To guarantee a new era for Frost Science, Miami-Dade must help. Here’s how | Opinion

As president & CEO of the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, now known as Frost Science, I am privileged to lead an institution that is a cornerstone of Miami-Dade’s cultural and educational landscape.

Frost Science is not only Miami’s only science museum, planetarium and aquarium, but also a hub for STEM education, 365 days per year. Today, I write to underscore the vital importance of safeguarding this institution for future generations.

In 1949, visionary leaders of the Junior League of Miami saw a need for a community science museum and leaped into action. In 2004, Miami-Dade residents approved a general obligation bond to construct an expanded science museum.

In 2016, when challenges arose that threatened to thwart the completion of the new science museum, Miami-Dade contributed an additional $49 million funded by a Convention Development Tax (CDT), and Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost supplemented their $45 million pledge with, among other things, a performance guarantee of the project, which allowed the museum to open.

Frost Science’s contributions to Miami-Dade are significant and measurable.

According to an April 2024 report by ConsultEcon, Inc., our total economic impact is $82.7 million annually. This impact reflects the 4.5 million visitors we have welcomed since opening in 2017 — many of whom have accessed the museum for free or at a discount through programs like Culture Shock, Golden Ticket and the Miami-Dade Public Library’s museum pass program.

Just last year, we welcomed over 58,000 students, including 12,000 from Title 1 schools, and engaged more than 4,500 community members through 70 programs held at county commissioner events, libraries and community centers.

Our engagement efforts extend into early childhood education, where our science curriculum is now established in 179 classrooms across Miami-Dade. Over 13,000 volunteers have restored 25 acres of coastal habitats through our Museum Volunteers for the Environment program.

Meanwhile, initiatives like the National Coral Reef Conservancy’s ReeFLorida program, actively contribute to the conservation of Florida’s Coral Reef through education, outreach and research. We also offer special programming for neurodivergent residents, as well as our senior citizens, enriching quality of life.

Maintaining this level of service and impact requires local support. Due to the high volume of visitors and our location near Biscayne Bay, Frost Science faces unique challenges. The salty ocean air accelerates the degradation of metal machinery, elevators and concrete. Many visitors to Frost Science use strollers or wheelchairs, so the elevator maintenance issue is particularly acute, something Miami-Dade itself has experienced in its airport and transit stations.

Addressing these maintenance challenges is essential to ensuring that Frost Science can continue to serve current and future generations. Deepening these challenges are ongoing funding cuts, such as those last year from the state of Florida, which have negatively impacted our operations.

Additionally, as an institution reliant on earned revenue for over 80% Fof our annual budget, fluctuations in consumer demand directly impact fiscal health. We fear that any further funding challenges could affect our ability to continue our programs and deliver our mission.

We will ask the county commission to safeguard this institution through an amendment to our 2016 contract with the county that currently prohibits Frost Science from requesting any appropriation from the county until the retirement of the CDT debt, anticipated in 2031.

By lifting the current prohibition, Frost Science can pursue competitive grants and collaborative funding opportunities to best maintain and jointly steward this community asset. This item does not guarantee any financial support from the county, but instead allows Frost Science to seek such support.

Today, Frost Science is not an untested proposition but a thriving institution. In the past, Miami-Dade has seen cultural assets degrade due to neglect. Frost Science must not become part of that history.

Together, we can ensure that this institution continues to inspire curiosity, foster innovation and create a sustainable future for Miami-Dade and the world.

Douglas Roberts is president & CEO of Phillip and Patricia Frost Science.

This story was originally published February 2, 2025 at 1:36 PM.