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AOVEF is Concrete Reality

Daniel R. Altschuler

As you can see from the photograph taken in November (below), the Arecibo Observatory Visitor and Educational Facility (AOVEF) is no longer a dream but concrete reality. The contractor, Hector Varela, will reach the stage of "substantial completion" by early December and expects to leave the site by the end of January 1997. At that time the auditorium seating and store furniture will be installed.

The east side of the AOVEF building. Photo by Tony Acevedo.

In August of this year the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation contributed to our project by paving the new parking areas by the entrance gate, the area adjacent to the pool, the road to tower T12, and the new parking area adjacent to the AOVEF. An additional contribution from the Arecibo municipality allowed for the inclusion of the elevator in the construction contract. It is currently being installed.

Much of our attention has now shifted to the completion of the exhibition program, which is directed by Jo Ann Eder and myself. It was funded by the NSF Informal Science Education Program. There are five main facets to this program:

1. The exhibit specifications and designs were completed some time ago by Zalisk-Martin Associates of Cambridge, Mass., the main contractor for the exhibition project.

2. The exhibition infrastructure (i.e., the basic furniture) is being fabricated in San Juan by Caribbean Woodworking, and we expect to begin installation in December.

3. The exhibit interactives, including the solar system orrery and the telescope model, are being fabricated by Museum Productions in Toronto, and are 90% complete. After a final review in November they will be shipped to Arecibo for arrival and installation in early January.

4. The text and graphic materials are being prepared by Zalisk-Martin. Since the upstairs part of the exhibition covers the work and history of the Observatory, we have, with the help of the scientific staff, written most of the material and provided the images for Zalisk-Martin. All the text will be translated into Spanish and approved by us before being printed, mounted, and shipped to Arecibo in January.

5. The audiovisual material is being developed by Zalisk-Martin.

Together with Rey F. Medina and José M. Maldonado (AOVEF project manager), we have developed a detailed plan for the operation of the facility. Based on a minimum visit of 80,000 persons per year, we expect to be able to cover the operating costs (salaries, utilities, maintenance, and new acquisitions) from admissions, store profit, vending machines, and the fees from teacher workshops.

The inauguration is planned for March 1, 1997.

NAIC/AO Newsletter No. 20 - 2 DEC 1996

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