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GulfQuest named Alabama's Tourism Attraction of the Year
Aug 31, 2015
The Alabama Department of Tourism recently announced that GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico is the state’s 2016 Tourism Attraction of the Year.
GulfQuest, the first museum in the world dedicated to the Gulf Coast’s rich maritime heritage, culture and traditions, is also one of the only interactive maritime museums in the country. With an opening date set for September 26, GulfQuest is expected to see more than 300,000 visitors annually, generating an economic impact in Mobile of $19.2 million.
Operated by the non-profit National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, GulfQuest is a 120,000 square foot building designed to look as if it were a ship headed into Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Located on the Mobile River, GulfQuest includes 90 interactive exhibits, simulators and theaters, a museum store, a museum café and event space. In addition to being a “Signature Attraction” for the Gulf Coast, GulfQuest will become a major educational attraction for Mobile and the state of Alabama.
“This is a wonderful award and represents a great deal of hard work, dedication and commitment on the part of the staff and all of the many advocates of this endeavor,” long-time Board member Ray Miller said. “There are really no words to describe the passion that delivered the momentum necessary to drive GulfQuest to its completion. To be a small part of GulfQuest will always be an indelible part of my professional life.”
The Gulf Coast is that often-forgotten coast in America’s collective memory. The nation’s “South Coast” is seldom mentioned in classroom textbooks, and the number of books written about this region pales in comparison to our nation’s other coastlines.
GulfQuest seeks to change that by immersing visitors in the unique heritage, culture and beauty of the Gulf Coast. With eight decks housed inside a full-sized container ship displayed as if dockside, GulfQuest will give visitors as much (or more) than they can accomplish in a one-day visit.
“Beyond its focus on the Gulf of Mexico, GulfQuest is unique among maritime museums in that it features the interactive exhibits, simulators and theaters, complemented by artifacts and memorabilia,” Tony Zodrow, GulfQuest executive director said. “We have taken extra measures, every step of the way, to design an immersive experience for our visitors. The exhibits are both entertaining and educational, and will truly encourage visitors to explore every maritime aspect of the Gulf of Mexico.
“Where else can you attempt the navigation techniques of early explorers, pilot a cargo vessel into Mobile's port, explore the timelines of Gulf and Mobile maritime history, drive a submersible deep into the Gulf, and move containers using a container crane?” Zodrow asked. “GulfQuest offers all these experiences and more, including eating at downtown Mobile's only waterfront cafe.”
In addition, GulfQuest will offer a wide range of traveling exhibitions, plus programs on weekends, holidays and summers. School field trips and weekend camp-ins will also become regular fixtures in the museum experience, with classroom programs that follow the state standards for science, math, social studies and the language arts.
“If I had to use one word to describe the experience of a GulfQuest visit, it would be ‘immersive,” Zodrow said. “Like any fine museum, GulfQuest will be very educational. But it will also provide hours and hours of immersive activities. We think people from all over the country will understand just why the Gulf of Mexico is truly ‘America’s Sea’.”
For immediate release
August 14, 2015
Contact: Diana Brewer, Marketing/PR Director
251-202-6308 [email protected]