By: Diana Phillips
Have you ever walked into a museum and wondered what went into making the place? Me either! I have always happily interacted with the beautiful exhibits, merely excited to learn new things alongside the people I love.
My perspective has evolved after interning at the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) this summer. On June 7-8th, 2025, REEF will open a brand-new Ocean Exploration Center (OEC). This center will become a cultural landmark and a staple of Key Largo. Within it, REEF will showcase all its incredible citizen science projects with a multitude of interactive exhibits.
As an intern, I was able to participate in meetings with FRAME, a team dedicated to creating spaces visitors love, staff can maintain, leadership can champion, and the organization can sustain. Over the course of a week, I watched as these essential meetings molded the direction of the Ocean Exploration Center. This involved things you would expect, such as reviewing exhibits, providing feedback on tabletop games, and creating a timeline before the grand opening. Mostly, we all agreed on prospective changes, but occasionally we had differing opinions. One of our most heated discussions related to what sign should be positioned in front of the Ocean Exploration Center as a photo opportunity for social media. Questions dropped like a rainstorm. Should the logo have a cutout fish or a fish impression? Should the background be a photo or a drawing? Should it be swirling fish or a horizontal school? So on and so on. It was fascinating how we could see details differently, which most others would consider minute. Yet, this sign will draw in visitors and should inspire them to share it with their friends and family. Therefore, these decisions play a huge role in representing who we are and how we want our beautiful center to be shared.
I was shocked by how many of our discussions went beyond the museum itself. A crucial part of this experience was developing confidence and direction within the organization during this critical time. We discussed our mission and what excited and concerned us about opening the new center. Beyond that, we discussed how to deal with the increased capacity for visitors and how staff positions would need to evolve to meet the demands of the new center. The experience taught me that museums couldn’t exist without the dedicated staff behind them being united in mission and execution.
I am so grateful to REEF for being included in these meetings as an intern. One component I spoke up about was increasing diversity by creating opportunities to engage the Hispanic community, which makes up over 30% of our local population, yet has been historically underrepresented in participation within our programming. To work towards this goal, we had several discussions about translating exhibits and additional materials for Spanish speakers. Over the course of my internship, I got the opportunity to translate materials for the new center. As a Colombian American, it makes me proud to help increase accessibility for other Spanish speakers.
I am proud to have contributed to decisions for the new center, which will educate and inspire visitors for generations. It is so special to have an organization that concerns itself with the voices of its youngest members. Being a part of this pivotal moment in REEF’s history has been inspiring, and I am left in awe at the tremendous leadership demonstrated by the directors to accomplish the grand task.
