Program areas at Frost Science
Aquarium and conservation - see schedule oaquarium and conservationthe Museum houses more than 10,000 animals of over 300 species, including pelagic fish located in our iconic 500,000-gallon gulf stream habitat. The exhibit spans three levels: the vista gives visitors unique perspectives on the biomechanics of various creatures of the high seas; the dive puts visitors eye-to-eye with open ocean denizens and presents the latest Science on how the oceans work; and the deep shares the mysteries of the gulf stream's depths as visitors gaze up through a 31-foot oculus lens into the open realm above. The husbandry team conducts over 100 exhibit encounters per year, getting our guests face to face with our animal ambassadors. The Museum works with national and local partners to conduct regular restoration work at locations around miami-dade county, with a goal of increasing native plant species while reducing the occurrence of destructive invasive species - creating a more sustainable ecosystem and strengthening the community's defense against sea level rise. Since 2007, the Museum has enhanced 25 acres of coastal habitats with the help of over 11,000 volunteers. Annually, the Museum along with its volunteers remove and catalog over 10,000 pieces of marine debris from coastal environments. Additionally, the Museum's conservation team has helped plant more than 1,000 corals and relocated 200 diadema sea urchins along the Florida reef tract since 2018. The Museum also employs a rapid response team working with federal, state and local agencies to prevent the spread of invasive marine species.
Exhibitions and public engagement - see schedule oexhibitions and public engagementworld-class permanent exhibitions on display in 2023 include feathers to the stars, an exhibit that carries visitors through the amazing story of how ancient evolution gave birth to animal flight, how humans used imagination and engineering to get airborne and how outer space is the next frontier; mela?, an exhibition that focuses on health and wellbeing - including health labs, where visitors can step into the shows of a health scientist and conduct experiments; river of grass, which takes young explorers inside one of the most precious ecosystems on the planet, the everglades; and mammoths: ice age giants, where visitors can go back in time to explore the diversity, adaptation and extinction of giant beasts that roamed north america 10,000 years ago. The Frost planetarium uses 16 million color 8k projection to feature educational films rich in content that take visitors on visual joyrides that both thrill and educate. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Museum hosts several renowned traveling exhibitions each year.
Educational programs and outreach - see schedule oeducational programs and outreachthe Museum offers rigorous and diverse education programs, both at the Museum and out in the local community. We welcome more than 75,000 schoolchildren each year, helping to inspire the next generation to achieve their full potential in the fields of Science. The Museum has redefined the role museums play in strengthening Science learning and has received national recognition for our educational programs. The Museum's educational programs focus on six main areas: youth development, learning research, family engagement, increasing accessibility, educator professional development and innovative technologies. Our education team collaborates with researchers, leading experts, and evaluators to identify the best ways to access and educate underserved and underrepresented groups, then disseminate those strategies nationwide for larger impact whenever possible.
Ancillary services - retailthe Museum began operates an onsite retail store, providing products that align with its mission to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy Science and technology. With over 2,000 unique items, the store offers a diverse selection of Science tools and toys, books, apparel & accessories, plush, and unique exhibition-related gifts - all with an emphasis on stem and education. The Museum also partners with women-owned, minority-owned, and local businesses to bring product lines that are sustainable, fair-trade, or were produced using net zero carbon emissions.other programmatic activitiesthe Museum performs a number of other programmatic activities, which include field trips and group visits, private events, production costs of science-based lectures, panels and screenings, targeted advertising, newsletters and more.