This year’s Miami Science Museum Sixth Annual Gala took place on February 15th at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Key Biscayne. The event, chaired by Robert and Brenda Nestor Castellano, and Paul and Swanee DiMare, has raised - since its inception - more than $2 million destined to meet the Capital Campaign’s goal of $100 million.

For more than 50 years, the Miami Science Museum has been a treasured and welcoming resource at the heart of the Miami community. The 2004 Miami-Dade General Obligation Bond passage provided $175 million in funding towards our new facility, and the Museum’s Capital Campaign is now underway to reach total project costs of $275 million. The new Museum project is moving forward from vision to reality and the 2008 “Building the Future” Gala honored and supported this pioneering effort.

Guests enjoyed a black-tie dinner among the community’s leaders and visionaries, spectacular music from the Peter Duchin Orchestra and a live and silent auction led by the Mistress of Ceremony, Jennifer Valoppi, Ph.D. A Burmese Python and an American Bald Eagle from the Museum’s Wildlife Center mingled with Gala guests during the event’s cocktail hour. Guests also had the opportunity to view Saturn and the moon through high-powered telescopes on an outside balcony where Planetarium staff members were on hand to answer any questions.

This year’s evergreen theme, “Building the Future,” spotlighted the planning and development of the new state-of-the-art Miami Science Museum in downtown Miami. This year’s recipient of the 2008 Miami Science Museum Award, Victor M. Alvarez, was recognized for his outstanding and ongoing support to the organization.

Please join us at next year’s Miami Science Museum Gala. We look forward to your participation and support. For sponsorship and donations please call Anne Johnson at 305-646-4285.