ART
AFRICAN ART GALLERY & MUSEUM, 1711 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-258-0223). The museum houses 4,400 square feet of modern and ancient art: masks, statues, paintings and collectibles. Admission costs $6 for adults, $3 for students.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM, 100 Second St. N., St. Petersburg (800-777-9882). A parade of traveling exhibits organized by the Smithsonian Institute pass through the museum constantly. The main one of the moment is Russian Odyssey: Riches of the State Museum, 330 objects spanning 800 years of Russian art and culture. The museum's largest permanent installation is Cuban Missile Crisis, a 10,000-square-foot exhibit that highlights the tense events of October 1962. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and Sat., and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri. Admission costs $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, and $5 for ages 6-18. Special exhibits cost more. www.floridamuseum.org.
GULF COAST MUSEUM OF ART, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo (727-518-6833). GCMA has on display Jean Claude Rigaud: Defining Spaces, a primarily stainless steel exhibition combining space and form into artwork. Runs through Aug. 8. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon to 4 p.m. Sun. Admission costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for students with valid I.D., free for kids 12 and younger and museum members. For more info, visit www.gulfcoastmuseum.org.
LEEPA-RATTNER MUSEUM OF ART, St. Petersburg College-Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, Palm Harbor (727-712-5762). Named for Abraham Rattner (1893-1978), a figurative expressionist whose paintings (as well as his stepson Allen Leepa's) make up much of the permanent collection. LRMA currently hosts Expanding Expressions: Contemporary Prints from the Dorthy Mitchell Collection. The collection contains prints created in Tampa between 1988 and 1997 by world-class artists. Runs through Aug. 24. The museum's open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (and until 9 p.m. on Thursdays); 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $5, $4 for senior, and free to children and students. www.spjc.edu/central/museum.
MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART, 640 S. Washington Blvd., Sarasota (941-954-7117). Journey through 2000 years of history via the museum's collection of bronze, stone, wood and iron, as well as the renowned Yangtze River collection of Chinese jades. Check back frequently for revolving exhibitions featuring all media, including photography from Asia. Hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri. Admission is $5 for nonmembers. www.museumasianart.org.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, 255 N.E. Beach Drive, St. Petersburg (727-896-2667). MFA's impressive permanent collection contains approximately 4,000 works, ranging from antiquity to the contemporary; among the artists represented: Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, O'Keeffe, Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, Avedon and Adams. The major current exhibits include Chihuly Across Florida: Masterworks in Glass, classic glass works and new large-scale installations; and Heavy Metals: Three Centuries of Silver and Goldwork. Admission: $12, $10 for seniors, $5 for children. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun. www.fine-arts.org.
RINGLING MUSEUM 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota (941-359-5700). The elegant Ringling Museum boasts one of the most extensive collections of Baroque art, including major works by Rubens; highlights by Velasquez, Pietro da Cortona, Piero di Cosimo, El Greco and Poussin; and early Italian and Northern European Renaissance paintings. Currently running: Renaissance to Rococo: Masterpieces from the Collection of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, featuring 60 works by Baroque masters. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. seven days a week. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors 55 and up, and free for members, students and teachers with valid I.D. In addition to the museum, explore John and Mable Ringling's restored lavish winter home, Ca d'Zan , and the Circus Museum, which houses circus memorabilia. www.ringling.org.
SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM, 1000 Third St. S., St. Petersburg (727-823-3767). The museum began its centennial year as of Jan. 1, so plenty of great exhibits and events will take place throughout the rest of the year. The most comprehensive collection of Salvador Dali's works in the world, the museum holds several key masterworks that wear you out just looking at them. Visitors also get an excellent overview of Dali's major themes, symbols, influences and inspirations. Hours: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat., until 8 p.m. Thurs., and noon-5:30 p.m. Sun. Admission: $13, $11 for seniors, $7 for students and children. Visit the museum's website for more info: www.salvadordalimusuem.org.
TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa (813-274-8130). The museum's major ongoing exhibit The Classical World is an installation of more than 400 Greek and Roman antiquities, mostly drawn from the museum's permanent collection. Tales from the Easel: American Paintings from Southern Museums runs through July 4. Admission: $7, $6 for seniors, $3 for students and kids over 6. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., until 8 p.m. Thurs., and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. www.tampamuseum.com.
TOWLES COURT ARTISTS COLONY, 1950 Adams Lane, Sarasota (941-362-0960). Meet the artists who run the colony's galleries, structures and restaurants, and enjoy the sculpture garden, shady trees and peaceful vibe at the Towles Court Gallery Walk from 6 to 10 p.m. the third Friday of every month. www.towlescourt.com.
USF CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM, located on West Holly Drive on the USF-Tampa campus, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. (813-974-2849). USF CAM maintains the university's art collection, comprising more than 3,600 works. There are holdings by internationally acclaimed artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and James Rosenquist, all of whom have worked in USF's Graphicstudio. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 1-4 p.m. Sat. Admission is free. www.usfcam.usf.edu.
VILLAGE OF THE ARTS, located between Ninth and 17th avenues west, just south of downtown Bradenton (941-741-8056). More than 26 studios are located in this budding artist colony, including the Joan Peters Gallery, Copper Moon and Valerie Rose Studios. Art Walks take place from 6 to 10 p.m. the first Friday of every month, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every first Saturday. www.villageofthearts.com.
HISTORICAL
THE DUNEDIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM, 349 Main St., Dunedin (727-736-1176). Operated by the Dunedin Historical Society, the museum contains approximately 2,000 artifacts, 2,500 photographs and a library containing 200 volumes of local and Florida History. Programs include the Dunedin Cemetery's History Comes Alive interactive exhibit, in which actors take on the roles of individuals buried in the cemetery and tell the tales of the area's pioneering families and industries. The society also sponsors the Pinellas Vintage Base Ball League, where players don reproductions of authentic equipment and uniforms, and play by 1890s rules. www.ci.dunedin.fl.us/dunedin/historical-society.htm.
THE EDISON FORD ESTATES, 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers (239-334-7419). Enjoy extensive guided tours of the neighboring estates of inventor Thomas Edison and industrial innovator Henry Ford. Edison's two-story Holiday House was his winter home. Sitting on 7 acres, the grounds include acres of lush gardens (lovingly tended by Edison in his day), one of the first modern swimming pools and, of course, a laboratory. When Edison wasn't dedicating his genius to making our lives easier, he often spent time with friend and neighbor Henry Ford. The lodge is almost exactly as Edison left it (even the light bulbs installed by the inventor years ago are still operational). Hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and noon-5:30 p.m. Sun. Edison-Ford tours cost $14, $19 for the Botanical Tour and $6 for the Holiday House. www.edison-ford-estate.com.
FLORIDA GULF COAST RAILROAD MUSEUM, U.S. 301 and 83rd Street East, Parrish (941-776-0906, 877-869-0800). Take a train ride through a section of Manatee County on an antique diesel locomotive, learning facts and history along the way. The train runs at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission costs $10 for adults, $6 for ages 3-11. www.fgcrrm.org.
FLORIDA HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, 55 Fifth St. S., St. Petersburg (727-820-0100). A premier permanent exhibit, History, Heritage and Hope details the compelling history of Holocaust victims and survivors. Hell Has No Covering is a collection of works from Vivian Bower, marking a decade since the Rwandan genocide killed more than 500,000 people. Runs through June 26. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and noon-5 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Admission: $8 for adults, $7 seniors and college kids, $3 kids. www.flholocaustmuseum.org.
GULFPORT HISTORICAL MUSEUM, 5301 28th Ave. S., Gulfport (727-327-0505). This quaint museum reflects the history of Gulfport from 1867 to 1940. Hours are 2-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10 a.m.-noon Sat. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. www.gulfporthistoricalmuseum.homestead.com.
HERITAGE VILLAGE, 11909 125th St. N., Largo (727-582-2123). This 21-acre, open-air park features 27 historical structures reflecting turn-of-the-century lifestyles of Pinellas pioneers. An archive library contains over 3,500 volumes, along with photos, maps and other materials. Docents in period costumes also offer tours and demonstrate embroidery, basket making, quilting, weaving and more. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and 1-4 p.m. Sun. Admission's free, but donations are accepted. www.pinellascounty.org/heritage.
HENRY B. PLANT MUSEUM, located on the University of Tampa campus, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-254-1891). A National Historic Landmark, the museum's housed in what was once the luxurious Tampa Bay Hotel. Exhibits include original artworks from private collections, period sporting goods, clothes and decor. The museum also happens to house a permanent Spanish-American War exhibit and mementos from Teddy Roosevelt's frequent visits. A donation of $5 for adults and $2 for children under 12 is requested. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat., and noon-4 p.m. Sun. www.plantmuseum.com.
KORESHAN STATE HISTORIC SITE, U.S. 41 at Corkscrew Road (Exit 123), Estero (239-992-0311). Before Texas had David, Chicago had Dr. Cyrus Teed. In 1869, Teed had a revelation that he was the Messiah. In 1894, having already changed his name to Koresh, Teed led his wealthy followers to Estero. While the group didn't create the "New Jerusalem," they did manage a self-contained community, with power plant, printing shop (for their weekly newspaper), bakery, living quarters, an art hall and more. Today, the community stands as a testament to one man's religious dementia. Hours are 8 a.m. to sunset and tours are offered at various times throughout the week. Tours cost $2 for adults, $1 for kids. Admission is $4 per vehicle. Canoes and campsites are also available. www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan.
PIONEER FLORIDA MUSEUM, Pioneer Museum Road, off U.S. 301 North, Dade City (352-567-0262). Life doesn't seem so hard after visiting this museum, which depicts how the pioneering folk of Florida's past lived. On display are tools of the cracker-era, a turn-of-the-century Porter Steam Engine, a two-story farmhouse from the 1860s and an 1878 Methodist church. Admission: $5, $4 for seniors, $2 for students. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. www.dadecity.com/museum.
SAFETY HARBOR MUSEUM OF REGIONAL HISTORY, 329 S. Bayshore Blvd., Safety Harbor (727-726-1668). The museum's exhibits show the history of Safety Harbor and the surrounding Tampa Bay area from prehistoric to modern times. Descriptive dioramas and displays of fossils, projectile points, shell tools, beads and pottery tell the story of Florida's first people and the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 16th century. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Fri., and 1-4 p.m. Sat. and Sun. Admission costs $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and kids. www.safety-harbor-museum.org.
SARASOTA CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM, 5500 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (941-355-6228). Car buffs can explore 60,000 square feet of automotive history featuring turn-of-the-century horseless carriages, vintage and classic cars from the "50s and "60s, and exotic cars from around the world. The museum, which was built in 1952, is one of the oldest in the nation. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Admission costs $8.50 for adults, $5.75 for ages 13-17 and $4 for children ages 6-12. www.sarasotacarmuseum.org.
SOUTH FLORIDA MUSEUM AND PARKER MANATEE AQUARIUM, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton (941-746-4131). It's hard to believe Ice Age mammals roamed through Southwest Florida 12,000 years ago, but at the South Florida Museum visitors can see life-size casts of these extinct creatures. The museum specializes in Florida history from the prehistoric to the present. Check out the Tallant Collection of artifacts, dating from the Paleo-Indian period to the arrival of the Spanish explorers in the early 1500s. Included in the price of admission, meet Snooty, the aquarium's mascot manatee and his new poolmate, Palma Sola. The two share a 60,000-gallon aquarium. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and noon-5 p.m. Sun. Admission costs $9.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, $6 for students and $5 for ages 6-12. www.southfloridamuseum.org.
ST. PETERSBURG MUSEUM OF HISTORY, 335 Second Ave. N.E. (on The Pier approach), St. Petersburg (727-894-1052). Originally founded in the 1920s. Currently on display, First Scheduled Commercial Airlines, educating visitors on the first such flights scheduled out of St. Pete. The museum is currently under renovations and will be back in full swing in August. Admission: $5, $4 for seniors, $2 for ages 7-17, and free for kids 6 and under. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., and 1-5 p.m. Sun. www.museumofhistoryonline.org.
TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER, Tampa Convention Center Annex, 225 S. Franklin St., Tampa (813-228-0097). The center houses a collection of artifacts, books, maps and more on Tampa Bay history. Guests can learn about the Bay area's natural environment, Seminole Indians, European exploration, the cracker cattle trade and military history. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Admission is free but donations are welcome. www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.
VETERANS MEMORIAL MUSEUM AND PARK, 3602 U.S. 301 N., at the Tampa Bypass Canal, Tampa (813-744-5502). This tribute to America's fighting men and women offers a walk through military history, starting in the 1500s and going through Desert Storm. Museum hours are 10 a.m.-53p.m. Sat. and Sun. Park hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily. Admission's free, but donations are accepted.
YBOR CITY STATE MUSEUM, 1818 Ninth Ave., Ybor City (813-247-6323). The museum honors the history of Ybor City's founders, workers and culture. The complex includes canones (cannons) exemplary of the shotgun houses in which many cigar factory workers lived, a garden and the Ferlita Bakery (listed on the National Register of Historic Places). Merchants: 1886-1930 details the lives of businessmen in Ybor City during one of its most bustling eras. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $3. www.ybormuseum.org.
SCIENCE AND HANDS-ON
CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater (727-441-1790). See estuary tanks containing dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, river otters, stingrays and fish, as well as a mangrove and sea grass exhibit. CMA also rescues and rehabilitates injured creatures. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. Admission is $8.75 for adults, $6.25 for kids. www.cmaquarium.org.
CROWLEY MUSEUM AND NATURE CENTER, 16405 Myakka Road, Sarasota (941-322-1000). Hit the trails to adventure into 190 acres of natural Florida. A great place for bird watching, the nature center features a 2,000-foot boardwalk and an observation tower overlooking marshland. Also, stop by the pioneer history museum, the blacksmith shop, the pioneer cabin and the sugarcane mill. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Admission costs $5 for adults, $3 for ages 5-12. www.crowleymuseumnaturectr.org.
THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-273-4000). This impressive downtown Tampa attraction focuses on Florida marine life and habitats. See indigenous sea life displayed in more than a million gallons of fresh and saltwater, a coral reef display, limestone caverns, underground aquifer, beaches and marshlands, hands-on shark and ray exhibits, and more. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission: $17.95, $14.95 for seniors, $11.95 for kids under 13. www.flaquarium.net.
G WIZ: THE GULFCOAST WONDER AND IMAGINATION ZONE 1001 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota (941-309-4949). Sarasota's only science and technology facility features newly installed hands-on exhibits every few months by ExploraZone, a well-respected science facility in San Francisco. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. Admission costs $7 for adults, $5 for kids, seniors pay $6. Free admission from 5 to 8 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. www.gwhiz.org.
GREAT EXPLORATIONS: THE HANDS-ON MUSEUM, at Sunken Gardens, 1925 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg (727-821-8992). This touchy-feely museum has interactive exhibits such as Laser Harp, a harp with diode lasers in place of strings, which kids can play. And on Pull Yourself Up, a system of pulleys, kids can hoist themselves. A harp and pulleys — pretty sweet. The playroom is for kids 6 and younger. Hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and noon-4:30 p.m. Sun. Admission is $8, $7 for seniors and kids. www.greatexplorations.org.
KID CITY, 7550 N. Boulevard, Tampa (813-935-8441). This hands-on indoor/outdoor facility is geared to kids and their families. The play area outside is for ages 2-8. The play area inside is for newborns to age 4. The 12 air-conditioned, child-size buildings include a bank, grocery store, city hall and fire station. Other special programs for kids include storytelling and an age-specific art program. Hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; and noon-5 p.m. Sun. Admission costs $5.75. www.flachildrensmuseum.com.
MOTE MARINE LABORATORY AND SCIENCE CENTER, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota (941-388-4441). Watch turtles, eels, sharks and manatees in action at the aquarium of this internationally recognized marine research facility. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission costs $12 for adults, $8 for ages 4-12, free for ages 3 and under. www.mote.org.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY (MOSI), 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa (813-987-6300). MOSI is the largest science center in the Southeastern United States. Museum highlights include two replica diplodocus dinosaur skeletons; the Saunders Planetarium; BioWorks Butterfly Garden, an engineered ecosystem that emulates natural wetlands; the Back Woods, 40 acres of special water conservation elements and outdoor exhibits; and the IMAX Dome Theatre, which features an 82-foot hemispherical movie screen. The main exhibit of the moment is Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit, more than 300 artifacts and personal items recovered from the ocean floor debris, recreating the interior of the mammoth luxury liner. The exhibit runs through May 31. Admission is $14.95, $12.95 for seniors, $10.95 for kids 2-12 (includes an IMAX screening). Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. and Sun. www.mosi.org.
THE PIER AQUARIUM, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg (727-895-7437). Giant vertical tubes — bubbling with fish and other sea life — lead from the lobby of The Pier up to the second-floor aquarium. The tanks feature native and tropical fish, sharks and other creatures, while various displays focus on Florida's ecosystem. Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat., and noon-6 p.m. Sun. Admission costs $2 for adults, children enter free (Sunday admission is free for all visitors). www.stpete-pier.com.
SCIENCE CENTER OF PINELLAS COUNTY, 7701 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg (727-384-0027). The Science Center features a Laser Odyssey Theater, a 30-seat planetarium, the Carol Samuels Observatory, 12 classrooms/labs, a Xeriscape garden and numerous exhibits (including Discoveries by African-American Scientists and Inventors). Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat. Admission: $1 donation. www.sciencecenterofpinellas.com.
ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE PLANETARIUM, Natural Science Building, 69th Street North at Fifth Avenue, St. Petersburg (727-341-4320). The Planetarium's shows are at 7 and 8:15 p.m. every Friday. The domed observatory on the roof of the Natural Science Building houses several telescopes and is open for viewing following the Friday evening shows, weather permitting. Admission is free.
TARPON SPRINGS AQUARIUM, 850 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs (727-938-5378). A 120,000-gallon reef tank houses more than 30 species of fish. There's also octopus, coral and anemones. Featured exhibits include a narrated shark-feeding show, Moray Eel Encounter and a Stingray Petting Tank. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and noon-5 p.m. Sun. Admission costs $4.75 for adults. www.tarponspringsaquarium.com.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2004.