Lowcountry Estuarium closed for renovations

The doors of the Lowcountry Estuarium are closed to visitors until April — but that doesn’t mean curator Bob Bender is taking time off.

Work soon will begin on renovations to the space at 1402 Paris Ave. The estuarium board will meet Tuesday to decide among four bids for the twofold update to the museum, Bender said.

The estuarium received a $45,000 state grant to make structural and organizational changes to the space. The main exhibit room will be made large enough for group tours, the displays and tanks will be upgraded to museum quality, offices will be relocated and the gift shop and main entrance will be moved to Paris Avenue instead of 14th Street.

The renovations should be complete in time for the Soft-Shell Crab Festival held in Port Royal on April 18.

“I’ve already begun dismantling the current displays and moved the creatures into the center of the room,” said Bender, who feeds the sea animals daily.

Only a portion of the $45,000 will go toward the physical renovations, he said. The rest of the money will be used for general operations, like paying for rent and utilities.

Bender also will be working the crowd Saturday at an oyster roast fundraiser being thrown by the Sons of AMVETS Post 70. The oyster roast is from noon to 4 p.m. at 1831 Ribaut Road in Port Royal. Oysters will be sold for $5 a bucket.

Money raised at the roast will go into the estuarium’s general fund, Bender said.

“We’re very pleased with what we’re going to have at the end of the renovation and we're looking forward to everyone coming to visit us,” Bender said.

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