Museums
Explore the world of art, science, and history by visiting a museum in Florida. Museum trips can make your lessons come alive and can offer a fun way to spend the day learning.
History & Culture Museums
Knott House Museum
Built in 1843, probably by free black builder George Proctor, the Knott House was first occupied by attorney Thomas Hagner and his wife Catherine Gamble. The house served as temporary Union Headquarters in 1865, where Brigadier General Edward McCook announced the Emancipation Proclamation. Physician Dr. George Betton made the location his home and office in the 1880s. Betton assisted in the early medical training of his carriage driver, William Gunn, who became Florida’s first African - American physician. In the early 20th century, three Florida Supreme Court judges lived in the house, acquired by William and Luella Knott in 1928. As the wife of a state treasurer, Luella hosted notable social functions, and as a poet, she wrote verses about the home and its furnishings, causing the site to be known as "The House That Rhymes." With the death of the Knott's son in 1985, the Historic Tallahassee Preservation Board became the beneficiary, and after extensive renovations, the Knott House Museum opened to the public in 1992. Its administration was transferred to the Museum of Florida History in 1997.
Camp Gordon Johnston Museum
Located in Carrabelle, Florida, the museum's role is to preserve the heritage of the men who trained at the this camp during WW II. Carrabelle was the focal point of social life around the camp when it was open during WW II, and today continues its role as the preserver of the amphibious soldier's heritage. Camp Gordon Johnston opened in 1942 for the sole purpose of training amphibious soldiers and their support groups, this camp trained a quarter of a million men, closing in June of 1946.
Amelia Island Museum of History
Discover the rich history and culture of Amelia Island, a tiny paradise with a big place in Florida’s history books. Housed in the historic Nassau County jail, the Amelia Island Museum of History showcases the island’s 4,000 years of Florida history. Although just 2 miles wide by 12 miles long, the island’s location attracted settlers, as well as the eight flags of occupation. The Museum offers modern exhibits, educational lectures, historic walking tours, ghost tours, and Elderhostel programs. As the first spoken history museum in the state of Florida, they continue their story-telling tradition through twice daily docent-led tours.
Fort Menendez at Old Florida Museum
Come explore Fort Menendez, meet some colorful characters from early Spanish St. Augustine and the Timucuan village of Seloy, and have lots of fun along the way! Join other adventurers on an interactive trip through time. Earn gold, buy, trade items, and wager with villagers and adventurers alike! Old Florida Museum offers four unique "HANDS-ON" programs designed to be entertaining as well as educational. Students experience life in St. Augustine through the struggles and successes of its people during distinct time periods of Florida’s history. All programs follow the Sunshine State Standards.
Maritime & Yachting Museum
After seven years of planning, the Maritime & Yachting Museum of Florida, Inc. was incorporated in 1993 when a small group of interested and dedicated individuals acted upon their knowledge that this community of unique waterways was a significant center of boating and maritime interests. They believed that the historic, economic and ecologic heritage of our unusually rich boating area deserved a permanent and expanding historical record for present and future generations.
Oldest Wooden School House in the United States
Located near the City Gates, The Old School House is a surviving expression of another time. Built over 200 years ago, while Florida was under the rule of Imperial Spain, it was constructed of red cedar and cypress and put together with wooden pegs and handmade nails.
Florida Historic Capitol Museum
The Florida Historic Capitol Museum serves to illuminate the past, present, and future connection between the people of Florida and their political institutions through programs of civic education, historic interpretation, and preservation. The restoration of The Old Capitol (1978—1982) was conducted under the supervision of the Department of General Services in conjunction with the Department of State. This intensive project of historical and archaeological investigation makes Florida’s former capitol one of the most thoroughly documented restoration projects in the nation. The Florida Legislative Research Center is located on the ground floor of the Historic Capitol. Its mission is to collect, preserve and make available for research significant materials connected with Florida's legislative history. It has a substantial collection of oral histories and is at present organizing an archive of important papers, photographs and related materials.
Goodwood Museum and Gardens
This estate began in the 1830s as a cotton and corn plantation that ultimately encompassed 2,400 acres. The plantation's agricultural emphasis declined after the Civil War and by the 1880s the remaining 160 acres, home and garden served as an elegant private residence. In 1911, Goodwood's ownership changed and the house and garden underwent major renovation, securing a place among the fine homes of the Country Estate era. The estate's style and elegance was further enhanced by Goodwood's owners in the late 1920s. Restoration efforts focus on this turn-of-the-century Country Estate era, ever mindful of Goodwood's rich 19th-century history.
Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum
The Colonial Spanish Quarter is a living history museum. Costumed interpreters relive a time when St. Augustine was a remote outpost of the Spanish Empire. The Colonial Spanish Quarter illustrates the life of Spanish soldiers and their families in 1740 St. Augustine. Tradesmen go about their occupations in blacksmithing, carpentry, leatherworking, candlemaking and other trades. The visitor experiences how families lived, how they grew and cooked their food, and how they tended their livestock in 18th century St. Augustine. You will experience the sights, sounds and smells of a town in historic Spanish Florida.
Liberty Bell Memorial Museum
Visit the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum in sunny Melbourne, FL when you are visiting Florida's Space Coast and ring a full-sized replica of the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell Memorial Museum serves as the anchor for Honor America's focus on education. Entry to the Museum includes the Rotunda of American History, the replica of the Liberty Bell, and Freedom Hall with displays of artifacts, photos, uniforms, weapons and models representing the various time periods of America's wars.
Bulow Plantation Ruins State Historic Site
In 1821, Major Charles Wilhelm Bulow acquired 4,675 acres of wilderness bordering a tidal creek that would later bear his name. Using slave labor, he cleared 2,200 acres and planted sugar cane, cotton, rice and indigo. Major Bulow died in 1823, leaving the newly established plantation to his seventeen year old son, John Joachim Bulow. Bulow's sugar mill, constructed of local "coquina" rock, was the largest mill in East Florida. At the boat slips, flatboats were loaded with barrels of raw sugar and molasses and floated down Bulow Creek to be shipped north. This frontier industry came to an abrupt end at the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. In January 1836, a band of raiding Seminole Indians, resisting removal to the West, looted and burned the plantation. It would never recover. Bulow returned to Paris where he died the same year. Today, the coquina walls and chimneys of the sugar mill remain standing as a monument to the rise and fall of the sugar plantations of East Florida.
Holy Land Experience
The Holy Land Experience is a living, biblical museum that takes you 7000 miles away and 2000 years back in time to the land of the Bible. The structures and exhibits characterize the style, architecture, and settings that existed in the Holy Land 2000 years ago. The Garden Tomb, Qumran Dead Sea Caves, Great Temple and Plaza, Jerusalem Model, and Wilderness Tabernacle are all intricately detailed, both inside and out, to provide you with a clearer understanding of their biblical significance.
Alachua County Historic Trust: Matheson Museum
The Alachua County Historic Trust: Matheson Museum, Inc. is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of Alachua County, Florida. The Museum complex includes 4 sites: the Matheson Museum, housing the exhibit hall and research library, the Matheson House, the Tison Tool Museum, and Sweetwater Park. The museum complex is located in Gainesville, Florida.
Air Force Armament Museum
Experience the aviation warfare armament from the early days of World War I right through to today's high tech planes and bombs. Inside, you'll find an extensive collection of weaponry and interactive displays that will amaze and intrigue. Outside displays include vintage military aircraft including the fastest plane ever built, the SR-71 Blackbird. Admission is free and all are welcome. Located at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida.
Ximenez-Fatio House
The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is one of St. Augustine's most authentic historic properties. The museum complex is located on Aviles Street, America's first platted thoroughfare, in the center of the city's oldest community, the Old Town area south of the Plaza. The property includes a ca. 1798 coquina stone house, the region's only detached kitchen building, a reconstructed ca. 1802 wash House and a new Visitor Center with state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and a museum store.
G. Howard Bryan Museum of Southern History
The Museum of Southern History invites you to take a step back in time Jacksonville’s only museum and library dedicated to Southern history. Exhibits range from War Between the States to the home life of our Southern ancestors. You'll find flags, weapons, medical and civilian items from the 1860s, a time when our country was torn apart by the bloodiest war fought in our nation’s history.
Cedar Key Historical Society Museum
The Cedar Key Historical Society was established in 1977 by a group of citizens dedicated to preserving the long and rich history of Cedar Key. The museum opened its doors in 1979 in the historic Lutterloh building on the corner of 2nd street and SR24. Exhibits include prehistoric and Native American artifacts, the 2nd Seminole Indian War, the Civil War, the cedar pencil and lumbering industries, maritime activity prior to Tampa’s development as a port and the seafood industry up to today’s successful clam aquaculture. There is also an extensive collection of old Cedar Key photographs in the archives.
Historical Museum of Southern Florida
HistoryMiami Museum gathers, interprets, and presents the history of Miami and the greater South Florida region as a cultural crossroads of the Americas.
Through exhibitions, collections, and publications, the museum offers the community, its residents and visitors meaningful ways to connect to the rich past and ever-evolving future of the region and its diverse inhabitants. Their education programs are designed to provide age and grade-level appropriate experiences. Students compare and contrast the past and present and are encouraged to visualize and discuss what the future may be like based on patterns of the past. They also offer their Historic Site Visits Program, with tours of the museum, the Cape Florida Lighthouse, Lummus Park, Matheson Hammock Park, Miami Circle, Miami City Cemetery, Miami-Dade Count Courthouse, and Virginia Key Beach.
Historic Pensacola Village and T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum
Historic Pensacola Village consists of twenty properties in the Pensacola National Register Historic District. Ten of these properties are interpreted facilities that are open to the public. The T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum, originally the 1908 City Hall building, is a virtual treasure trove of historic artifacts, Americana, and West Florida history. The T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Museum houses two floors of permanent and traveling exhibits and our children's hands-on exhibit, the Discovery Gallery, located on the third floor. Plan an exciting trip to historic downtown Pensacola today.
American Police Hall of Fame & Museum
The American Police Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1960. It is the nation's first national police museum and memorial dedicated to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
National Naval Aviation Museum
Your adventure awaits at the National Naval Aviation Museum located on Pensacola Naval Air Station. Enjoy the hands-on history of Naval Aviation and see more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft and over 4,000 artifacts representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Aviation. Feel the thrill in our Flight Simulators or visit the Naval Aviation Memorial Theatre and catch all the drama and power of our amazing IMAX® films. Then refresh with a tasty lunch or dessert in the authentic Cubi Bar Café. Take home the spirit of Naval Aviation with a unique memento from the Flight Deck Store. Spend a cool day inside the Museum with countless things to touch and see, more to experience and enjoy!
Museum of Science and History
The Museum of Science and History of Jacksonville (MOSH) stimulates the joy of learning for visitors of all ages in science, astronomy, and the history of the region.
World Golf Hall of Fame and Imax Theater
World Golf Hall of Fame is the ultimate destination for the celebration and recognition of golf's greatest players and contributors and serves as an inspiration to golfers and golf fans throughout the world. Supported by all of the world's leading golf organizations, the Hall of Fame combines historic artifacts and personal memorabilia with interactive exhibits to tell the stories of our members and the history of the game.
Florida Agricultural Museum
Visitors to the museum can visit a fully restored 1890s pioneer homestead, a turn of the last century Dry Goods Store, five restored buildings from a 1930s Depression-Era citrus operation, and a 5,000 square foot dairy barn formerly belonging to Governor of Florida, Millard Caldwell. All of these exhibits were moved from their original locations and renovated with grant funds provided by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources. In addition to preserving Florida’s agricultural past , the museum is also active in the conservation of heritage livestock including rare Florida Cracker Cattle and Horses. The Florida Agricultural Museum provides a fun and educational experience for all ages.
Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum
In the heart of historic downtown Fort Walton Beach, sits a one-room school, reminiscent of days gone by. This building was the first schoolhouse constructed for the children of Camp Walton, later to be known as Fort Walton Beach. Local citizens built the school of native pine and oak in 1911. When the school opened in 1912, there were 15 students and 1 teacher. Eight grades were taught in this school. Miss Minnie Tippins from Andalusia, Alabama, was the first teacher. The preservation and restoration of the building was undertaken by the Junior Service League and the Okaloosa County School Board in 1971 and opened as an educational museum in 1976. In 1986, the Junior League turned over the ownership and operations to the City of Fort Walton Beach. This schoolhouse is truly a place where memories can be captured and new ones made. This school is still teaching!
Avon Park Depot Museum
The museum serves as an ever-growing, multifaceted resource for the community. It was built as a railroad station in 1926 by the Seaboard Railroad, which brought hundreds of people to the area in the late 1920s, many of whom would later settle here. Today, the Depot’s main function is to serve as a historical museum for Avon Park and the surrounding area. It features a number of ever-growing exhibits telling the stories of Avon Park. The museum also features a research room, complete with a microfilm reader/printer for viewings yesterday’s Avon Park newspapers. And, of course, visitors will find a museum gift shop. A former railroad dining car, built in 1948 and purchased by the Historical Society of Avon Park in 1986, sits adjacent to the museum.
Oldest House Museum
A must-see on your tour of the nation's oldest city. The museum complex, owned and operated by the St. Augustine Historical Society, includes Florida's Oldest House, two museums, a changing exhibition gallery, an ornamental garden, and a museum store. Here you'll find the Oldest House, the Manucy Museum, Tovar House, the Page L. Edwards Gallery, and the Oldest House Garden.
Black Archives at the Union Bank
Completed in 1841 when Florida was still a territory, the Union Bank is the state's oldest surviving bank building. Chartered to help finance local cotton plantations, it ultimately closed because of crop failures, the Second Seminole War, and poor management. After the Civil War, it reopened as the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company for emancipated slaves and later served several other functions. In 1971, the Bank was moved from its original site, and, after restoration, it was opened as a museum in 1984. The Union Bank now serves as an extension of the Florida A&M University Black Archives, Research Center and Museum and is open to the public and school groups only on weekdays. Artifacts and documents reflecting black history and culture are on display, and public programs are provided by Black Archives staff. The museum is located in Tallahassee, Florida.
Tallahassee Museum
Explore the nature, culture, and history of the Big Bend region at the Tallahassee Museum. The Tallahassee Museum’s exhibits explore the human and animal residents of the Big Bend region and reveal their relationships with their communities, with each other and with the area’s natural environment. Areas of the museum include the Phipps Gallery, Wildlife Florida, Big Bend Farm, Old Florida, Natural Florida, Florida & Beyond, and the Discovery Center.
Micanopy Historical Society Museum
The Micanopy Historical Society Museum exists for the purpose of collecting, preserving and interpreting the history of Micanopy and its surrounding area. Artifacts representing life at the Micanopy site from pre-historic times to the present are retained for research, education and exhibition in the Society's Museum.
Suwannee County Historical Museum
The mission of the Suwannee County Museum is the locating, collecting, preserving, recording and exhibiting of objects and artifacts illustrative of the history of Suwannee County and the northern part of Florida.
Florida Capitol Building
Florida's new Capitol building has a rich ancestry, which began in 1824 with the establishment of Tallahassee as the new capitol city. As Florida's population has continued to grow, so has its need for government services. The New Capitol symbolizes the growth and development of Florida. The Capitol Complex, located in downtown Tallahassee, provides a dignified and serviceable headquarters for state government. The Capitol is the twenty-two story building. It is home to Florida's Executive and Legislative branches. Others building at the Capitol Complex include the two four story office buildings for the House of Representatives and Senate as well as the Historic Capitol and Knott Building. The Capitol is located in downtown Tallahassee at the intersection of Apalachee Parkway and Monroe Street. The Capitol is open to the public Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed weekends and holidays.
DeBary Hall Historic Site
DeBary Hall was the winter retreat of a European-born wine merchant who chose the St. Johns River country for his hunting estate. Beginning in the 1870s, New Yorker Frederick deBary acquired lands near Lake Monroe, built a large vacation house, and tried his hand at orange growing and commercial steamboating. But above all, this Florida estate became a center of sport hunting and hospitality. When deBary’s last American heir died in 1941, the retreat had grown to more than 6,000 acres with many outbuildings. Today’s historic site is a little smaller—ten acres. But it still includes the 8,000-square-foot main house, stables and other structures, plus artifacts from a kind of working farm.
Central Florida Railroad Museum
Located in the heart of historic Winter Garden Florida in the old Tavares and Gulf railroad depot, the Central Florida Railroad Museum lets you examine the history of railroading in Central Florida.
Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
This park is the original site of the nation's oldest city. Located in the area first explored by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 and settled by Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565, historic St. Augustine is the oldest successful European settlement in the United States. Colonial America started right here, 55 years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, and 42 years before Jamestown. With a long, rich history spanning nearly 500 years, the Fountain of Youth Park will delight and amaze you. Whether you visit for an hour or take all day, the 15 waterfront acres will provide you with hours of enjoyment.
John Gorrie Museum State Park
A young physician named John Gorrie moved to Apalachicola in the early 1800s when it was a prominent port of trade, commerce, and shipping in Florida. Gorrie served as postmaster, city treasurer, town councilman, and bank director. Concern for his yellow fever patients motivated Gorrie to invent a method for cooling their rooms. He became a pioneer in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration by inventing a machine that made ice, and received the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. A replica of his ice-making machine is on display at the museum, as well as exhibits chronicling the colorful history of Apalachicola, which played an important role in Florida's economic development.
Black Archives Research Center and Museum
Located in the historic 1907 Carnegie Library on the campus of Florida A & M University, the Black Archives Research Center and Museum provides important insight and information on the history of Africa and African Americans. The Black Archives was established by the Florida Legislature in 1971 and dedicated and opened to the public in 1977. Its mission is to collect, preserve, dispense and display materials relevant to the history of African Americans and black people worldwide, emphasizing especially their experiences, contributions, and interactions with other ethnic groups. More than a half million documents and thousands of artifacts from all over the world are housed in the repository, including a 500-piece Ethiopian Christian cross collection, and rare African books and maps, some dating back to the 1700s. Another special feature is the Archives' mobile unit. The unit travels throughout Florida and to neighboring states displaying historical artifacts on the contributions of African American people.
DeLand House Museum/Memorial Hospital Museum at Bill Dreggors Park
The DeLand House Museum was built in 1886 for DeLand's first attorney, Arthur George Hamlin, who also developed the Hamlin Orange. Originally a one-and-a-half story structure, the house was built upon land purchased from Henry A. DeLand, the founding father of the City. At the time, the site extended all the way to Woodland Boulevard and had an orange grove from the house to the street. Currently a museum housing eight galleries and exhibits, The DeLand Memorial Hospital was originally built to serve the growing needs of a population expanded by the land boom era. In 1920, its cornerstone was placed, and in 1922 the completed building was dedicated to the service men of World War I.
Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse
Visited by over 120,000 people each year, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998, making it one of only 10 lighthouses with this designation. The lighthouse tower and museum are located 12 miles south of Daytona Beach and are open to the public year round. The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and one of the tallest lighthouses in the nation. Visitors who climb the 175-foot-tall lighthouse tower are treated to a magnificent view of the Florida coastline and Halifax River from Daytona Beach to New Smyrna Beach.
Cedar Key Museum State Park
Picturesque Cedar Key, on Florida's Gulf Coast, was a thriving port city and railroad connection during the 19th century. The museum contains exhibits that depict its colorful history during that era. Part of the collection has sea shells and Indian artifacts collected by Saint Clair Whitman, the founder of the first museum in Cedar Key. Whitman's house is located at the park and has been restored to reflect life in the 1920s. A short nature trail gives visitors the opportunity to see wildlife and birds, as well as native vegetation. Small gray squirrels, doves, mockingbirds, blue jays, woodpeckers, and green tree frogs can be seen on the museum grounds and along the walking trail.
Museum of Florida History
Opened in 1977, the Museum of Florida History collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets evidence of past and present cultures in Florida, and promotes knowledge and appreciation of this heritage. As the state history museum, it focuses on artifacts and eras unique to Florida's development and on roles that Floridians have played in national and global events. Through exhibits, educational programs, research, and collections, the Museum reflects the ways that people have shaped and reacted to their cultural and natural environments.
National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum
The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors, including the Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Maritime Units, and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders. Located in Fort Pierce, Florida - the birthplace of the Navy Frogman - the Museum promotes public education by providing the opportunity to explore the history of the Navy SEALs in an atmosphere of respect and honor.
Air Force Space and Missile Museum at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
The Air Force Space and Missile Museum at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station preserves both the hardware and the spirit of United State's ventures into space. The museum displays numerous missiles, rockets and related space equipment and is open daily.
Its primary mission is to collect, restore, and exhibit items of historical significance which relate to the development and heritage of U.S. Air Force space launch activities. This unique museum highlights the Air Force as a major participant in America's space program and emphasizes activities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station beginning in early 1950 and continuing today. Since opening to the public in 1966, the museum has introduced millions of visitors to the history of rocketry and space flight.
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is dedicated to discovering, preserving, presenting and keeping alive the story of nation's oldest port by offering educational opportunities, local and national preservation efforts, maritime archaeological research, and by safeguarding the memories and precious belongings of those who came before us.
St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine
The Saint Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine is a living memorial to the first Greek settlers on the American continent and to all the Greek Orthodox pioneers whose love of freedom and desire for a better life for themselves and their children brought them to this New World.
Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida
The mission of the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida is to collect and preserve material culture pertaining to the region's history; to interpret its economic and social history, including the relationship between the region's human population and its natural resources, through research, exhibits, and educational programs; and to provide public access to its collections for research purposes. The Heritage Museum is located on the original main street of Valparaiso, Florida. The oldest part of the building was the second home of Valparaiso State (now Vanguard) Bank. In 1964, the building became the first home of Okaloosa-Walton (Junior) College.
St. Lucie County Historical Museum
The St. Lucie County Historical Museum offers tours and programs designed to complement social studies curriculum and classroom learning. Exhibits cover subjects including the Cobb Store, early Native Americans, the fishing industry, a pineapple plantation, and trains.
John G. Riley Center/Museum of African American History and Culture
The Riley House is a little known historical and cultural gem that sits at the bottom of a hill in downtown Tallahassee, at the corner of Meridian and Jefferson Streets. In 1978, through the efforts of local preservationists, the Riley House became the second house in Florida owned by a black person to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, the first being the Mary McLeod Bethune house in Volusia County. In 1995, a group of Tallahassee citizens established a museum at the Riley House dedicated to African-American history and culture. This facility draws more visitors and tourist into the area while providing a historically diverse attraction.
Jacksonville Maritime Museum
The Jacksonville Maritime Museum Society is a non-profit, educational association and collects books, documents, artifacts, and other historical objects significant to General Maritime History of Jacksonville and Florida's First Coast; preserves their historical value; and interprets their meaning to the public by means of museum displays, educational programs, lectures and publications.
Mandarin Museum and Historical Society
Mandarin Museum & Historical Society shares the stories of Mandarin’s history, culture and natural resources by providing engaging programs that educate, entertain and inspire. In the 1800s, Mandarin was a small farming village that shipped oranges, grapefruit, lemons and other fruits and vegetables to Jacksonville and points north on the steamships that traveled the St. Johns River. In 1864, the Union steamship, the Maple Leaf, hit a Confederate mine and sank just off Mandarin Point. Author Harriet Beecher Stowe wintered in the village from 1867 to 1884. Mandarin now is a small section of the City of Jacksonville, Florida, but its natural beauty, parks and historic buildings draw visitors from around the world. School tours are available.
Barberville Pioneer SEttlement Historical Village Museum
The Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts, Inc. was established as an educational institution whose mission is the collection, preservation, conservation and exposition of objects which are the cultural heritage of the community. The Pioneer Settlement for the Creative Arts, Inc. is located on the grounds of former Volusia County Schools surplus property known as the Central School of Barberville (c. 1919), which was first leased from the Volusia County School Board in the year of the Settlement's incorporation, 1976.
Karpeles Manuscript Library
The Karpeles Library is the world's largest private holding of important original manuscripts and documents. The archives include documents and manuscripts such as: the proposal draft of the United States Bill of Rights; The Emancipation Proclamation Amendment to the United States Constitution; and original drafts of the National Constitutions of France, Spain and Mexico; Scientific manuscripts including Descarte and Kepler; Historical documents including Pope Lucius' Proclomation of the Sacred Duties of the Knights of the Holy Crusades; and similar monumental documents in literature, history, exploration, and art. Exhibits change quarterly. Children's program includes over 20 theme rooms for future career exploration and play for young children.
Indian River Citrus Museum/Heritage Center
In the late 1800's, early Florida settlers began the commercial cultivation of citrus and an industry was born. Indian River Lagoon country, along the Florida middle east coast, proved to be the prime location for growing the finest citrus in the world. This fruit would exclusively carry the envied stamp...Indian River! The Indian River Citrus Museum tells the story and preserves the artifacts, photographs and memorabilia of the pioneers who established the most distinguished citrus fruit in the world.
Camp Blanding Museum and Memorial Park
The Camp Blanding Museum and Memorial Park is owned and operated by the Florida Department of Military Affairs (Florida National Guard). It is a public facility dedicated to individuals and units of the US Army in memory of their World War II service. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, displays and accounts for all objects and artifacts related to the history, heritage and traditions of Camp Blanding the Florida National Guard, individuals and units that trained at Camp Blanding and their global campaigns.
House of Refuge Museum at Gilbert's Bar
As the oldest structure on the Treasure Coast (circa 1876), The House of Refuge Museum at Gilbert’s Bar has weathered many storms and provided shelter for shipwreck survivors. It is the only remaining House of Refuge in the country. The museum is open seven days a week. Tours, which provide a look at turn-of-the-century coastal living at the Refuge, include the boathouse living quarters and a WWII lookout tower.
Beaches Museum & History Center
Experience the world of Beaches pioneers for yourself at the Beaches Museum & History Center. Enjoy the interactive, informative, and intriguing look at the area's heritage through exhibits and firsthand accounts designed to bring the rich history of the Beaches communities to life. Our First Coast shores enjoy a deep and diverse heritage. Travel back to the past and get to know the people and events that shaped the area.
Constitution Convention Museum State Park
A boomtown founded in 1835, St. Joseph competed with Apalachicola as a trading port on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The original settlement lasted only nine years, but during its short life the city hosted Florida's first State Constitution Convention. The museum commemorates the work of the 56 territorial delegates who drafted Florida's first constitution in 1838. Following four more constitution conventions, Florida was finally admitted to the Union in 1845 as the 27th state. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through displays and exhibits of 19th century life in St. Joseph. Life-size, audio-animated mannequins in the replicated convention hall demonstrate the debate and process of drafting a state constitution.
Peña-Peck House
The Peña-Peck House was constructed around 1750 by order of the King of Spain to be the residence of his royal Treasurer, Juan Esteban de Peña. The Peña-Peck House sits on St. George Street at the heart of the historic district. Built of native coquina stone, it is the finest surviving First Spanish Period home in the city. Today the loggias and the first floor remain little changed. Today, Exchange volunteer guides conduct visitors throughout the house filled with Peck furnishings including priceless 18th century American antiques. Visitors are encouraged to explore 254 years of history. Tour the graceful frame and coquina house, a block north of the city's Plaza de la Constitucion, and step into history. Hear stories of its Spanish and British occupants as well as a succession of local families who lived in the house until 1837 when Dr. Seth Peck bought the property.
Hawthorne Historical Museum and Cultural Center
The Hawthorne area has a wonderful museum that highlights and vanguards the history of the area, a true reflection of Florida's heritage. It is located at the southern end of SE 221 St. (historic Johnson St).
St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum
The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum offers an educational, exciting, and timber-shivering museum experience that transports you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy.
Pensacola Historical Museum
The Museum has been a part of downtown Pensacola for over thirty years. In that time, the Museum has moved from Old Christ Church to the Arbona Building. Many visitors who remember coming into the Museum in Old Christ Church bring their younger generations to the new Museum in the Arbona Building. The Museum houses two floors of exhibit space. The first floor is dedicated to our changing exhibits. The second floor of the Museum houses our permanent galleries, including Army/Navy Gallery, Maritime Gallery, Multicultural Gallery, Native American Gallery, and Forts/Civil War Gallery. The Museum also has a Museum Store full of those hard to find local publications.
New Smyrna Beach Museum of History
The museum collects and exhibits objects and documents related to the history of Southeast Volusia County, with particular emphasis on the settlement of Dr. Andrew Turnbull in 1768.
Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum
The Valiant Air Command is a non-profit museum. The museum displays, maintains and restores all types of aircraft that were indigenous to the world's military Air Forces starting before WW1 to the present. The Main Bay/Display Area contains approximately 30,000 square feet and is wide and high enough to accommodate the wing span and tail assembly of all but the largest bombers. In addition to the main hangar bay, there is an area 15,000 square feet dedicated to the display of memorabilia associated with the "Valiant" individuals who flew, maintained these aircraft.
Panhandle Pioneer Settlement
The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement is a living history museum located in Blountstown, FL as a part of Sam B. Atkins Park. It is a collection of historical and recreated buildings arranged to simulate an early agricultural community, with a pioneer settlement and a farmstead. The museum sits on 47 acres in Calhoun County. The mission of the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement is to acquire, document, research, preserve and restore buildings, artifacts and tools that were used in work and daily life of the pioneers of the Florida panhandle region. These collections are used to educate and share the experience of pioneer lifestyles and values with future generations.
African-American Research Library and Cultural Center
The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center is a general-service library, as well as a research facility and cultural center containing more than 75,000 books and related materials that focus on the experiences of people of African descent. Features include: literary collections of African-American authors, books and artifacts from Africa, the Caribbean, and North and South America, the Small Business Resource Center, a career information resource area, exhibits, seminars and special events, including The Pan African Bookfest, Jazzteenth and Kwanzaa, and resources for information on local history. The facility also features a 5,000 square foot museum.
Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center
Consists of the Indian Temple Mound Museum, Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, and the Garnier Post Office Museum. Together these three museums form a cultural center which presents the history of the Fort Walton Beach area from prehistoric times, some 12,000 years ago, the first school in 1912, and through the close of the post office in the 1950s. It is the purpose of these museums to preserve and hold their collections in trust for humankind. The Museum Division uses its collection to educate, for exhibit, research and advanced study. The museums host over 13,000 visitors annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries. An additional 7,500 school and civic organization members receive educational programs.
Mission San Luis
A visit to Mission San Luis transports you back in time. Your destination is a community where Apalachee Indians and newcomers from Spain live in close proximity drawn together by religion as well as military and economic purpose. Modern day visitors to Mission San Luis discover a re-created community where time stands still. There they meet the people of San Luis going about the tasks that sustained life centuries ago. They walk the plaza where the Apalachees played their traditional ball games. They visit the most important structure in the Apalachee village, the council house, and also stop at the home of the Spanish Deputy Governor. Visitors are welcomed at the church built under the supervision of Franciscans, and at the friary where they lived. Mission San Luis is a very special place where history comes to life.
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum Home School Programs
All programs and tours focus on a broad range of maritime topics as they relate to Florida, the country, and the world. Program content is tied to the Sunshine State Standards and teach Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. Programs can easily be designed and formatted to meet the needs of ESE students, older students and students with other educational challenges.
Halifax Historical Museum
Since 1986 the Halifax Historical Museum has been housed in the former Merchant's Bank Building located in the heart of the downtown historical district of Daytona Beach. The focus of the museum is to present the history of the greater Daytona Beach area with artifacts dating from 5,000 B.C. including the local Native Americans, the Spanish and British colonial eras, early pioneer families, beach auto racing, World War II and vintage toys. The Museum offers a research facility with old city directories, documents and maps as well as an extensive photographic and postcard collection.
Museum of Man in the Sea
The Museum of Man in the Sea is a great place to explore fascinating exhibits and get acquainted with the roots of diving. From the earliest animal-skin bladders to the latest, greatest deep sea dive gear, there's more to see at MMS than you can shake a snorkel at! The Museum of Man in the Sea is continually developing programs for kids of all ages. A saltwater touch pool and a hands-on computer program give our members and visitors the opportunity to experience life in the pristine St. Andrew Bay estuary. A submarine to climb through, a helmet to try on, undersea habitats and experiments to help explain undersea conditions, plus special changing exhibits add to the fun. Located in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science
The mission of the Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science is to operate and maintain a museum for the education of the public about regional cultural heritage and to preserve historic artifacts and natural history specimens that support this educational mission. The Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science is located in Cocoa, Florida. Tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood the museum boasts two wings of indoor exhibits and a 22-acre nature preserve backing up to the Eastern Florida State College Planetarium. Through curation and display, they invite visitors to explore the unique history of Brevard County. From Ice Age fossils to the Space Age Hubble telescope, they have something for everyone.
The Brevard Museum is also home to the Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute whose mission, in hand with the museum, is to educate the public about Florida archaeology through research, publication and outreach.
Destin History & Fishing Museum
Experience the feeling of swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with award winning examples of fish caught in Destin. This exhibit is displayed on a 100 feet of wall space depicting the Gulf floor. View a large collection of antique fishing rods and reels, the most unique is constructed of split bamboo with an original Penn Reel, that belonged to Ernest Hemmingway. Get an idea of life in Destin before the arrival of electricity in the 1930s.
Visit the original Destin Post Office building located adjacent to the property. See the oldest seine fishing boat still in existence, The Primrose, built in 1925. Enjoy vintage photographs of early Destin settlers, boat captains and their boats, beach scenes, businesses, and much more. Located in Destin, Florida.
Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center
The Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center provides unique hands-on learning opportunities for Marion County Public Schools students, staff, and the general public. Visitors learn about the cultural and natural history of Marion County, and the importance of protecting and conserving cultural and natural resources.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
Homeschool programs will consist of a 45-minute interactive educational show as well as a suggested “Try This at Home” experiment or activity. All groups will have time before or after programs to explore museum exhibits.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Explore the Health in Motion exhibit, learn about the whales, dolphins and manatees of northeast Florida, and check out the daily animal encounters with a naturalists.
Art Museums
Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens
The Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens features an art museum, war memorial, and botanic gardens.
Thomas Center Galleries
The Thomas Center Galleries features exhibitions that highlight the highest quality of work by local, regional, national and emerging artists. Special events, lectures, symposiums and workshops are offered throughout the season.
Atlantic Center for the Arts
Atlantic Center for the Arts is a nonprofit interdisciplinary artists-in-residence community and arts education facility dedicated to promoting artistic excellence. Talented artists are provided an opportunity to work and collaborate with some of the world's most distinguished contemporary artist in the fields of composing, and visual, literary and performing arts. Community interaction is coordinated through on-site and outreach presentations, workshops and exhibitions.
Duncan Gallery of Art
Stetson`s Duncan Gallery of Art provides first-hand access to important new artwork. The gallery is a professional venue for students to show their work during the annual juried student art competition and the Senior Thesis Exhibition.
Highlands Museum of the Arts
The mission of the Highlands Museum of the Arts is to promote art appreciation and art education for people of all ages. From art festivals to gallery receptions, student scholarships and art classes, the Highlands Art League offers a myriad of ways to get involved in the arts. Art Exhibits, Art workshops, bus trips, and Art classes for children are offered throughout the year.
Crealde School of Art
Founded in 1975, Crealdé was the brainchild of late Winter Park businessman William S. Jenkins. Today this successful not-for-profit community arts center offers a year-round curriculum of more than 80 affordable classes in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and ceramics for adults and children. Its faculty is comprised of more than 40 professional working artists who teach beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. Facilities include a professional dark room, ceramics studio, foundry, two galleries and sculpture garden.
Polk Museum of Art
With eight galleries and a sculpture garden, visitors are sure to find something they like on exhibit at Polk Museum of Art. The rotating exhibition schedule offers a diverse array of visual options, from African or Asian art to contemporary art by national or regional artists.
Downstairs, visitors enter into the Hollis Gallery. Major touring or Museum organized exhibitions will be found in the two large main galleries: the Dorothy Jenkins Gallery and the Emily S. Macey Gallery. Pre-Columbian works can be found on permanent display in the Taxdal Pre-Columbian Gallery, and artwork by elementary through high school students will be found in the George Jenkins Student Gallery. As you travel to the elevator or stairs, browse through the Perkins Gallery where you will often find one-person exhibitions on display. Upstairs galleries offer a more intimate venue for viewing art. The Ledger and Murray galleries are often combined to showcase rotating exhibitions of works from the Permanent Collection. In the Marks Gallery, you will find works from the Student Collection.
Pensacola Museum of Art
The mission of the Pensacola Museum of Art is to be a bridge to the visual arts for the diverse populations of Pensacola and the surrounding communities by providing an array of stimulating exhibitions within our historic building. The primary focus of the PMA Permanent Collection is to acquire and preserve works of art from the 20th and 21st century, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary art including painting, sculpture, and works on paper. The collection includes works by noted artists: John Marin, Salvador Dali, Miriam Scharpiro, Fairfield Porter, Thomas Hart Benton, Alex Katz, Lynda Benglis, Milton Avery and Alexander Calder. Additionally, the Museum has superb decorative art collections of European and American glass and African tribal art.
Orlando Museum of Art
Founded in 1924, the Orlando Museum of Art is a 501(c)(3) educational institution whose mission reflects the continued growth of Florida, ardent community support for the arts and the OMA’s role as a leading cultural institution in the region. Since its inception, the Museum’s purpose has been to enrich the cultural life of Florida by providing excellence in the visual arts. To meet this objective, the Museum has dedicated itself to collecting, preserving and interpreting notable works of art; to presenting exhibitions of local, regional, national and international significance; to developing first-rate educational programs; and to presenting creative and inclusive programs to reach every segment of a diverse community. Annually, the Museum presents 10-12 exhibitions on-site and 13 exhibitions off-site, award-winning art enrichment programs, unlimited gallery tours, teacher in-service training programs, video programs, distinguished lectures, art appreciation lectures, studio classes, lecture/luncheon programs and outreach services in its facility and through outreach services.
Brevard Art Museum
A center of creativity, the Museum collects, displays and interprets all aspects of the visual arts, particularly women artists, in ways that relate to the past, to the present, and to the future.
Morse Museum of American Art
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art houses the world's most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) including Tiffany jewelry, pottery, paintings, art glass, leaded-glass windows, lamps, and the chapel interior he designed for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Museum's holdings include a major collection of American art pottery and representative collections of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century American paintings, graphics, and decorative arts.
University Galleries at University of Florida
The University Galleries are comprised of the University Gallery, which features contemporary visual arts exhibitions, the Focus Gallery, which showcases faculty, alumni, and student work, and the Grinter Gallery, which presents multicultural exhibitions.
Appleton Museum of Art of Central Florida Community College
The Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala, Florida is one of the South's premier art repositories and education centers. Originally built to display and preserve the collection of Arthur I. Appleton, the museum has expanded to include traveling exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events.
Harn Museum of Art
The Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art promotes the power of the arts to inspire and educate people and enrich their lives. To this purpose the museum builds and maintains exemplary art collections and produces a wide variety of challenging, innovative exhibitions and stimulating educational programs. As an integral part of the University of Florida, the museum advances teaching and research and serves as a catalyst for creative engagement between the university and diverse local, state, national and international audiences.
Lightner Museum
Relics of America's Gilded Age are elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes, furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Mount Dora Center for the Arts
Since 1985, as an outgrowth of the Mount Dora Arts Festival, the Mount Dora Center for the Arts has provided quality art experiences in the Lake County region of Central Florida. The Center maintains a year-round calendar of arts-related events and activities. The Center has ongoing Arts Education programs, day and evening, for all ages in visual and performing arts.
Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens
The mission of the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens is to promote the legacy of internationally known sculptor, Albin Polasek, N.A. and to encourage study, appreciation and the furtherance of representational art.
Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville
The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is one of the Southeast’s largest contemporary art institutions, dedicated to presenting innovative exhibitions by the finest international, national and regional artists. MOCA Jacksonville, which opened its doors on Hemming Plaza in 2003, is a cornerstone of downtown revitalization. The Museum is housed in the renovated historic Western Union Telegraph Building, a six floor building, which houses five changing exhibition galleries, permanent collection galleries, ArtExplorum Loft children’s interactive center, education studios, auditorium, Café Nola @ MOCA, Museum Shop, and our light filled Atrium Gallery.
Southeast Museum of Photography
The Southeast Museum of Photography exhibits, collects, preserves, and interprets photography to facilitate teaching and learning at Daytona State College, and enhances the community's understanding and appreciation of culture, history, art and photography.
Museum of Fine Arts at Florida State University
The mission of the Museum is twofold: to enrich the university and the community by exhibiting works of art which expand the understanding of art today and of the past and to serve as a teaching instrument for art instruction, particularly by holding exhibitions of informational value to students and the general public and by providing student artists with an arena to exhibit their work. MoFA has a history of exciting projects—from lush painting to dynamic sculpture exhibitions, from challenging installations to provocative photography shows. Every season begins with an international competitive exhibition that embraces all media and every semester closes with the youth and exuberance of the graduating artist exhibitions.
The Elliott Museum
The Elliott Museum enriches the community through its wide variety of exhibits, collections, classes and lectures, all designed to serve the interests of the people who live in and visit the Treasure Coast. The Elliott Museum houses one of the finest collections of American antiques, decorative arts, baseball memorabilia and vintage automobiles that celebrate the golden age of American creativity, as well as local and Florida history. The museum is also home of the Historical Society of Martin County and its archives, a repository of photos and documents on this area of Florida.
The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach
Founded in 1994, The Cultural Center, a 501(c)3 non profit organization located in Ponte Vedra Beach, provides a place for everyone in the community to create, understand and experience the arts.
Anita S. Wooten Gallery at Valencia Community College East Campus
The Anita S. Wooten Gallery is a teaching gallery dedicated to enhancing student understanding and appreciation of art and providing both students and the extended community exposure to a diverse agenda of visual art forms from regional artists. Exhibitions are free and open to the public.
University of Central Florida Art Gallery
The Gallery is located in the Visual Arts Building. Free guided tours are available for groups, classes, and other organizations. The University of Central Florida UCF Art Gallery, located at a major metropolitan research university, exists to expand the understanding of art by serving as a teaching instrument for the benefit of the University and the Central Florida community. This is achieved by exhibiting works of art, maintaining and nurturing a permanent collection, and providing educational outreach programs for students and the general public. In selecting exhibitions, the Gallery considers all periods of art which reflect a diverse range of cultures, philosophies, and media. The UCF Art Gallery strives to exhibit nationally and internationally recognized artwork that supports the goals of the University while contributing to the cultural vitality of our region.
South Florida Community College Museum of Florida Art and Culture
The Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) is dedicated to the artists of whose work is an interpretation of Florida's history, heritage or environment. Our mission is to present and preserve that history, heritage, and unique environment with art.
Osceola Center for the Arts
The Mission of The Osceola Center for the
Arts is to promote, cultivate, foster interest
and participation in the arts by providing
affordable and accessible programs and
facilities that encourage artistic expression
in the diverse community they serve.
African American Museum of the Arts
The African American Museum of the Arts is a not for profit arts facility dedicated to providing artistic excellence that reflects primarily the culture of African Americans and Caribbean Americans and providing opportunity in the fields of visual, literary and performing arts while encouraging interaction with community members through on-site and outreach exhibitions, presentations and performances.
Museum of Florida Art
The Museum of Florida Art offers exhibitions, education programs, and outreach to engage children, youth, adults, seniors and families in the experience of the visual arts.
Maitland Art Center
The Maitland Art Center was founded as an art colony (called the Research Studio) in 1938 by visionary American artist and architect André Smith (1880-1959). This tradition continues at MAC today, with gallery exhibitions, resident artists (Artists-in-Action), a strong curriculum of art instruction in an intimate atmosphere, and community programming. Visit this historic, aesthetic gem set in the middle of busy, growing Central Florida.
Vero Beach Museum of Art
The Vero Beach Museum of Art provides cultural leadership and enrichment for the public through a wide variety of educational, studio art and humanities programs; a diversity of quality exhibitions; and the collection, preservation and presentation of important American and international works of art.
Cornell Fine Arts Museum
Rollins College’s Cornell Fine Arts Museum is one of America's finest college art museums. The permanent collection is comprised of works of art and objects from antiquity to the twenty first century. The galleries are dedicated to educating, enriching and engaging students and the public through exhibitions of the highest quality. Originally conceived exhibitions are interspersed with the permanent collection on a revolving basis.
Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts
The Visual Arts Gallery has a national reputation for quality exhibitions, a strong contemporary collection, plus noteworthy publications and events such as workshops and visiting artists. The exhibition schedule is also part of the college's Lyceum Series, a program of cultural offerings that also features music, dance, and drama. All exhibitions are open to the public free of charge. Located at Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola, FL.
Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries at Okaloosa-Walton College
The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries consist of two adjoined galleries which together showcase about 20 different international, national and regional exhibitions each year. The Galleries also host workshops and lectures related to the exhibitions.
LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts
LeMoyne is a center for the visual arts that provides fine art exhibitions, year round art classes, and special art-related cultural events for the citizens of Tallahassee and surrounding area. The LeMoyne exhibition space is located in a National Register property with adjoining facilities housing art classrooms and a Gift and Art Supply shop. All facilities are located three blocks from the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida. As many as three hundred artists per year show their work at LeMoyne, and art education classes for both children and adults are offered year round. Special events include the annual Holiday Show in December and the annual Chain of Parks Art Festival in the spring. The Helen Lind Sculpture Garden is located to the rear of the LeMoyne gallery, an excellent setting for LeMoyne's permanent sculpture collection. A delight in any season of the year, the gardens provide the perfect place for a relaxing stroll or a bird-watching picnic lunch for downtown workers.
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
With more than 6,000 objects in its permanent collection, The Cummer is the largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida. The museum is home to a highly regarded collection of European masters and American impressionists, a world-renowned collection of 18th century Meissen porcelain, and more than two-and-one half acres of historic gardens along the St. Johns River. Art Connections, the museum's nationally recognized education center, provides hands-on art experiences for visitors of all ages. The Cummer's unique blend of art, gardens, and education inspires imagination and excitement making the museum the premier cultural institution in the Southeast region.
Children's Museums
Explorations V Children's Museum
The mission of Explorations V Children's Museum is to provide a hands-on, fun-fillled adventure in learning for children and their families. There are three floors of mind-stretching, kid-powered exhibits featuring art, science, literature, math, health, life skills and cultures from around the world. Surprise your five senses on a “please touch” jet-stream journey of discovery at Explorations V Children’s Museum.
Emerald Coast Science Center
The Emerald Coast Science Center is located in a beautiful waterfront park directly on the sound in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Here you will find a facility for children and families with touchable, workable exhibits that teach about natural phenomena and basic scientific principles.
Junior Museum of Bay County
Junior Museum of Bay County is a non-profit entertainment/educational children's museum. The Junior Museum is an exciting and fun way for the whole family to spend a few hours. Created in 1967, the 12-acre Junior Museum's exhibits are designed for use by preschool through middle school-aged children. Adult guidance and participation is recommended. In addition to its permanent and special exhibits, this Children's Museum offers educational and entertaining programs and classes.
Children's Museum of the Highlands
The Children's Museum of the Highlands purpose is to provide a safe area for children (ages 1 - 12) to learn and explore. Through exhibits and on going programs the museum hopes to provide ways for kids to enhance their curiosity, develop their imagination and learn about a variety of experiences. It is hoped that the children will see the museum as a fun place to play and leave the museum with the knowledge that learning can be fun. They will see that the opportunity to learn is everywhere and hopefully they will use the knowledge as they grow.
Association of Children's Museums
The Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) is a professional member service organization for the children’s museum field. ACM is the only organization representing museums and professionals dedicated to early childhood play, the starting point in the continuum of lifelong learning. The Association promotes the impact children’s museums have in preparing children for school, building 21st century skills and nurturing a love for lifelong learning.
Natural History Museums
Florida Museum of Natural History
The Florida Museum of Natural History, located at the University of Florida, is Florida's state museum of natural history, dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting biological diversity and cultural heritage.
Tree Hill Nature Center
Located in the center of Jacksonville, Florida, Tree Hill is the perfect place to connect with nature for individuals and families, school field trips, home schoolers, scout troops, business groups and so much more. Stop by with your friends and family to explore our 50-acres and three ecosystems. Plan a family reunion or evening reception in the beautiful Joseph A. Strasser Amphitheater. Enjoy fresh air, plentiful trails and an on-site butterfly house.Tree Hill is open to the public Monday - Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science
The mission of the Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science is to operate and maintain a museum for the education of the public about regional cultural heritage and to preserve historic artifacts and natural history specimens that support this educational mission. The Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science is located in Cocoa, Florida. Tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood the museum boasts two wings of indoor exhibits and a 22-acre nature preserve backing up to the Eastern Florida State College Planetarium. Through curation and display, they invite visitors to explore the unique history of Brevard County. From Ice Age fossils to the Space Age Hubble telescope, they have something for everyone.
The Brevard Museum is also home to the Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute whose mission, in hand with the museum, is to educate the public about Florida archaeology through research, publication and outreach.
Destin History & Fishing Museum
Experience the feeling of swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with award winning examples of fish caught in Destin. This exhibit is displayed on a 100 feet of wall space depicting the Gulf floor. View a large collection of antique fishing rods and reels, the most unique is constructed of split bamboo with an original Penn Reel, that belonged to Ernest Hemmingway. Get an idea of life in Destin before the arrival of electricity in the 1930s.
Visit the original Destin Post Office building located adjacent to the property. See the oldest seine fishing boat still in existence, The Primrose, built in 1925. Enjoy vintage photographs of early Destin settlers, boat captains and their boats, beach scenes, businesses, and much more. Located in Destin, Florida.
Gillespie Museum at Stetson University
The Museum exists to promote the study, appreciation, and understanding of the natural sciences through school and community outreach programs. The Gillespie Museum is home to one of the largest gem and mineral collections in the southeast. In addition to educational programs, the museum also offers many exciting exhibits and collections. Visit the Gillespie Museum and learn how the Earth influences our daily lives. Gain a greater awareness of our natural environment, our home planet Earth. Take a walk on the museum grounds amidst the abundant shrubs and trees native to Florida and enjoy this beautiful Earth science museum in a natural setting.
Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center
The Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center provides unique hands-on learning opportunities for Marion County Public Schools students, staff, and the general public. Visitors learn about the cultural and natural history of Marion County, and the importance of protecting and conserving cultural and natural resources.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
Homeschool programs will consist of a 45-minute interactive educational show as well as a suggested “Try This at Home” experiment or activity. All groups will have time before or after programs to explore museum exhibits.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Explore the Health in Motion exhibit, learn about the whales, dolphins and manatees of northeast Florida, and check out the daily animal encounters with a naturalists.
Science & Technology Museums
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center
In 1968, the first environmental center to be later named in honor of Roy Hyatt opened to students and community in Escambia County, FL. In 1980, land at the present site on Tobias Road was acquired from the federal government. The main building houses a biology lab room, a museum featuring topics of environmental interest, and office space. Other buildings used in the current instructional program include a greenhouse and a gazebo. The instructional program for the current year includes field trips for second- and fifth-grade students.
Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida
The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) was created by the Florida Legislature in 1975 to serve as the state’s energy research institute. The main responsibilities of the center are to conduct research, test and certify solar systems and develop education programs. Tours of the facility are offered the second Thursday of every month at 2 p.m. Each tour will last about two hours and will be followed by a 30-minute video entitled "Kilowatt Ours." Visitors will have an opportunity to explore the FSEC building, one of the most energy-efficient commercial buildings in the world. Tour guides will point out some of the features that can be adopted by homeowners and businesses to make their buildings more energy efficient. Tours will include an insider's view of the wide range of research projects conducted at FSEC on hydrogen and fuel cells, buildings and energy efficiencies, the environment, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy and alternative transportation systems.
Museum of Man in the Sea
The Museum of Man in the Sea is a great place to explore fascinating exhibits and get acquainted with the roots of diving. From the earliest animal-skin bladders to the latest, greatest deep sea dive gear, there's more to see at MMS than you can shake a snorkel at! The Museum of Man in the Sea is continually developing programs for kids of all ages. A saltwater touch pool and a hands-on computer program give our members and visitors the opportunity to experience life in the pristine St. Andrew Bay estuary. A submarine to climb through, a helmet to try on, undersea habitats and experiments to help explain undersea conditions, plus special changing exhibits add to the fun. Located in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is located on Hutchinson Island. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, the 57 acre parcel houses the Society's headquarters, library, nature trails, Children's Activity Pavilion, Rays on the Reef Ray Pavilion and the Frances Langford Visitor's Center. With its coastal hardwood hammocks and mangrove forest communities, the site provides excellent opportunities for education and research aimed at increasing the general knowledge of these unique environments.
Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center & Oceanographic Institution
The Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center is the public gateway to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University. It houses an evolving array of interactive exhibits, small aquaria, a video theater, and other displays exploring the marine world and depicting the research efforts of the institute.
Brevard Community College Planetarium & Observatory
The Brevard Community College Planetarium & Observatory features a large-format movie theater that plays science films to the public and to school groups. There are exhibit halls featuring hands-on science and historical artifacts from human spaceflight. They also house the premier planetarium in East-Central Florida and a rooftop observatory featuring a very large telescope which is free and open to the public every weekend. A classroom seating 35 students and a portable "starlab" planetarium round out the varied spaces in the building.
Marine Science Center
Experience the marine environment as you journey past mangroves, coral propagation tanks, alligators, whale and dolphin anatomical exhibits, a dune habitat with a cross-section of a sea turtle nest, and a wide variety of local fish and invertebrates including a 5,000-gallon aquarium. There are always new exhibits to learn from and to enjoy. Text, audio, and on-site naturalists (when available) provide interesting information on the ecology of Volusia County. The museum features sea turtle rehabilitation, nature trails, an observation tower, an artificial reef aquarium, and more.
Gillespie Museum at Stetson University
The Museum exists to promote the study, appreciation, and understanding of the natural sciences through school and community outreach programs. The Gillespie Museum is home to one of the largest gem and mineral collections in the southeast. In addition to educational programs, the museum also offers many exciting exhibits and collections. Visit the Gillespie Museum and learn how the Earth influences our daily lives. Gain a greater awareness of our natural environment, our home planet Earth. Take a walk on the museum grounds amidst the abundant shrubs and trees native to Florida and enjoy this beautiful Earth science museum in a natural setting.
Emerald Coast Science Center
The Emerald Coast Science Center is located in a beautiful waterfront park directly on the sound in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Here you will find a facility for children and families with touchable, workable exhibits that teach about natural phenomena and basic scientific principles.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
Homeschool programs will consist of a 45-minute interactive educational show as well as a suggested “Try This at Home” experiment or activity. All groups will have time before or after programs to explore museum exhibits.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Explore the Health in Motion exhibit, learn about the whales, dolphins and manatees of northeast Florida, and check out the daily animal encounters with a naturalists.
Multidisciplinary Museums
Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts
The Visual Arts Gallery has a national reputation for quality exhibitions, a strong contemporary collection, plus noteworthy publications and events such as workshops and visiting artists. The exhibition schedule is also part of the college's Lyceum Series, a program of cultural offerings that also features music, dance, and drama. All exhibitions are open to the public free of charge. Located at Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola, FL.
Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries at Okaloosa-Walton College
The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries consist of two adjoined galleries which together showcase about 20 different international, national and regional exhibitions each year. The Galleries also host workshops and lectures related to the exhibitions.
LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts
LeMoyne is a center for the visual arts that provides fine art exhibitions, year round art classes, and special art-related cultural events for the citizens of Tallahassee and surrounding area. The LeMoyne exhibition space is located in a National Register property with adjoining facilities housing art classrooms and a Gift and Art Supply shop. All facilities are located three blocks from the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida. As many as three hundred artists per year show their work at LeMoyne, and art education classes for both children and adults are offered year round. Special events include the annual Holiday Show in December and the annual Chain of Parks Art Festival in the spring. The Helen Lind Sculpture Garden is located to the rear of the LeMoyne gallery, an excellent setting for LeMoyne's permanent sculpture collection. A delight in any season of the year, the gardens provide the perfect place for a relaxing stroll or a bird-watching picnic lunch for downtown workers.
Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science
The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science is a world-class educational and cultural organization that incorporates hands-on science activities with visual art exhibits that teach as well as entertain. The mission of The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science is to stimulate interest in, and understanding of, how visual arts, sciences, mathematics, and technology connect through exploration and discovery experiences that educate and inspire. The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science serves the families, children, and students that explore the galleries, attend camp programs and line-up to experience special events and exciting exhibits with meaningful art and science exploration.
Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center
The Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center provides unique hands-on learning opportunities for Marion County Public Schools students, staff, and the general public. Visitors learn about the cultural and natural history of Marion County, and the importance of protecting and conserving cultural and natural resources.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
Homeschool programs will consist of a 45-minute interactive educational show as well as a suggested “Try This at Home” experiment or activity. All groups will have time before or after programs to explore museum exhibits.
Museum of Arts and Sciences
The Museum of Arts & Sciences (MOAS) is the primary art, history and science museum in Central Florida. Located on a 90-acre Florida nature preserve, the 86,000 square foot facility is host to over 30,000 objects including the finest collection of American Art in the southeast, the largest collection of Cuban art outside of Cuba, a significant Chinese art collection, and Florida's prehistoric Giant Ground Sloth. Also on display, is Coca-Cola entrepreneur Chapman Root’s lifetime collection of Americana, including two private rail cars. The museum’s theater, planetarium, and children’s center make for a truly interactive experience.
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
The Museum of Science and History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Explore the Health in Motion exhibit, learn about the whales, dolphins and manatees of northeast Florida, and check out the daily animal encounters with a naturalists.
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
With more than 6,000 objects in its permanent collection, The Cummer is the largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida. The museum is home to a highly regarded collection of European masters and American impressionists, a world-renowned collection of 18th century Meissen porcelain, and more than two-and-one half acres of historic gardens along the St. Johns River. Art Connections, the museum's nationally recognized education center, provides hands-on art experiences for visitors of all ages. The Cummer's unique blend of art, gardens, and education inspires imagination and excitement making the museum the premier cultural institution in the Southeast region.
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Featured Resources
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The Unschooling Handbook : How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom
Unschooling, a homeschooling method based on the belief that kids learn best when allowed to pursue their natural curiosities and interests, is practiced by 10 to 15 percent of the estimated 1.5 million homeschoolers in the United States. There is no curriculum or master plan for allowing children to decide when, what, and how they will learn, but veteran homeschooler Mary Griffith comes as close as you can get in this slim manual. Written in a conversational, salon-style manner, The Unschooling...
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A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning
Now you can realize the joy filled homeschool of your dreams! This modern classic is written by the homeschool mom who first carried Charlotte Mason's writings to America in her suitcase in 1987. Miss Mason's books were soon republished for a new generation. After ten years of intense study and successful application of Miss Mason s principles with her own children, Karen wrote A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning ™. Today's parents can now see what a C...