DEERFIELD BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — The Museum of Discovery and Science is moving forward with plans to open a new satellite location in partnership with the City of Deerfield Beach, and organizers are asking the public to help shape how the facility will be identified when it opens.
The science museum located in Fort Lauderdale known as MODS has started a public survey to gather opinions from Deerfield Beach residents and visitors about six potential names for their upcoming location. The effort is not a formal vote and will not directly determine the final name, according to materials released with the survey.
The evaluation process serves two purposes because it helps determine which name proposal will create what public reaction and it helps identify what people want from the new facility.
The survey introduction states that participants need to assess the complete atmosphere instead of choosing a particular name for this assessment. The survey requires participants to describe their mental connections with each name while they also need to express their emotions and their anticipated reactions after stepping into the area.
The satellite location is being developed through a partnership between MODS and the City of Deerfield Beach. The survey materials present the site as an exploration center which supports the museum's educational goals but they do not provide any information about the site's dimensions or operational timing.
The six working names included in the survey are:
- MODS Nature
- MODS Coastal
- MODS @ Sullivan Park
- MODS Deerfield Beach Nature Center
- MODS Coastal Center
- MODS @ the Beach
Participants are asked a series of structured questions for each name, including which words or ideas they associate with it, what types of exhibits or programs they would expect, and how clearly the name communicates a connection to the MODS brand.
The survey contains two sections which ask participants to rate the strength of name associations between Deerfield Beach and the Museum of Discovery and Science and to choose which name they think would draw in the most visitors through its name alone.
The survey starts with demographic questions which ask participants to provide their age range and ZIP code and their membership status in MODS and their residence in Broward County or Deerfield Beach or their status as a visitor from outside the tri-county area. The survey requires no personal details which could identify individual respondents.
The survey text shows that feedback will help MODS and city partners to create public presentations for the new space and its narrative development throughout their current planning process. The organizers state that participants should not worry about correct or incorrect answers because they want participants to provide open-ended responses.
The system allows users to enter names through a window which has a restricted time period. The survey will accept responses until 5 p.m. on Wednesday January 14th 2026.
Residents who participate are asked to take only a few minutes to complete the questionnaire, which is hosted online and accessible through a public link shared by MODS and the City of Deerfield Beach.
While the final name and timeline for the Deerfield Beach satellite location have not yet been announced, the public engagement effort signals that branding and community alignment are early priorities in the project’s development.
The project will reveal more details about the facility together with its programming information and scheduled opening dates throughout its upcoming development stages.
