They haven’t even had time to replace the old Gulf Coast Museum of Art sign. But they'll make a soft opening Monday.
“People have been calling and banging on our door to see if we’re open,” founder Jim Simon said.
Simon is the founder of the Florida Gulf Coast Center for Fishing and Interactive Museum at 1211 Walsingham Road in Largo.
Pinellas County already has a museum, the Dali, known around the world. Simon believes it’s about time they have one the Tampa Bay area is known for.
“There are 51,000 licensed fishermen in Pinellas County," he said. "There isn’t a county in the country that has more coastline than we have here.”
Currently, only an artist colony gallery is full, with marine sculptures and art work on the walls. Other rooms dedicated to area fishing family legacies and history, rod building and fly fishing history, boat building and even an electronics room are still a work in progress. The complex has more than 30,000 square feet of space.
The center is expected to be finished by September.
“Every inch is accounted for," Simon said. "Whether it’s going to be a classroom, whether it’s going to be a culinary institute teaching about cooking, or whether it’s going to be the gallery you see here.”
Simon says he plans on inviting Bay area chefs to teach classes on preparing seafood. Classrooms in which fishing techniques and lectures will occur are also being prepared, and a grassy area between buildings is going to be transformed into a red fish hatchery.
“Museum is probably a misnomer," Simon said. "This is a center of activity. We want a lot of activity. It’s not just come and look what’s on the wall."
The center's hours are as follows 10-a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday (museum) and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (functions/classes). On Sunday, the museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The center's phone number is (727) 365-4660.