Robinson Preserve
February 15 - 26, 2017
'I didn't think that trash could be so pretty. Did you really find that on the beach?"
"We had a great experience meeting Bette Booth and making our commitment to prevent plastic trash. Thank You!"
"Saw this self-funded exhibit at Robinson Preserve. Creative art made from trash found on our shorelines.
Very educational. I wish everyone could see this and meet the artist."
Pop-Up Show Visitors
Tour Host
Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Division
Robinson Preserve in Bradenton, Florida is one of the jewels in Manatee County’s coastal preserve system.
The Preserve features hiking and nature trails, kayak and canoe trails, picnic areas and a 40-foot-tall tower with a beautiful view of the Tampa Bay region.
The Pop-Up Show was exhibited in the 120-year-old Valentine House, a particularly appropriate location for the Show. It was moved to the Preserve from North Palmetto by barge and renovated as the Visitor’s Center in 2010. Like beach trash art, Valentine House was 'flotsam' that has been repurposed into something beautiful!
An over the top experience: Beautiful location, great support. More than 1,000 visitors and 150 written commitments to adopt one new habit that will reduce trash in the ocean. Wide media coverage including a Fox News special.
An amazing two weeks!
Visits from four school groups and a several Boy Scout Troops kept us plenty busy!
Reading books and playing Splash Trash games with pre-schoolers.
Even these 'littles' know what should and shouldn't be on a beach!
Presentations at local libraries, interviews with the media and a Grand Opening rounded out the schedule!
This site's Catch of the Day collaborative art piece was created with Robinson Preserve staff and volunteers. An existing aquarium in the Valentine House was perfect for the installation. Two little fish peered out between the plastic. This is what fish in the ocean live with.
I swear those fish could bring tears to your eyes!
A huge thank you to the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Division and the incredible Valentine House volunteers.
Valentine House is usually only open on week-ends. I was so touched that volunteers wanted to spend extra hours, including their President Day holiday, to keep it open all week. I loved how they made the Pop-Up Show their own - giving tours that personalized and localized the Tour messages. Thank you!
The Splash Trash Tour “more than exceeded our expectations. We didn’t realize it would be such an immersive and hands-on experience. The sculptures and artwork in the tour makes a striking visual impact that definitely evoke wonder at the sheer volume and diversity of trash found in our world’s oceans. The educational component of the tour is fascinating. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a child or an adult, it’s easy to understand. It’s not a sense of fear or depression, but empowerment and knowledge."
Melissa Nell
Splash Trash Tour Coordinator
Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Division
© SplashTrash 2016
SplashTrash Intl. by SplashTrash Intl. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please give credit to SplashTrash Intl., the SplashTrash Tour, Bette Booth, www.splashtrash.org
