Tampa, FL

 

Henry Plant Museum
DESCRIPTION: Built in 1891 and a National Historic Landmark, the building is distinguished for its Moorisk architecture, opulent furnishings from a bygone era and its timeless, but always spectacular gardens; using $2.5 million of his own money, railroad baron Henry B. Plant built the resort hotel to give people a reason to take his railroad here; he spent another $500,000 laying 511 rooms and the lobby with  opulent European furniture and all the latest luxuries of the day; the 150 acre grounds of the hotel included an 18-hole golf course, flower conservatory, tennis courts, croquet courts, boathouse, hunting and fishing grounds, stables, racetrack, kennels, exposition hall, casino, indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, spa and card rooms totaling 21 buildings; today the hotel is the museum and focal point of the University of Tampa campus

ADMISSION: $5 Adults, $2 Children; includes a 14 minute introductory video; hand-held audio tour available for extra fee

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-4p

ADDRESS: 401 West Kennedy Blvd  MAP

PARKING: free on street

PHONE: 813-254-1891

WEBSITE: http://www.plantmuseum.com

Tampa Museum of Art
DESCRIPTION: Reopening in Fall 2009 as a 66,000 square foot venue on a scenic location of the Hillsborough River downtown; the interim museum provides a broad range of art experiences for all ages; the collection includes early 20th-century and contemporary art, plus a significant collection of Greek and Roman antiquities influenced by Egyptians; works by James Van Der Zee have been featured in a major exhibition here

ADMISSION: by donation

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-4p

ADDRESS: 2306 North Howard Ave - interim location MAP

PARKING: on street

PHONE: 813-274-8130

WEBSITE: http://www.tampamuseum.com

USF Contemporary Art Museum
DESCRIPTION: Although founded in 1956, this venue has been open since 1989; the museum primarily presents changing exhibitions of contemporary art from Florida, North America, and Latin America; it is also a laboratory for scholars, museum professionals, students, interns and artists; located adjacent to the College of Visual & Performing Arts on the beautiful University of South Florida campus

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon–Fri 10a–5p, Sat 1p–4p

ADDRESS: 4202 East Fowler Ave, CAM 101  MAP

PARKING: paid lots on campus

PHONE: 813-974-2849

WEBSITE: http://www.usfcam.usf.edu

 
St. Petersburg, FL

Salvador Dali Museum
DESCRIPTION: The world's most comprehensive and incredible collection of works by the famous Spanish master of surreal art, Salvador Dali (1904-1989); the astounding collection began in Cleveland in 1942, when industrialist A. Reynolds Morse and wife bagan their lifelong support of Dalí and his wife, Gala by purchasing his art; for the next 40 years, they  assembled the largest collection of Dali artworks in the world; in 1980, the city of St. Petersburg sought out the Morses to build a permanent home for hte museum here and in 1982, the dream was realized, if only in spiffed up warehouse; now Dali's surreal masterworks will finally have a home as iconic as the artist and more functional at the new Dali Museum design (under construction) in North Downtown within the Progress Energy Center for the Arts -- or as the say, the dream will be SURrealized

ADMISSION: Adults $17, Age 65+ $14.50, Students $12, Ages 5-9 $4, age 4 and under Free, Thursdays$ after 5p-8p

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat 9:30a-5:30p, Thu 9:30a-8p, Sun Noon-5:30p

ADDRESS: 1000 3rd Street South  MAP

PARKING: free on premises

PHONE: 727-823-3767 or 800-442-3254

WEBSITE: http://www.salvadordalimuseum.org

St. Petersburg Museum of History
DESCRIPTION: Displays and exhibits depicting St. Petersburg's past, including 1930s movie stills and a 1920s beaded flapper dress, a 1929 Model A Ford pickup truck outfitted for bootlegging and an exact replica of the world's first commercial airliner; in addition to exhibits, the museum collection includes 32,000 artifacts, and an archive of over 8000 historic photos and 5000 documents

ADMISSION: Adults $12, age 60+ and Students with ID $9, ages 7-17 $7, age 5 and under FREE

DAYS & HOURS: Sun 1p-5p, Tue-Sat 10a-5p

ADDRESS: 335 2nd Ave, NE  MAP

PARKING: free on premises

PHONE: 727-894-1052

WEBSITE: http://www.spmoh.org

Museum of Fine Arts
DESCRIPTION: Opened in 1965, the museum exterior has a well-deserved aura of substance and international appeal as you approach the giant Kapok tropical tree out front; refelctive of its appeal to diverse audiences, this venue is known for its fine collection of European, Asian, American, Pre-Columbian, Greek & Roman antiquities, and Photographic art; the Hazel Hough Wing opened in 2008, doubling the size of the original building.the museum gift shop also has many distinctive gifts, games and books; First Friday of the month brings musical accompaniment by local groups; a Museum Cafe makes it easy to spend a few relaxing hours here

ADMISSION: Adults $12, age 65+ $10, Students with ID and ages 7-18 $6, ages
6 and under FREE

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-5p, Sun 1p-5p

ADDRESS: 255 Beach Drive, N.E  MAP

PARKING: Free parking for patrons available behind the museum

PHONE: 727-896-2667

WEBSITE: http://www.fine-arts.org

Florida Holocaust Museum
DESCRIPTION: Honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women, and children who suffered or died in the Nazi Holocaust; the museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides around the world

ADMISSION: Adults $12, Seniors $10, College students $9, ages 18-6 $6, ages 6 and under FREE; AAA members receive $1 off; audio tours available at no extra charge

DAYS & HOURS: daily 10a-5p; closed on Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day

ADDRESS: 55 5th Street South  MAP

PARKING: free, but limited on the premises; metered parking on the street

PHONE: 727-820-0100

WEBSITE: http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org

Florida International Museum
DESCRIPTION: Presents diverse rotating national and international exhibitions, including Smithsonian quality material related to Natural History, Folk Art, Fossils and Gilded Bronze; the museum hours are typically driven by scheduled exhibtions

ADMISSION: $10 and less

DAYS & HOURS: CLOSED, but plans to reopen at part of St. Petersburg College

ADDRESS: 244 2nd Ave North  MAP

PARKING: on street

PHONE: 727-341-7900 or 800-777-9882

WEBSITE: http://www.floridamuseum.org

 

Largo, FL

Heritage Village
DESCRIPTION: 21 acres of living history structures on scenic acres depicting early Florida lifestyle; the museum has an African American History project documenting their earliest experiences and achievements; the homes range from a log cabin, the oldest structure in Pinellas County, to the magnificent Queen Anne-style House of Seven Gables; Heritage Village Archives & Library is home to 3,500 books and periodicals plus historic photographs, maps, special collections and other materials relating to the history of Pinellas County; while the majority of the Village is self-guided, guided tours of Seven Gables, Plant-Sumner, and Walsingham houses and the HC Smith Store last about 25 minutes each

ADMISSION: donations welcome
DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-4p, Sun 1p-4p

ADDRESS: 11909 125th Street North  MAP

PARKING: on street

PHONE: 727-582-2123

WEBSITE: http://www.co.pinellas.fl.us/bcc/heritag.htm