Timucuan Parks Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Exhibition has been moved from the Fernandina Beach Branch Library to the Beaches Museum in Jacksonville Beach. The plans are to open the “Celebrate & Explore Our Wilderness Parks” exhibition at the Beaches Museum on April 10 during its annual Springing the Blooms festival.
TPF partnered with the Friends of the Fernandina Beach Public Library and Nassau County Public Library last year and moved its exhibition from MOSH in Jacksonville to the library in July of 2020. Due to the pandemic, many exhibition visits were virtual and included video tours of American Beach and Egan’s Creek. The Friends of the Fernandina Branch Library say they had 712 virtual exhibition and video visitors. Special appointments to visit the exhibit room in person were allowed and the library reopened to the public in September. The Friends group says from July of 2020 through January of 2021, they had 4,482 in-person visits to the library and exhibit.
“We were very pleased that despite the COVID-19 restrictions, thousands were able to enjoy the exhibition that showcases who we are and what we do,” said Mark Middlebrook, TPF executive director. “We hope many more people visit the exhibition at the Beaches Museum and enjoy a look at Northeast Florida’s parks and preserves through the eyes of some great local artists. Visitors will also read about our partner focuses including the 7 Creeks Recreation Area and the Barrier Islands Parks. We have a great network of preservation areas throughout the First Coast and we are proud to be partners with the City of Jacksonville, Florida State Parks and the National Park Service to promote and educate the community about these special places.”
The exhibition includes four park paintings by Kathy Stark, video drone footage captured by Tom Schifanella, and still images taken by photographer Will Dickey. It also features panels that highlight the nonprofit’s accomplishments as well as their current resiliency, health, engagement and park development initiatives. The purpose is to help the community identify parts of town that incorporate numerous preservation areas they can visit.
TPF is also promoting the parks for their sense of place and sense of well-being. The organization wants to instill a sense of place for residents and visitors and for North Florida to be known for its parks and preserves. They are also promoting the sense of well-being the parks provide and the health benefits of spending time in parks.
The Beaches Museum is located at 381 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville Beach. The “Celebrate & Explore Our Wilderness Parks” exhibition will be on display starting April 10 through the end of October 2021. Visitors will be able to enjoy virtual and small in-person presentations by the artists and other notable speakers, plans of which are underway.
About Timucuan Parks Foundation
Timucuan Parks Foundation is a nonprofit organization that preserves, promotes and enhances Jacksonville’s natural areas through community engagement, education and enjoyment. The foundation originated in 1999 with the Preservation Project Jacksonville, Inc. to identify and assist in acquiring the most vulnerable and environmentally sensitive lands in Duval County. The acquisition of lands created the largest urban park system in the United States. TPF works with its park partners, including the National Park Service, Florida State Parks and the City of Jacksonville, and other community partners to promote environmental stewardship, the health benefits of the parks and preserves, and an appreciation for Jacksonville’s special outdoor spaces. For more information, visit timucuanparks.org or follow @timucuanparks.