GulfQuest National Maritime Museum, located on the Mobile River in Alabama, is the world’s only maritime museum dedicated to the heritage of the Gulf of Mexico. Featuring hands-on interactive experiences, GulfQuest opened in September 2015 and is estimated to draw more than 300,000 guests per year, including groups of boisterous schoolchildren. To maximize the visitor experience, the building team at this major educational attraction selected SONEX Valueline and willtec direct-apply panels from pinta acoustic.
Designed by Watermark Design Group to look like a ship headed into Mobile Bay towards the Gulf of Mexico, the 90,000-square-foot (8361-square-meter) museum includes 90 exhibits, a store, café and event spaces. Representing international trade in the Gulf of Mexico, the centerpiece of the rotunda, known as the grand lobby, is America’s Sea. This exhibit is a large interactive map with touchscreens allowing visitors to explore points of interest around the Gulf of Mexico.