Thanks for the Memories Celebrates History; Bids Farewell to Florida Int'l Museum

Florida International Museum (FIM) at St. Petersburg College announces Thanks for the Memories will be the final exhibition at the iconic downtown facility, celebrating 15 years of exhibits and leading the transformation of downtown St. Petersburg. Thanks for the Memories will open October 29, 2010 and run through December 4, 2010 and will feature memorabilia from each of FIM's exhibits since it opened to much fanfare in 1995 with the blockbuster exhibit "Treasures of the Czars".

"This is the farewell, marking the end of an era where FIM drew 2.5 million visitors and hosted 53 exhibitions," said Kathy Oathout, Director of Operations, The Palladium, Florida International Museum & SPC Downtown Arts. "We invite people from all over the area to come and enjoy this retrospective with us." As a way to show appreciation, FIM is offering free admission for Thanks for the Memories.

Patrons will enjoy an exposition featuring memorabilia from blockbusters such as Treasures of the Czars, Splendors of Egypt, Titanic, and Empires of Mystery: The Incas, The Andes and Lost Civilizations, John F. Kennedy and Diana, A Celebration. Museum-goers will revel in displays including: Mystique of the Motorcycle; Cuban Missile Crisis, Barbie, Vatican Splendors, Sew It's Art, Gulf Coast Collection, and Cut! Costume and the Cinema.
Walk through time as Florida International Museum brings the world to your doorstep. Beginning with the major blockbuster exhibitions such as Treasures of the Czars (1995) and Titanic (1998), visitors will take a journey through history and learn how FIM began in the old Maas Brothers building, the museum's impact on our community and how it came to its current home at St. Petersburg College's Downtown Cultural Campus. Peak behind the scenes as the magic of these blockbuster exhibits unfolds through rarely seen photographs showing how some of these massive exhibits were set up and personal stories are shared by friends of the museum.

FIM was instrumental in the revitalization of downtown St. Petersburg. In separate studies conducted by Walter Klages, PhD., President of Research Data Services, Inc., it was determined that Treasures of the Czars generated an economic impact of $62,287,475 in 1995, while Titanic: The Exhibition generated an economic impact of $135,662,839 in 1998. FIM played a major role in making St. Petersburg a cultural destination.

The Smithsonian Institution often used FIM as a model for their Smithsonian Affiliates Program. FIM hosted eight Smithsonian traveling exhibits and participated in numerous educational and lecture programs.

Ending with FIM's final exhibit, CUT! Costume and the Cinema, take one last look at two costumes that came direct from London - the jewel of CUT!, a turn of the century sumptuous silk dressing gown worn by Kate Winslet in Finding Neverland and an elegant 1930s teal silk evening gown worn by Natasha Richardson in the White Countess.

Thanks for the Memories is on display October 29th through December 4, 2010 at Florida International Museum at St. Petersburg College, 244 Second Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry daily at 3 p.m. The exhibit is closed Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving Day. Admission is FREE. For more information, please contact Kathy Oathout, Director of Operations, at 727-341-7904. Visit www.spcollege.edu/FIMuseum.