In addition, FPL is also giving the museum an in-kind donation of photovoltaic solar panels, valued at $80,000. The panels will be located on the roof’s solar farm, a valuable addition to the museum’s Sky Garden rooftop, and will generate power for the LEED certified facility.
“As the first utility to make the smart grid and large scale solar realities in Florida, we are excited to partner with the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science as a founding member of the Innovation Center,” said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. “This is a great opportunity to support a pillar in our community and promote energy education. We share the museum’s commitment to inspire hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to think innovatively.”
The Innovation Center, which is the first wing seen by visitors upon entering Museum Park, provides an opportunity to explore the future city, with project-based classes, encounters, new exhibitions and programs celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship while displaying the latest global developments. Opportunities for careers, volunteering, and in-depth learning will abound within the five-story wing.
“FPL has a long history of leading innovation in Florida and is touted as one of the most innovative companies in the U.S.,” said Gillian Thomas, president and CEO of the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science. “We are honored to partner with FPL to bring the Innovation Center to life, and their generous gift will work toward enhancing science and education for people of all ages.”
The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science will reflect the innovation and creativity inherent to South Florida’s richly diverse community. It will blossom into a place that inspires dreams, raises aspirations and increases the motivation for people of all ages to discover new skills and enjoy learning about science, technology and innovation, and to discover their potential impact on the world in which we live.
The gift from FPL adds to the fundraising momentum for the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science as construction continues for the new facility in downtown Miami’s Museum Park. The 250,000-square-foot complex, which will be among the world’s most innovative and sustainable science museums, is set to open in 2016. It is expected to attract an estimated 700,000 visitors each year.
Learn more at miamisci.org or call (305) 646-4200.
The existing Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, located at 3280 S. Miami Ave., is open every day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Admission is free for members and children under 3; students (with valid ID), seniors (62+) and children 3-12, $10.95; adults are $14.95. Parking is free.
