By Andrew L. Lluberes

B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation, the non-profit advocate for clothing-optional beaches throughout North America, is moving closer to its dream of establishing a public Naturist Museum, Library and Institute (MLI) near Haulover Beach Park on Miami Beach.

At its quarterly Board of Governors meeting in September, B.E.A.C.H.E.S founder and Executive Director Shirley Mason informed that three possible sites had been identified. The potential sites are in North Miami Beach, North Miami and Sunny Isles Beach, all close to world-famous Haulover Beach, the more than 30-year-old clothing optional beach in Miami-Dade County.

B.E.A.C.H.E.S.’ aim is to open a combination naturist museum , library and institute for training, workshops, lectures and an organizational office space. It will allow the public, government officials and the millions of skinny dippers who visit Haulover Beach to research and experience the rich history of naturism through articles, documents, nude art forms and photographs. The building also would serve as the administrative office for B.E.A.C.H.E.S. and its sister organization South Florida Free Beaches.

Organized naturism and clothes-free recreation have a long and fascinating history throughout North America, and it continues. There are five excellent libraries devoted to the study of nude recreation around North America for “those in the know” to use and learn. However, all but one are located behind the walls of naturist resorts. As nice as they are, virtually no one outside a limited number of dues paying/card carrying members of The Naturist Society Foundation (TNSF) or the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) know where these libraries are located.

With the exception of the Naturist Education Foundation Library in Oshkosh Wisc., one must be a naturist or get special permission to enter these resorts and access their libraries. Lastly, these libraries are not promoted to the general public, schools of higher learning, their communities or local governments.

The B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Naturist Museum, Library and Institute will be different. The sites under consideration are all street-level properties that will be open to the public, researchers and other scholars interested in the history and practice of naturism. In order for clothes-free recreation to gain acceptance and naturism to achieve the respect it has earned, the Naturist Museum, Library and Institute will promote this bit of untold American history for all who want to learn.

The Foundation is seeking $750,000 in funding to obtain a site – either by buying or leasing the space – to establish a museum/library/institute and event space to house artifacts, visual arts exhibitions, legal documents, publications, and news articles about clothes-free recreation history in North America. The funding will also cover the furnishings, fixtures, and the operating expenses for the first three years, including salaries for staff for five full and part-time employees.

B.E.A.C.H.E.S. is the acronym for Beaches Education Advocates for Culture, Health, Environment and Safety and it promotes more than skinny dipping in the ocean. The organization is an “umbrella” for several initiatives that include the availability of accessible beaches and equipment for the disabled and handicapped; sea turtle and environment protection programs; beach clean-up for caring and protecting the fragile dunes, ocean and waterways; free health screenings for skin cancer and HIV and blood drives for beach goers and; capital improvements, repairs and painting. B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation establishes mutual beneficial working partnerships with government agencies, businesses, naturist beach advocacy groups and the public, to manage designated clothing optional naturist areas at public beaches.

The Foundation’s primary focus is establishing and maintaining designated clothing-optional areas at public beaches, and promoting safe, wholesome, family-friendly innocent skinny-dipping that fosters body positive and therapeutic recreation under the sun.

Please consider becoming a donor-sponsor or simply send your tax-deductible donation to this effort at:

beachesfoundation.org/donate

— or mail check payable to:

B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation Institute

17000 NE 14th Ave Building 2 | Suite 112 | North Miami Beach, FL 33162

Donations are tax-deductible.

Andrew L. Lluberes is a member of the B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Professional Advisory Council