The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will mark the official start of construction on its world-class Museum facility with a 3 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony on November 27. The celebration will celebrate the Museum's 66-year relationship with the community and herald the next phase of the Museum's life.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place in the Western Heritage Plaza, on the location of what will be the new facility's entrance when it is completed in the Fall of 2009. The Western Heritage Plaza is located at the intersection of Gendy Street and Burnett Tandy Drive, just north of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be preceded by a brief press conference at 2 p.m. in the rotunda of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.
Celebrating the Museum's heritage and its future will be honored guests, including Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, Congresswoman Kay Granger and Architect Ricardo Legorreta. They will speak in front of a dramatic 16-foot rendering of the "urban lantern," one of the Museum's signature architectural features.
"The design of the Museum is truly extraordinary," says Van A. Romans, the Museum's president. "We are so excited that our dynamic learning programs and rich collections will be housed within a remarkable facility-one that will take the Museum into our next 75 years of service and beyond."
Designed by the highly acclaimed international architectural firm Legorreta+Legorreta, the 135,000-square-foot facility will be an innovative work of structural design. "The design blends the great traditions of Western Heritage with dramatic contemporary elements. When built, the facility will integrate light, space and a sense of discovery in an accessible campus environment," says Ricardo Legorreta.
Just as the groundbreaking will celebrate the start of work on the new facility, it will also celebrate the Museum's illustrious history, its enduring relationship with the community, and recognize the community's steadfast support.
Among those acknowledged in the ceremony will be the people who helped create the Museum in 1941, including a group of local teachers and a collection of women's organizations. "Our founders understood that children learn best when they can see and touch the world around them. Our programs, exhibits and outreach for the past 66 years reflect this philosophy of learning," Romans said.
Guests at the groundbreaking will represent many of the individuals and organizations that have supported and sustained the Museum throughout its history. The educational community will be represented by Fort Worth ISD leaders, educators and students. Elected officials at the local, county, state and national level will also be present, as well as a collection of devoted community partners who share the Museum's focus on Western Heritage.
"We've forged incredible partnerships with the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Foundation and with the Will Rogers Memorial Center," Romans says. "Together we've built a one-of-a-kind collaboration focused on Western Heritage."
The actual groundbreaking will be done by more than 30 individuals representing the community, along with a group of children-some of them from Museum School and the Museum's adopted school, North Hi Mount Elementary School-in what Romans calls a "circle of life."
"This circle of supporters embodies the deep affection the community has shown this Museum," Romans says, "and at the same time, it reflects our enduring connection with generation after generation of Texans-including the future generations yet to come who will love our Museum."
Following the groundbreaking, the audience is invited to attend a catered reception in the rotunda of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. There, in a newly installed Preview Center, guests will have an opportunity to see the plans for the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's new facility. During construction, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is home to Fort Worth Museum of Science and History exhibits. For images or additional information, contact Steve Anderson, director of public affairs, at 817-255-9411 or by e-mail at sanderson@fwmsh.org.
About the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Dedicated to lifelong learning and anchored by its rich collections, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History engages its diverse community through creative, vibrant programs and exhibits interpreting science and the stories of Texas and the Southwest. Since the mid-1980s, the Museum has annually welcomed more than 800,000 visitors, making it one of the most popular cultural attractions in North Texas.
EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: If you plan to cover the either the 2 p.m. press conference or the 3 p.m. groundbreaking, please let us know in advance so we can direct you to media parking.