Gillian Thomas Sees Mega Museum Impact

MIAMI—The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is set to open in 2015. When it does, it will mark the capstone of Downtown Miami's new Museum Park complex.

The economic impact of the construction and the long-term impact are huge. But there are challenges getting the 250,000-square-foot complex from the ground to the sky.

When complete, the building will harness energy from water, sun, wind and even museum visitors to power exhibits and conserve resources. The museum will be structured around a lushly landscaped indoor and outdoor “living core” of terrestrial and aquatic environments, featuring an aquarium experience totaling over 600,000 gallons, a full dome planetarium, interactive exhibits, innovative technology and two additional wings of exhibition space, learning center, and cafes.

As she prepares to host museum's annual Galaxy Gala on March 9 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Downtown Miami, GlobeSt.com caught up with Miami Science Museum president Gillian Thomas to get a status update and to explore the potential impact of the project on the city's quest to become a 24/7 live, work, play metro.

GlobeSt.com: What is the status of construction at the new museum?

Thomas: The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is making great progress and on track to open in 2015. The structural foundation is complete with vertical construction underway. We are now up to the level of the plaza, where our main entrance will be. You can see the shapes of the Living Core Aquarium and Planetarium emerging from the plaza deck. To date, approximately 7,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured to complete the museum's foundation, enough to fill the American Airlines Arena's basketball court with a 40-foot high concrete slab or pave a mile of Biscayne Boulevard. It's exciting and impressive to see the size and shape of the building footprint as it begins to take form.

GlobeSt.com: What is the economic impact of construction and what do you anticipate the long-term impact being once the project is completed?

Thomas: The new museum will also be an economic catalyst for Miami-Dade County. The 35-month construction period will employ upwards of 400 workers, with an average of 150 crew members on site at any given time. Following construction, the ongoing annual economic impact to the County is estimated at $95.4 million with a total of 914 jobs created. The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is also expected to draw over 700,000 visitors to Miami during its first year of opening, and an additional 600,000 visitors on an ongoing annual basis thereafter, showcasing downtown Miami as an urban waterfront destination to new audiences.

GlobeSt.com: What has been the biggest challenge during construction?

Thomas:We want the building to be a showcase of best practice in use of technology and be an exhibit in its own right. As a result, we are looking carefully at each component of the building, to see how we can illustrate the design, engineering or construction techniques behind it—to interest visitors and bring the building alive. We don't want to hide building components and want to make sure they are on display, as it is part of the overall visitor experience. Constructed it in this way creates its own set of challenges. The Gulf Stream Aquarium is probably the biggest technical challenge: a cone shaped vessel, 100 feet across at the surface and with a 30-foot diameter window into the base, giving views without limit of the animals and water with daylight trickling through it. This is a major feature of the building and a key experience

Come back this afternoon for part two of this execlusive interview, where Thomas will discuss more of the unique design elements, how the musuem will impact the region, and how the museum will contribute to Miami's efforts to cultivate a technology and innovation hub.