top of page

Calusa Nature Center and Iona House Remain Open While Planetarium Temporarily Closed

  • eraddatz7
  • Jul 26, 2024
  • 2 min read

Fort Myers, FL —The Calusa Nature Center and Iona House are OPEN and safely welcoming visitors, while the Planetarium is temporarily closed for cleanup from yesterday's minor mercury spill. We will let everyone know when we safely reopen. Thank you all for reaching out to us! We join and thank Lee Health the Fort Myers Fire Department, Hazmat teams and DEP for adhering to only the highest standards of safety for our patrons, friends and families in our community


During our facility's modernization, which includes donating our previous projector to a state college, a small mercury-containing bulb was inadvertently damaged. This incident led to a brief minor spill and exposure affecting three individuals, who were promptly transported to the hospital. The hospital initiated a code orange as a precautionary measure, and we are relieved to hear that all individuals involved were not seriously injured and are doing well.


The Fort Myers Fire Department and Hazmat teams conducted a thorough investigation and inspection. We are working closely with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to ensure all safety protocols are rigorously followed before we can safely reopen.


"Safety is our top priority at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, and for everyone who visits. We are in the midst of a major renovation of the Planetarium, which is scheduled to reopen in September," said Executive Director Eric Raddatz. "We are grateful that there were no serious injuries and are taking every step to ensure that our reopening will be absolutely safe for all."


The building next door, the Calusa Nature Center and on-site Iona House remain unaffected, safe and open to visitors, field trips and summer camps. Renovation efforts at the Planetarium will continue, including a new roof, upgraded seating, new carpeting, and the presentation of some of the finest planetarium-curated films available in Florida.


These enhancements aim to provide a refreshed and elevated experience for all who visit, with a reopening planned for September.


We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of our community during this time. While the Planetarium will remain closed until all necessary safety inspections are completed, we look forward to showcasing our new features and improvements upon reopening.


For the latest updates, please visit our website or follow us on social media. Media inquiries should be directed to Executive Director Eric Raddatz.





Contact:

Eric Raddatz

Executive Director

Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium

239-810-6323

 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All

25 Comments


Lena Chandler
Lena Chandler
4 days ago

thanks for the clear update on the situation. it's good to know the nature center and iona house are still open for visitors and programs. the detailed explanation of the mercury spill incident and the safety protocols being followed is reassuring. i appreciate the transparency and the focus on community safety. looking forward to the planetarium's reopening in september with the new upgrades. Traducir Imagen

Like

I was searching for clear information and ended up reading this article from start to finish. The writing is simple, and every section is easy to understand. It didn't feel rushed or filled with unnecessary details. I appreciate the effort that went into creating something that's genuinely useful for readers. I'll definitely visit this website again whenever I need similar information.

82 lottery

Like

If anyone is looking for something quick to play during breaks, minecraft apk download is surprisingly engaging. It loads fast, runs smoothly in the browser, and doesn’t feel like one of those low-effort flash-style games.

Like

Felisha
Felisha
Jun 22

Hello! It’s great that the Calusa Nature Center and Iona House are still welcoming visitors even while the planetarium is temporarily closed. Places like these are very important for learning about nature and enjoying family time. I recently read some news about this center and was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the programs are still available. I also stumbled upon an article about casino online, but I’m still much more interested in nature and education. I hope the planetarium reopens soon so visitors can enjoy everything the complex has to offer.


Like

I was reading about government schemes and found this article very informative. During my search, I came across pm kisan yojana and found the information easy to understand. The content was well organized and presented in a simple format. Thank you for sharing such useful details and helping readers stay informed about important updates in a clear and accessible manner.


Like

Thank you to our Sponsors & Partners

dubia.webp
SWFL Produce
Vulcan Materials Company
CITYFM Logo_Horizontal COLOR_FNL.png
ZM-Logo_Liz.png
Fred & Jean Allegretti Foundation
Aux Delices
CITYFM Logo_Stacked_Color_FNL.png
download (2).png
shoreline lumber logo grb.bmp
R4 Roofing
Calusa Waterkeeper
Advance Solar & Spa
Sanibel Captiva Community Bank
copyImage.png
image001.jpg
FtMyersLogo.png
Fort Myers Film Festival
Garvin full logo.png
Logo_CDR_horizontal.jpg
G3_Logo_4C (3) Cropped 600x600.jpg
MDA Current Logo PNG (1).png
Jennifer-Fisher-Law-Logo-small-pllc.jpg
Swamp Cat_logo.png
HACFM logo (1).png
fmb_color_logo.png
Famous Daves
download (1).png
images.png
Silver King Logo.png
download.png
download (2).png
download (5).jpeg
download (6).jpeg
STRAY-50551-Mulicka-04282025.jpg
Luminary Hotel & Co. Logotype-Blue.png
Screen Shot 2026-06-26 at 1.38.17 PM.png
favicon.jpg

3450 Ortiz Ave.

Fort Myers, FL 33905

(239) 275-3435

 

Open Hours:

Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 4pm

Pricing:

Adults $13 

Children $7

Members Free

  • Untitled design (32)
  • Untitled design (31)
Candid 2026.png


© 2026 by CNCP

CALUSA NATURE CENTER AND PLANETARIUM IS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION (CH661) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING WWW.800HELPFLA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. OUR CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. EIN #23-7090889

bottom of page