MAPS Museum

Meet the Founder: Charles, The Mind Behind the M.A.P.S. Museum

Every great museum begins with curiosity… and Charles has spent a lifetime following his.

Charles is what you might call a lifelong learner. He has always been fascinated by the stories hidden in the natural world and the cultures that shaped it. His journey toward creating the Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology & Science (M.A.P.S.) did not start in Florida. It began years earlier in North Carolina with a small museum called the SouthEastern Center of Ethnobotany & Diversity (SEED). When Charles later moved to the Tampa Bay area, that idea evolved and grew into what we now know as the M.A.P.S. Museum.

The name M.A.P.S. was chosen intentionally. While some people assume it means paper maps, the acronym actually stands for Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology & Science. Charles loves the museum’s slogan, “Great Discoveries Begin with MAPS.” It is a clever play on words because discoveries can begin with a physical map, or the moment you step inside the museum itself.

Charles’ path to founding the museum has been anything but ordinary. He began his career as a landscape architect, working as the site architect for ancient Greek and Roman sites in Greece and Cyprus. That work eventually led him to help design the grounds for a new natural history museum in South Florida. From there, he became the museum’s Assistant Director. That experience inspired him to pursue further studies in museum studies and archaeology. This launched a career that would take him across the world studying ancient cultures, particularly the Maya in Central America.

Along the way, Charles also spent years working in paleontology, helping uncover incredible fossils from the Triassic period, over 200 million years ago. One of his favorite discoveries was a massive phytosaur skull with more than 100 sharp teeth still embedded in the rock. It was the largest carnivore of its time. Moments like that remind him how thrilling scientific discovery can be.

His career has taken some unexpected turns as well. Charles has contributed to the development of video games for Blizzard Entertainment, including work on Diablo IV with a Maya-inspired theme. He has also collaborated with pharmaceutical researchers studying ancient Maya plants for potential medical breakthroughs after his academic research gained international attention, including coverage by BBC World News. As Charles likes to say, “You never know where life will take you. It is a crazy ride, so buckle up and enjoy the journey.”

But despite all of those incredible experiences, Charles says the most rewarding part of building the museum has been the people, especially the kids. Watching young visitors discover a passion for science, history, archaeology, or paleontology is what fuels his mission. Over the years, the museum has helped inspire volunteers, students, and visitors to pursue careers in STEM fields. Seeing those sparks of curiosity grow into real futures is what means the most to him.

At M.A.P.S., visitors can encounter some truly unforgettable artifacts. These include a dinosaur egg containing a preserved baby dinosaur, a spoon recovered from the Titanic, fascinating archaeological finds like ancient surgical skulls, and cultural artifacts from around the world. Each item tells a story about life on Earth and the people who lived here before us.

Charles believes museums are vital because they allow us to interact directly with the past. Where else can you stand face to face with objects that are thousands, or even millions, of years old? They remind us that history is real and that understanding the past helps guide our future.

Looking ahead, Charles dreams of expanding the M.A.P.S. Museum into a larger space so it can grow into the natural history museum that the Tampa Bay region deserves. With more room, the museum can expand its programs in archaeology, marine archaeology, paleontology, geology, forensic anthropology, and space science while continuing to inspire the next generation of explorers.

If you ask Charles where he would like to explore next, his answer is not another archaeological site on Earth.

It is the Moon, or maybe another planet.

Since becoming a NASA astronaut is probably not in the cards, he jokes that motion sickness might make that tricky, he hopes the next great off world explorer might come from the M.A.P.S. community, or perhaps even his son Alex, who is studying aerospace engineering.

Because if Charles has taught us anything, it is this.

Great discoveries truly do begin with MAPS. 🌎🦖🚀

What a fun and successful event for the M.A.P.S. Museum.

A huge thank you to Starkey Ranch TLC for hosting us and helping make the experience so special. We are so grateful for your continued partnership and support of hands-on learning in our community.

Charles truly enjoyed teaching everyone about the fascinating origins of chocolate and its deep roots in ancient civilizations. One of his special interests has always been the Mayan culture, so sharing the history of cacao, trade, and tradition made the class even more meaningful.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. We loved exploring history with you and can’t wait for the next adventure.

📰 We are honored to be featured in the Suncoast News.

After five wonderful years at Wendell Krinn Technical High School, the Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology and Science has officially outgrown its space. With more than 10,000 artifacts and fossils, growing collections, and expanding educational programs, we are now searching for a larger home where even more discovery and learning can happen.

This next chapter is full of possibility, and we are so grateful for the support of our community as we work toward a new future for M.A.P.S.

Read the full article here:
https://www.suncoastnews.com/news/new-port-richey-museum-searching-for-a-new-home/article_79926b25-add7-4eef-a2dd-465e1f20cac6.html

New Port Richey museum searching for a new home After spending five years on the Wendell Krinn Technical High School campus in New Port Richey, the museum needs a larger building to carry out its mission, director Charles Zidar