20
Building The
Future At SFM
WORDS: Lela Rast Hartsaw
Dr. W. D. Sugg, founder and
long-time president of the South
Florida Museum, was always
ahead of his time. Dr. Sugg, even in the
1960’s, was all about hands-on learning.
The vision Dr. Sugg had for the little
museum in the Chamber of Commerce
building on the municipal pier grew from
its start in 1947, to Grand Opening Day
in 1966 at its current location.
What Dr. Sugg dreamed of was a place
where people, young and old, from
near and far, could visit - multiple times
- and always see or learn something
new. He wanted visitors to interact with
exhibits: touch it, feel something, move a
lever, push a button. We think Dr. Sugg
would love what’s happening at the
museum today. In fact, the future
of the South Florida Museum
looks as bright as Sirius, the Dog Star,
in the museum’s Bishop Planetarium.
With a highly anticipated expansion
slated to open next summer, the little
museum created to house the Tallant
artifacts, is reaching new heights as
another exciting chapter in the museum’s
history is being written.
going on Downtown…
Directly across the street from the
museum, the City Centre mixed-use
building is going in where the Chamber
of Commerce building once stood. This
facility, beautifully designed by Fawley
Bryant, will house 500 parking spaces,
5,000 square-feet of retail, and a new
7,500 square-foot ofce for the Manatee
Chamber of Commerce.
A two-block walk west of the museum,
the Spring Hill Suites hotel is nearing
completion and will include a Bradenton
location of the Oak & Stone restaurant
chain and a rooftop bar. Riverwalk, which
practically connects to the South Florida
Museum, will soon begin its eastward
expansion along the Manatee River. Add
all of this to the recent Hampton Inn &
Suites remodel of the old Pink Palace, plus
the popularity of Old Main Street and
Pier 22, and it feels like the South
Florida Museum is a major part
of a real revitalization of
downtown Bradenton.