The Visitor Center, a project of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the National Estuarine Research Reserve, is located in Eastpoint, Florida at the center of Florida’s oyster industry. At the shore of Apalachicola Bay, the Center combines offices, labs, and visitor facilities. An estuary is the place where rivers meet the sea, the exhibits reinforce the concepts of connectivity and the importance of a healthy watershed. Exhibits include a 75-foot long mural depicting the transect from the Apalachicola River to the Gulf of Mexico. Three tabletop aquarium tanks display life from the river, bay, and gulf. Interactive exhibits present on-going research programs and the people who are managing this important estuary.
Scope: Exhibit Planning & Design
Size: 10,000 SF Total; 2,000 SF Exhibits
Budget: $8.8M Total; $1M Exhibits
Architects: Eskew + Dumez + Ripple