Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has announced the receipt of "The Living Museum^®" trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The Living Museum^® operating model mirrors the operation of traditional art museums by featuring a changing schedule of rotating exhibitions featuring horticultural and garden displays. The goal of the operating model is to create reasons for new first-time visits and repeat visits from tourists, local residents, and part-time residents. As a result of revenue generated by The Living Museum^® model, Selby Gardens has been able to retire long-term debt to a zero balance, hire two additional botanists and expand educational programming, including new outreach programs for underserved youth in the Sarasota community, which are in the works. Since implementing The Living Museum^® model in 2015, Selby Gardens has experienced a 55 percent increase in admissions and membership has increased by 67 percent, to nearly 14,000 member households.