“We recognize the high level of detail and pride AST takes in each exhibit installation. The end result of working close with AST throughout the entire process is a final product that all parties – including the owners – are extremely pleased to have their name on.”
-Bart Zino | President, PBS Construction
The challenge was to take a 2400 square foot room and use it to tell the story of other modes of transportation than rail in Collier County.
The exhibits cover travel by boat, commercial fishing, early automobiles, the Naples Airfield and its life after WWII as the Naples Airport and the airlines that served it, the post war boom and the rise of the car culture, and finally the uniquely south Florida mode of transportation – the swamp buggy.
We accomplished this by designing large displays that provide the structure for the vehicle displays. Each vehicle is given its own environment for display. For example, in order to display the Model T, we placed it in one of the first mechanic’s shop – Frank’s Garage.
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- AST Exhibits rescued this car from the Florida elements and restored it to its former glory.
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- A black and white photo background ensures that the car remains the focus of this exhibit.
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- The history of Naples appears in the rear view mirror of the 55 Bel Aire.
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- AST Exhibits knows that nothing brings a classic car to life better than the iridescent glow of a neon sign.
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- To prevent wear and tear on the tires, AST Exhibits supported the vehicles by the chassis.
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- The tires were filled with foam to prevent them from going flat. AST Exhibits designed a special graphic for the floor that resembles asphalt cracking in the hot Florida sun.
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- A local art deco style motel from the 1950’s provided a fitting scene in which to park this classic car.
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- When recreating Frank’s Garage for the Naples Depot Museum, AST Exhibits carefully matched the decorative roofline, the hand painted sign from 1927 and even found a Ford Model T.
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- AST Exhibits designs and fabricates graphic panels of all shapes and sizes.
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- Thanks to AST Exhibits, visitors to the museum can travel back in time by pushing a button and experience actual Hurricane Donna broadcasts streaming from a vintage radio.
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- Sport and commercial fishing are two of the topics covered in this exhibit.
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- This display by AST Exhibits explores the role of boats in the rich history of Naples, Florida.
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- The design of this nautical themed display case was influenced by an aquarium.
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- AST Exhibits left the original brick walls exposed because the building itself plays a significant role in the story of Naples Florida.
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- Swamp buggies are one of the more unique modes of transportation in South Florida’s history.
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- The “Tumble Bug” was built in Frank’s Garage which is highlighted in another exhibit of the museum.
