experience for guests and students. Making all this possible? Our Connect Campaign donors. “I would like to personally thank all the donors who have so far contributed to the Connect Campaign,” said Campaign Chairman and Museum Trustee William Blalock. “Together, we have raised $11.8 million toward our initial goal of $12 million that will support implementation of the first set of priorities in our Master Campus and Programming Plan.”
To learn more about the Connect Campaign, the Master Campus and Programming Plan or to make a donation, please contact Martha Wells, Director of Community Engagement, at 941.746.4131, ext. 135, or MWells@SouthFloridaMuseum.org.
Carrie’s Challenge: From Manatees to the Moon This year, Museum friend and donor Carrie Yearwood offered us a challenge: Raise $50,000 in celebration of the Bishop Planetarium’s 50th Anniversary and she would match it with another $50,000. It was a challenge we couldn’t refuse and we’re excited to report that it was a challenge our wonderful friends and supporters helped us meet. Thanks to generous contributors — and Carrie — we raised $104,496.93 this year to support the Museum’s programs and operations! We’d like to thank Carrie Yearwood and all the generous donors who accepted her challenge and helped us meet her match. We offer a hearty thank you to the following Carrie’s Challenge donors who made their contributions between June 15 and Sept. 15, 2016. Anonymous (2) Ms. Christina Altenbernd Ms. Margaret I. Apple-Jones Ms. Carol L. Audette Ms. Andrea V. Baker Mr. Harry Bakker Mr. and Mrs. Jack Balkan Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bartz Mr. Kevin Baylor Dr. and Mrs. Alex Beavers Ms. Catherine Bela Mr. Victor Benaroya Drs. Peter and Gudrun Bennett Ms. Lorraine F. Berry Mr. and Mrs. Peter Besio Mr. and Mrs. Richard Biribauer Mr. and Mrs. William Blalock Mr. and Mrs. Gary A. Bogart Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bond Hon. and Mrs. Robert Boylston Mr. and Mrs. John Bozman Mr. and Mrs. John Brigham Ms. Ashley Brown Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Burchmore Ms. Nancy Bushnell Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Butcher Ms. Dorothy Campbell Mr. and Mrs. Ron Carlson Mr. and Mrs. Brendan Carr Mr. Brian Carter Dr. and Mrs. David Cashen Ms. Sonya Caughran Mr. William Cheek and Mrs. Kathryn Barnett Mr. and Mrs. Robert Christopher Mr. and Mrs. Herman J. Clark Mrs. Doreen Colket Mr. Chris Costantino Ms. Pat Crawford Mr. John Colket and Ms. Marilee Cunningham Ms. Ruth A. Curry Mr. and Mrs. Harold A. D’Alessio
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Darsey Mr. and Mrs. Forrest Droster Mrs. Joanne H. Duke Ms. Barbara A. Dunne and Ms. Kay Dohoney Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Elzer III Ms. Ruth A. Erlandson Mr. and Mrs. George Evans Dr. and Mrs. Greg Farrington Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ferguson Ms. Arlene G. FitzGerald Mr. and Mrs. Moray Fleming Gene and Julie Fogarty Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation COL and Mrs. James A. Fraley, Jr. Ms. Pam Fraser Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Friar Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gans Mr. and Mrs. Robert Geller Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gigliotti Mr. and Mrs. Edward Godoy Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Grablin Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Griesbach Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Griggs Dr. Arthur M. Guilford Mr. and Mrs. Robert Halbach Ms. Bonnie Hamilton Mr. and Mrs. Jack D. Hawkins Ms. Ava Hendricks Mr. and Mrs. David Hewitt Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Hopper Mrs. Elaine Hudson Mr. Doug James Johnston Family Fund of the Manatee Community Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeff King Dr. and Mrs. Robert King Mr. and Mrs. Sandy Kirkpatrick Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Koski Mr. and Mrs. Stergios Kostas Ms. Joan Kullman Ms. Katherine Lee Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lesak
Dr. and Mrs. Larry Lieberman Ms. Kathleen A. Santa-Maria Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lindsay Ms. Dianne C. Saunders Ms. Rebecca Lowe Mr. Thomas J. Savage LPL Financial Foundation Mr. and Mrs. David Schoenborn Mr. David Macdonald Mr. Charles Scudder Drs. Michael and Sarah Mackie Mr. and Mrs. Brewster Seewald Mr. and Mrs. Charles Martini Dr. and Mrs. Howard A. Seider Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Mason Dr. and Mrs. Gary Senteney Ms. Monika Mavill-Shirley Ms. Sue Shiffrin Mr. and Mrs. William McCabe Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Slater Ms. Sari McCorkle Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Slavin Mrs. Elena McCormack Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Sobel Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. McLaughlin Capt. Peter Strickland and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Messer Mrs. Belinda Sparkman-Strickland Ms. Jeanne Ann Moore Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Stadlin Mr. Brady Myers Ms. Eleanor A. Stoll Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Myers Mrs. Shirley Sullivan Mr. and Mrs. Gary Nelson Ms. Barbara Sullivan Dr. and Mrs. Jospeh Newhall Dr. Elmer G. Swartzmeyer Mr. Tom Skoloda Ms. Janice Taylor and Mrs. Alice Newlon Ms. Phyllis Tegge Mr. and Mrs. Jospeh Nohren Ms. Patricia Terry Mr. and Mrs. Dick Olson Mr. Scott Terry Ms. Sally Olson Mr. and Mrs. Jim K. Toomey Mr. L. Pat Osburn Mr. and Mrs. Gary Trice and Mrs. Dina Mercadante Mr. and Mrs. John Varley Mr. and Mrs. William Page Mr. and Mrs. Greg Viola Mr. and Mrs. Michael Pender Ms. Margaret Wallace Mr. and Mrs. Chris Pennewill Ms. Audrey W. Wedding Ms. Kristie Pepper Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Welcher Pittsburgh Pirates/ Dr. and Mrs. Randy Wells Bradenton Marauders Ms. Dorothy Werner Ms. Amanda Plautz Ms. Winifred M. Whalen James Bruen and Jane Plitt Fund of the Mr. Jimmy White Manatee Community Foundation and Dr. Cindy Trice Rio Elementary School Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Williams Ms. Marie L. Rizzi Mr. John R. Yagelka Ms. Teri L. Roberts Dr. and Mrs. Newell Yaple Ms. Claire Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Young Ms. Ann Ronio Mr. and Mrs. Dick Young Mr. and Mrs. John Crawford Ms. Carol Younger Mr. Dennis Wilkison and Mr. Charles Zajaczkowski Mrs. Mary Ruiz Ms. Ruth M. Zuckerman
Make a Charitable Gift from Your IRA The year’s end is quickly approaching and that’s a time when many people are considering their charitable donations. Did you know that you can make a charitable contribution to the South Florida Museum directly from your IRA? That’s right. Eligible IRA owners age 70 1/2 or older can make qualified charitable distributions of up to $100,000 (or $200,000 for married couples) from traditional IRAs without having to pay federal income taxes on their distributions. Your financial and tax advisors can help you evaluate this idea and determine whether this is a good year-end strategy for you.
MUSEUM PROGRAMS
The South Florida Museum offers programs each month that are sure to excite and engage. Here’s our regular lineup — please check our website, SouthFloridaMuseum.org, for up-to-date program topics and to purchase tickets. NEW: KidSpace KidSpace leads kids and their grown-ups on a journey from the Earth’s surface to outer spaces no humans have visited before. KidSpace explores a new topic each week and teaches one new constellation. 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. each Saturday; drop in for a single exploration or sign up for a series (and a certificate declaring your expertise). $3 per person for Members, $5 for non-members. Sign up for a quarterly series for a discount. think + drink (science) This evening event transforms the Bishop Planetarium into an informal, relaxed center for community conversation and exploring cuttingedge science. An expert gives a short presentation and then opens the floor to questions and discussion from all. Drinks & snacks available for purchase. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the second Wednesday of most months. $3 for Museum Members; $5 for non-members.
Board of Trustees
Jeanie Kirkpatrick, President Christopher Peacock, Vice President Steve Perry, Vice President Jackie Barron, Secretary Chris Pennewill, Treasurer Elizabeth Baran William Blalock Gary Bogart Brian Carter Charles F. Elzer III COL James A. Fraley, Jr. Jennifer Turner Gans Debbie Gigliotti Greg Hall Bruce Langsen Lynn Lineman Dr. Michael Mackie John N. McClure IV John V. Quinlan Carol Rice Jim Roque Andrew Smith Jay Taylor Alisa Westberry
Stelliferous Live! Our monthly live star talk includes a tour of the upcoming month’s stars, discussion of current events in astronomy and opens the floor for Q&A. 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of most months. $3 for Members; $5 for non-members. Family Night at the Museum We offer special themed activities and events (often with family-friendly films or live performances) and hands-on activities everyone can enjoy. Most include a live Star Talk or a space show. The Museum stays open until 8 p.m. with half-price admission beginning at 3 p.m. (Members get in free.) The first Saturday of most months. The Rock Hall of Fame Planetarium Show This show follows Family Night and features classic rock set to mind-boggling computergenerated animations on the Planetarium’s dome. 8:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first Saturday of most months. Free for Members; $5 for non-members. IQuest: Creative Games for the Curious IQuest is designed especially for students in grades 6 through 8 and offers an opportunity to use creative, theatrical, artistic and science skills to solve challenges — and have a great time doing it. This drop-off program (no adults allowed!) is $5 per student includes a slice of pizza and a drink.
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201 10th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34205 941.746.4131 SouthFloridaMuseum.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The South Florida Museum and Bishop Planetarium, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization — Federal Tax I.D. #590598726. Contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law. A copy of the official registration #CH199 and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free 1-800-4357352 within the state and at www.freshfromflorida.com. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. This organization retains 100% of all contributions received.