Photos by World Red Eye
Over 1,200 of South Florida’s ‘brightest stars’ gathered at the Hilton Miami Downtown on the evening of Saturday, April 18 to raise over $1 million at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science’s stellar 13th Annual Galaxy Gala, themed “Aqua Lumière.” The gala was followed by the Big Bang 2015: H2Glow after-party, a nightlife-inspired celebration hosted by the Frost Science Young Patrons. Event attendees included South Florida business, civic, philanthropic and cultural leaders.
Since its inception, the Galaxy Gala has helped raise funds for the development of the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, a state-of-the-art facility under construction in downtown Miami’s Museum Park, slated to open in summer 2016. The new Museum will serve as the venue for future Galaxy Gala and Big Bang events.
The 2015 Galaxy Gala: “Aqua Lumière” was hosted by the Museum’s Board of Trustees, under the leadership of a gala committee comprised of community activists and philanthropists. Gala co-chairs this year were Shelly & Marko Dimitrijevic and Jennifer & Gabriel Montoya. The Honorary Chair was the Hector Family; Philanthropic Chairs were Trish & Dan Bell; Host Chairs were Alicia Cervera Lamadrid & Alberto Lamadrid; and Presenting Chairs included Chanin & Adam Carlin, Jacqueline Simkin and Barbara & Michael Weintraub.
Hosted by Chief Meteorologist John Morales of NBC 6 South Florida, the dynamic evening celebrated the playful and scientific interaction of light and water, and featured a water and light interactive graffiti experience by French artist Antonin Fourneau. Guests also enjoyed a performance by Latin GRAMMY®-nominated artist Debi Nova, along with entertainment from Drew T and DJ Blaze Carreras. Produced by WOW Factor, the evening’s environment also included an interactive photobooth that allowed guests to envision themselves in the new Museum, and a massive video screen previewing video content that will be showcased inside the new Museum’s Living Core Aquarium. An interactive water-stimulation dance floor entertained guests along with other technological production aspects including a live “text to donate” feed, where guests were encouraged to purchase a “fish.” With each donation, the Museum’s Living Core Aquarium on the video screen would become more populated with fish.
Embracing the excitement of the new location’s opening in 2016, the Museum also revealed to supporters the official new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science brand logo. Adding more glamour and star power to the energetic evening was the premiere of the Museum’s new digital fly-thru video, which was narrated by Cuba-born and Miami-raised actor Andy Garcia, a supporter and visitor of the Museum.
During the evening’s program, the Museum honored a select number of individuals and organizations for their exceptional leadership and commitment to the development and building of the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science. Nancy and Jon Batchelor of The Batchelor Foundation accepted the Visionary Award in memory of George E. Batchelor; the Vanguard Award was presented to Baptist Health South Florida by Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools; and the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science award was presented to Julia Rea Bianchi. The second Upward Bound Merit Award was presented to Daniel Correa, a participant from the Museum’s Upward Bound Program which helps first-generation college bound students be prepared for postsecondary study, and to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree in science, math and technology fields. A special honor was bestowed upon Trish and Dan Bell, Co-Chairs of the Museum’s Board of Trustees and Philanthropic Chairs of the Galaxy Gala, for their generous support of the Museum’s efforts and for leading the gala’s inception 13 years ago. The Bells recognized Patricia and Phillip Frost for their recent gift of $10 million to name the new Museum’s state-of-the-art Planetarium
At 9 p.m., Big Bang Co-Chairs Ali Lamadrid, Cristina Mas and Lena Lowell, along with the Frost Science Young Patrons, welcomed Miami’s emerging trendsetters, as well as community and business leaders to the Big Bang 2015: H2Glow after-party. The event began with a cocktail reception featuring glow-in-the-dark graffiti chalk boards, glow sticks and balloons, dancers and smoke machines from Kyrogenifex. At 11 p.m. the doors opened to the main event, where attendees joined gala guests and “crashed” the party.
About the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (Formerly Miami Science Museum)
Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science aims to make a difference in people’s lives by inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have on every facet of our world. For nearly 65 years, the Museum’s award-winning educational programs, family-focused exhibits, historic planetarium, and Batchelor Wildlife Center have enriched locals and tourists alike. In 2016, the Museum will continue to inspire visitors in a new state-of-the-art facility designed by Grimshaw Architects currently under construction at Museum Park, in the heart of downtown Miami. The Museum will be structured around a lushly landscaped indoor and outdoor Living Core Aquarium of terrestrial and aquatic environments, featuring a Gulf Stream aquarium experience totaling over 500,000 gallons of salt water. The facility will also feature a state-of-the-art full dome Planetarium, the Knight Learning Center, Innovation Center and Cafe, and an Exploration Center featuring permanent interactive exhibits: Feathers to the Stars and The River of Grass. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is funded with the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Learn more at www.miamisci.org or call (305) 646-4200.
The existing Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is located at 3280 South Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33129. The Museum is open every day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Admission is free for members and children under 3; students (with valid ID), seniors (62+) and children 3-12, $10.95; adults are $14.95. Parking is free.