“The power of collaboration is really how the cultural community in Jacksonville sees impact happening. And I'm passionate about it. I'm on fire about it.”
Like Shark Week on TV, anything with big teeth is a barnstormer at the Museum of Science and History of Jacksonville (the MOSH to locals). But talk with MOSH’s president, Maria Hane, and you’ll soon discover her mission isn’t just to foster learning about science and history through immersive experiences. It’s equally about helping the people of Jacksonville understand more about ourselves and each other. In this divisive age, Maria has made MOSH a place where curiosity is welcome, free of agenda or third-party persuasion. Walk through the doors at MOSH and you won’t just learn about dinosaurs, you might just leave with a new lens to see the world.
Non-profit to public: impactful in all sectors
Peruse Maria’s career, and you’ll determine this city leader is a student of how business is conducted and how culture is transformed across all sectors of industry. Her early housing and community development work in Springfield with the American Lung Association gave her practical experience and connections to the Jacksonville mayor’s office, where she accepted her next role as John Delaney’s director of communications. It was here that Maria learned the ins-and-outs of infrastructure projects and construction with the implementation of the Better Jacksonville Plan. This education served her well as the deputy director of operations for another Jacksonville jewel, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, where she managed multi-million dollar capital and curatorial projects. Maria’s current role as president of MOSH started in 2009 at a time when the museum, a cultural anchor for downtown Jacksonville, was in need of revitalization and eager for growth. Maria admits that her path from non-profit to public positions wasn’t intentional, but she’s grateful for the learning and connections she accumulated along the way. She undoubtedly also honed her skill at translating needs and opportunities from one audience to the next, a sense that has helped the MOSH to flourish under her direction.
A transformative IDEA
Jacksonville’s residents have long argued over how we can enhance our stature as a cosmopolitan city, with proposals ranging from aquariums to “smart” planned communities to investing more heavily in the St. Johns River as a vibrant focal point. Yet what no one would question is that we want our current and future residents to feel welcome, especially given our long history of southern hospitality. The MOSH has harnessed that concept and codifies it as a driver for all they do under their IDEA policy, which stands for inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility. Maria reduces it down to this potent statement, “it is inherent in what we do that everyone sees themselves here.” From the music they select to the exhibits they create or host, this principal is ultimately about creating relationships where some might not yet exist. Walk through MOSH and you’ll realize the overarching lesson is our diversity is meant to be celebrated as much as the narratives we share.
So - how do dinosaurs fit into this picture? Maria cites a startling fact that according to research, 97% of our learning about science comes through informal settings. She laughingly adds another fact is the first paleontologist to discover dinosaur bones was a woman who had to defer presentations about her finding to her male colleagues: women weren’t accepted at the scientific meetings of the time. Don’t doubt that omission is corrected in Jacksonville as thousands tour the dinosaur artifacts!
MOSH isn’t just preparing our residents to be competitive citizens of the world; it’s also about giving us a deeper appreciation of who we are, how we got here, and just where we might go as a community.
The Innovate Jax podcast will introduce you to the Jacksonville change-makers who are propelling our city into a new realm of sophistication. Our goal is to connect you to the people who are leaving their mark on our city today, in hopes that they inspire you to leave your mark tomorrow. Subscribe today and you’ll have fresh new episodes delivered to you each month. And feel free to recommend a guest by dropping us a note at innovatejax@forcura.com.
