Construction Begins On Miami Science Museum's Future Home

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — A major milestone is taking place Friday for the new home of the Miami Science Museum.

A groundbreaking ceremony Friday marks the beginning of construction at the downtown Miami site of the future Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science.

The state-of-the-art facility designed by Grimshaw Architects is set to open in 2015 on a site overlooking Biscayne Bay.

Museum officials say the 250,000-square-foot complex is designed to harness energy from the water, sun, wind and visitors to power exhibits and conserve resources.

The new museum facility also will have a 600,000-gallon aquarium, a 3-D planetarium and cafes, along with interactive exhibits.

Voters in 2004 approved $165 million to support the design and construction of a new science museum. Museum officials say they've secured about 70 percent of a $100 million private fundraising goal.

The rest of the $275 million project is publicly funded

The adjacent Miami Art Museum is already under construction, forming what supporters hope will become a cultural hub for the area along with the nearby Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

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