GulfQuest and the City of Mobile have engaged a team of professionals as project partners, including planners, architects, engineers, designers and consultants.

In the mid-1990s, Mobile leaders formed a private, non-profit organization to design, develop and operate a maritime museum. In 2000, the City of Mobile announced plans to move forward with GulfQuest as the centerpiece of Mobile Landing.

In 2001, the City of Mobile selected Thompson Engineering to provide project management and engineering services for Mobile Landing. Watermark Design, a Thompson subsidiary, provided architectural services for the museum’s building.

In 2003, world-class designers were selected to begin development of the exhibits: Lyons/Zaremba, designers of the Tennessee Aquarium and the National Mississippi River Museum; and Monadnock Media, award-winning producers of multi-media content for the National World War II Museum and Ellis Island National Monument.

In 2006, GulfQuest began to receive federal funding for exhibits from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the federal agency charged with monitoring and managing the nation’s oceans and atmosphere. Many of the museum’s interactive exhibits utilize NOAA scientific data and information.

In 2008, the City of Mobile selected Hoar Program Management to oversee construction of GulfQuest. Hoar Program Management is a division of Hoar Construction, LLC of Birmingham, Alabama.

Board and staff are supplemented by specialists and consultants as needed. To date, consulting firms have prepared business plans, conducted feasibility studies, designed museum logos, provided cost estimates, and advised fundraising efforts.