Museum of History Current Events and Exhibits

 St. Petersburg College: A Legacy of Leadership Exhibit  

St. Petersburg College: A Legacy of Leadership Open Sept. 28-March 2009

"St. Petersburg College: A Legacy of Leadership" Exhibit

Steering Committee: Co-Chairs-Ann Taylor and Rutland Bussey

Mike O’Keeffe, Wilma Norton, Lisa Wilkes, Lynn Hammond, Bill Frederick, Rinita Anderson,

Dr. George Banez, and Sherry Harris

The St. Petersburg College Exhibit was created and presented by the college. While the content of the exhibit does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the museum Board of Trustees, members, staff or volunteers, the museum is proud to offer St. Petersburg College a forum to display the 80 year history of the college.

"Treasures of NOAA's Ark Now Open : Pioneers, People, and Technology"

Treasures of NOAA's Ark Opens!

It is difficult to talk about weather, water, climate and commerce without discussing NOAA and its ancestor agencies, the U.S. Coast Survey, U.S. Weather Bureau, and U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries.

NOAA has in its care a wealth of resources that recall the agency's proud history and dedicated service to the Nation. These include maps, charts, photographs, books, scientific instruments and other artifacts -- some centuries old.

NOAA is also the steward of large-scale historic and cultural resources, such as buildings and shipwrecks. These resources are of immense value not only to NOAA but also to the American people -- their true owners.

In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson signed the law authorizing the Survey of the Coast. This is our oldest NOAA component and in fact, NOAA just celebrated the 200th anniversary of Coast Survey in 2007.

NOAA has deep roots that also include the establishment of the Weather Bureau in 1870 and the Commission on Fish and Fisheries in 1971.

Treasures of NOAA's Ark, which opened on June 14th, is a small example of how the history of NOAA and the Nation are intertwined. The exhibit highlights groundbreaking technologies developed by NOAA and its predecessors that have helped save lives, promote commerce, and expand our knowledge of the Earth.

NOAA plays a major role in the fascinating history of technologies and services we all take for granted today, from Global Positioning Systems to weather satellite imagery.

But technology is just one of the stars of Treasures of NOAA's Ark. The exhibit highlights Pioneers: People and Technology. Eight pioneers, past and present, are featured whom have made significant contributions to our understanding of land, sea and sky.

Featured pioneers include:

· African-American innovator George Washington Carver, who provided weather data to the U.S. Weather Bureau;

· Silent Spring author Rachel Carson, who began her career as a writer and scientist with the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries; and

· NOAA scientist Susan Solomon, who played a key role in identifying the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole.

· These inspiring pioneers are as diverse as NOAA itself. They are role models whose legacy of service to the nation is truly worth celebrating.

Treasures of NOAA's Ark further promotes the Administration's Preserve America Initiative calling on NOAA and other federal agencies to step up efforts to inventory, preserve, and showcase our nation's rich heritage and foster tourism in partnership with local communities.

St. Petersburg is the exhibit's third venue in three years; the first taking place in Norfolk, Virginia and the second stop in Seattle, Washington. Partnering with institutions like the Museum allows NOAA to tell its story. NOAA is proud to be partnering with the Museum and the Pier Aquarium.

During its six month stay - the Museum, the Pier and NOAA will work together to bring a number of education programs to the public including "Meet the NOAA scientist" - a speaker series

Click Here to learn more about the City of St. Petersburg's involvement in the NOAA Preserve America Initiative.