The Mobile Area Council of Engineers (MACE) has named GulfQuest National Maritime Museum the 2016 Project of the Year. Watermark Design Group provided the architectural design for the 120,000 sq. ft. project and Thompson Engineering served as the Engineer of Record.

The City of Mobile partnered with the non-profit National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico to construct the interactive maritime museum. Opened in September 2015, GulfQuest is the first museum in the world dedicated to the Gulf Coast’s rich maritime traditions – and one of only two interactive maritime museums in the country.

GulfQuest was designed to resemble a ship pointed toward open water, a fitting façade for the museum’s exhibits. Architectural elements of the design include a large globe protruding through the roof, which represents the Gulf’s connection to the world. A bridge adds to the nautical look and serves as home to high-tech interactive exhibits. The interior includes a Grand Lobby, a large rotunda that provides ground-floor access to amenities including ticketing, a full-service café, and a museum store. Other features include observation decks, an orientation theater, galleries for traveling exhibits, meeting rooms, classrooms, and event spaces. Learn more about GulfQuest here.