Cox Science Center & Aquarium's $150M Expansion Redefines Its Role as a Star Attraction

A $150 million expansion and a new CEO are reshaping the museum into a star attraction.

The centerpiece of the new entry at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium will be the David H. Koch Memorial Fountain. “Its double-helix design accentuates the importance of the arts in STEAM education,” Julia Koch said. The David H. Koch Foundation made a $5 million gift toward the museum expansion. (Rendering: Cox Science Center)

The Cox Science Center and Aquarium in West Palm Beach is welcoming a new director amid a $150 million expansion to transform itself into a world-class attraction more than 65 years after its inauspicious 1959 creation by women from the Junior League of the Palm Beaches.

In March, Kurt Allen, 60, arrived to lead the expansion designed to make the center attract a broader audience. That month, the city also approved the huge expansion.

They’ll keep the doors open for most of the makeover, Allen said, offering events like a huge Lego exhibit by artist Sean Kenney coming in May and summer camp.

The work started on the outside in May 2024. The center’s footprint in the 115-acre Dreher Park will increase from about 6.5 acres to 11 acres, with a good portion for more parking. When completed, the park grounds, its tree-lined walkways and benches, will be open to guests without a ticket.

Inside, the center will balloon from 35,000 to more than 100,000 square feet. And that’s just the beginning.

More than $134 million of the $150 million has been raised. The center hopes to hold a grand opening around Christmas 2027.

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