FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brandon Moorebmoore@tampabaywater.org727-791-2304
Clearwater, Fla. and Tampa, Fla — Imagine shaping the land around you, moving mountains and creating oceans with the touch of your hand. You can now make that dream a reality at the Glazer Children’s Museum. The museum, in partnership with Tampa Bay Water, has a new interactive exhibit that gives guests of all ages and abilities the power to build unique environments and see how the plants and animals that live there respond.
The Ocean Sandbox uses augmented reality to provide real-time feedback to the movement of sand in the exhibit to show the relationship between our land and water. Guests can shape the sand to sculpt mountains, islands, waterways and pools, while the marine landscape comes to life with ocean creatures, palm trees, treasure chests and more. In addition, the exhibit is wheelchair accessible and features therapeutic sand, continuing the Glazer Children’s Museum’s emphasis on inclusivity.
“We could not have done this without Tampa Bay Water! We’re so excited to have a sensory friendly exhibit that more than 215,000 kids will be able to experience over the next year. It’s a great day to see a vision brought to life,” said Jennifer Stancil, President and CEO of the Glazer Children’s Museum.
Understanding how land and water interact is an important part of protecting the place we call home and our drinking water supplies. Tampa Bay Water uses a unique blend of river water, desalinated seawater and groundwater to provide clean, safe water to homes and businesses across the Tampa Bay area. Working with the museum to empower children with the knowledge that even small actions can lead to significant changes in their environment helps ensure a bright future for our water supply.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman and Jennifer Stancil joined Matt Jordan, General Manager of Tampa Bay Water, for a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark this milestone in the collaborative partnership.
“Sitting on the boards of both local institutions, I believe this partnership is a natural fit with their shared goal of teaching families and children about the importance of protecting and conserving our water sources,” said Murman. “Allowing kids and their parents to explore the many influences and impacts of water in the Tampa Bay area is one of many community outreach efforts to build awareness and support for protecting our regional drinking water.”
The Ocean Sandbox is the first in a multipronged approach to teaching children about water in unique ways. Forthcoming, the Museum will create new kiosks featuring the voices and ideas of local children around being terrific stewards of their environment. The partnership between the organizations fosters the ability of people of all ages to grasp and act on playing their own part in ensuring clean, safe and abundant drinking water for the Tampa Bay region for generations to come.
Tampa Bay Water is Florida’s largest wholesale water supplier and provides reliable, high-quality drinking water to more than 2.4 million people in the Tampa Bay area through its members. Tampa Bay Water’s member governments include the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa, and the counties of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas. To learn more visit tampabaywater.org.
Named one of the top five Children’s Museums in America, Glazer Children’s Museum is an innovative educational and culture resource for the Tampa region. Opened in Downtown Tampa in 2010, the Museum sits among skyscrapers as well as green space, and is a central part of the cultural corridor featuring other museums, libraries and a performing arts center. The mission of Glazer Children’s Museum is to create learning environments where children play, discover and connect to the world around them in order to develop as lifelong learners and leaders. The hands-on, minds-on Museum attracts more than 210,000 visitors annually with a 53,000 sq. ft. building full of themed galleries and 170 interactive exhibits for children aged birth to ten. A combination of permanent and traveling exhibits, comprehensive year-round educational programs, and dynamic special events provide children, parents, caregivers, and teachers a rich, cutting edge, ever-changing environment for playful learning. Glazer Children’s Museum, a 501c3 non-profit, also offers over 5,000 sq. ft. of event space, 2,500 sq. ft. of classroom space and a 1,000 sq. ft. roof top terrace overlooking the picturesque Downtown Riverwalk, along the Hillsborough River.
For news media requests, please contact: Michelle Stom, MPA, APR Chief of Staff/Chief Strategy Officer O: (727) 791-2305 | M: (727) 418-4652 Brandon Moore, APR Public Communications Manager O: (727) 791-2304 | M: (727) 470-0702
