Miami Science Museum

The Kitschy Little Miami Science Museum

The kitschy little Miami Science Museum opened in 1960 and served as a staple school field trip destination for 55 years. Founded in 1949 by The Junior League of Miami, the museum first operated out of headquarters on North Bay Dr before moving to its Coconut Grove location on Vizcaya grounds. Beloved by children and adults alike, the science museum featured interactive exhibits such as a planetarium equipped with the most high-end analog project of the 60s, a giant globe retrieved from the Pan Am Seaplane base, and hands-on coral reefs.

Perhaps the most notable exhibits included a 14-foot stuffed Kodiak bear, a bicycle-riding skeleton, and a giant statue of a sloth. With a cycle of programs such as “Are We Alone?” exploring the possibility of life in space, and “A Journey to the Moon” simulating the takeoff from Cape Kennedy, the museum captivated the minds and hearts of young children all across Miami.

Relocation & Closure

As traction grew, the Miami Science Museum underwent a $5 million renovation in 1991 in order to expand exhibition space and add new facilities. This was not enough to accommodate the growing museum, and plans for constructing a new facility in Downtown Miami came about in 2011. Set to reopen in late 2015 as the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the $305 million project suffered construction delays due to financial setbacks.

A $25 million was raised from a broad cross-section of individuals and corporations in South Florida, and a generous $35 million was donated by Dr. Philip Frost and his wife Patricia. Dr. and Mrs. Frost have been generous supporters of education and the arts and are renowned collectors. According to InPark Magazine, “In 1986, they gave their 113-piece collection of American abstract art to the Smithsonian Institution. In 2004, they endowed The Patricia and Phillip Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, and in 2006, they were the lead donors for The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University.“

A $275 million grant by Miami Dade County’s Building Better Communities Bond Program eventually brought the project to completion. Despite the delays, the Kitschy Little Miami Science Museum closed its Coconut Grove location in August 2015, passing ownership to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The building remains abandoned. The new museum opened on May 8, 2018.

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