Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone facts for kids

Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone
Front of GWIZ Building
Former names	Selby Public Library (1976-1998)
Alternative names	GWIZ Building
General information
Status	Demolished
Type	Government library, museum
Location	Sarasota, Florida
Address	1001 Boulevard of the Arts
Country	United States
Coordinates	27°20′30″N 82°33′00″W / 27.34167°N 82.55000°W / 27.34167; -82.55000
Completed	1976
Opened	June 24, 1976 (Library) August 26, 2000 (GWIZ)
Renovated	2000
Closed	September 4, 2012
Demolished	May 2019
Owner	Sarasota
Technical details
Floor count	2
Floor area	30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2)
Design and construction
Architect	Walter Netsch
Architecture firm	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Renovating team
Architect	Dale Parks
Renovating firm	D/Parks Architect

The Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone, often called G.WIZ or GWIZ, was a fun science museum in Sarasota, Florida. It was right next to the beautiful Sarasota Bay. This museum was open from August 2000 until September 2012, offering exciting exhibits like the Blivas Science & Technology Center. The building where GWIZ was located was taken down in May 2019. This was part of a big city plan to make the Sarasota Bayfront area even better.

The Museum's Story

The idea for this science museum started in December 1990. It began as a small room, about 1,000 square feet, inside the Florida West Coast Symphony building. Back then, it was known as the Gulf Coast World of Science (GCWS).

Finding a Bigger Home

The group that ran the museum, which was a nonprofit organization (meaning it used its money for its goals, not to make owners rich), needed more space. In January 1998, the Sarasota City Commission agreed to let them rent a much larger building for 20 years. This new location used to be the Selby Public Library.

From Library to Science Center

The building first became the Selby Public Library in 1976. Before that, the library was in the Chidsey Library building. A famous architect named Walter Netsch from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the building. He used a special style called "Field Theory."

The library moved to a new spot in downtown Sarasota in 1998. After that, the building was updated and changed. The Gulf Coast World of Science then changed its name to the Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone (GWIZ). The new science museum opened its doors to the public on August 26, 2000.

Why GWIZ Closed

The science museum closed its doors to visitors on September 4, 2012. The plan was to make big renovations and modernize the museum. They wanted to create ten new zones with themes like geography, dinosaurs, the Florida Gulf Coast, outer space, science, and math.

GWIZ's website at the time announced these exciting changes, saying, "We are working hard to bring you GWIZ 2.0!" However, the nonprofit organization was also having trouble with its lease payments to the city. The city officially ended GWIZ's lease for the building on September 21, 2013. The building then sat empty for several years.

The Building's Demolition

The Sarasota City Commission approved a big plan for the Sarasota Bayfront area on September 6, 2018. This project was called "The Bay." The first part of this plan included taking down the GWIZ building. In its place, the city planned to build a new pier for recreation. The GWIZ building was demolished in May 2019.