Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida (Panama City, FL)

General

• Mission:

The Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida will educate and inspire children and adults through hands-on, interactive exhibits and programs that promote discovery of science, technology, and history.

• History:

In 1967, Junior Women’s Club and the Women's Club of Panama City conceived the idea for a children's museum in Bay County, based on a similar institution that was developing in Tallahassee. Located on 12 wooded acres in the heart of Panama City, the Junior Museum of Bay County inspired and educated children and families for over 42 years through interactive exhibits and programs that focus on science, history, cultural studies, and the environment. The Hands-On Science Hall features an interactive Light and Color exhibit, a Bone Up On Bones health exhibit, and an electronics exhibit, plus the institution houses Nature’s Corner, which features live reptiles from around the world and a federally-funded sea turtle diorama. A key feature of the museum is its quarter-mile Nature Trail, which provides visitors a unique glimpse of a native swamp as well as its authentic Pioneer Homestead. Throughout its history, the traveling exhibit hall has showcased such science exhibits as C.S.I. Detectives; A Space Adventure; Beakman’s World; T-Rex, King of the Dinosaurs; Backyard Monsters; Sharks; and Dr. Entomo’s Palace of Exotic Wonders. The goal of rapidly increasing the amount of scientific programming offered inspired the institution to build a 6,000 square foot building for Discovery Labs and Classrooms. Due to significant community commitment, the institution was moved into debt-free.
With America moving toward providing more rigorous and relevant Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics coursework, the Junior Museum began to place more emphasis on these STEM components, providing exhibits and educational programs focused and aligned with both the State of Florida’s Next Generation Standards as well as the nation’s scientific standards. In April 2011 the name of the institution was changed to Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida to more adequately reflect its scientific mission and the institution’s increased regional presence. As part of this new initiative the museum hired in 2010 an Education Director with a B.S. in Zoology and an M.S. in Applied Marine Sciences, plus over 15 years experience of museum and informal education experience. In addition, the Executive Director is also a seasoned museum professional who has the ability and vision to move the science center into the next phase. Combined the two directors have over 20 years experience in the museum and informal science education field. Additionally, the Science & Discovery Center also employs an Education Specialist with a Ph.D. in biology with an emphasis in ecology. Educational programs based on higher-level, critical thinking learning formats include field trips with add-on components such as dissections and discovery labs in simple machines, energy, magnetism, chemistry, etc.; hands-on science camps in STEM basics, rocketry, robotics, marine science, etc.; scout badge workshops; classes for students who are home-schooled; a LEGO’s robotics league; and archaeology and history programs. Other educational opportunities include teacher development funded by NOAA and astronomy classes by NASA, focusing on the use of the organization’s portable planetarium as well as adult programming. To accomplish its goals the Science & Discovery Center collaborates with local higher education facilities such as Gulf Coast State College, Florida State University - Panama City; federal agencies such as NOAA, NASA, and NAVSEA; the Florida Humanities Council; and national and regional business partners. Considered core technological underpinnings of an advanced society, it is imperative that children and families are provided with as many robust, STEM-focused opportunities as possible to help strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the scientific, technology, engineering, and math-based fields. As world-class science and technology education is expensive to teach, the shift to a dynamic science and discovery center needs to garner community-wide and far-reaching support in order to provide engaging and relevant opportunities.

• Year established:1967

Registration

• Organization type:Grantseeker
• Country of registration:United States
• Year established:1967
• Tax Determination Letter:Received Determination Letter
• IRS Section:501(c)(3)
• IRS Subsection:None

Web Listing

• Guidestar listed:Yes