Art
Florida International Museum, 100 Second St. N., St. Petersburg (727-822-3693). Summer exhibits include On Miniature Wings: Model Aircraft of the National Air and Space Museum. This exhibit demonstrates the rapid advancement of aviation in this century. The 25 aircraft models on display are on loan from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The exhibit runs through July 7. An exhibit displaying 322 of Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post covers runs through June 16. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and college students. Visit www.floridamuseum.org.
Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo (727-518-6833). The museum has three exhibits running through June 23 — Folk Art from the Mennello Museum of American Folk Art; Tomas Marais: Havana, Paris, Tampa Bay; and Charles Pakhill: Gnomon, a New Major Work. The annual juried Studioworks exhibit runs July 14-Aug. 11, showcasing the work of the museum's teaching program. Also July 14-Aug. 11, Pinellas County's private and public high schools exhibit selected artworks. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (extended to 7 p.m. on Thursday) and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (over age 62), $3 for students with valid I.D., free for kids 12 and younger and museum members. Free to the public all day on Thursday. For more info on these summer exhibits, visit www.gulfcoastmuseum.org.
Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, St. Petersburg College-Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road, Palm Harbor (727-712-5762). This new museum is named for Abraham Rattner (1893-1978), a figurative expressionist whose paintings are in museum collections around the world, and stepson Allen Leepa (b. 1919). It's home to works by Rattner and his contemporaries. Ibram Lassaw: Deep Space and Beyond, a retrospective of work by Ibram Lassaw, an abstract expressionist sculptor, is on display through June 16. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $5 for adults. www.spjc.edu/central/museum.
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 N.E. Beach Drive, St. Petersburg (727-896-2667). Summer exhibits include Artistic Discovery, the 21st annual Congressional Art Competition and Exhibit, featuring 100 works by Pinellas County high school students. The exhibit runs through May 26. Also on display is Mystic Chords: Illuminated Photographs by Connie Sullivan. Sullivan's show consists of 38 light boxes. She constructs her pieces by arranging metal objects, lighting them with laser beams, taking photos of each arrangement, then combining the exposures into a composite image printed on a cibachrome transparency and lit from the back. The show runs through June 23. An Ansel Adams exhibit is scheduled to open June 22. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $6 for adults. www.fine-arts.org.
Salvador Dali Museum, 1000 Third St. S., St. Petersburg (727-823-3767). This shrine to surrealism has the largest collection of Dali works in the world, including several masterworks. On loan from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, The Persistence of Memory, joins its companion piece, The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory, which is part of the Dali Museum's permanent collection. The two surrealist works depict watches melting in a barren dreamscape. The exhibit runs through June 8. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (extended to 8 p.m. on Thursday) and noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $10 for adults. Check out www.daliweb.com.
Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa (813-274-8130). If you're a fan of Japanese animation (anime, pronounced ah-nee-MAY) then you probably already knew about My Reality: Contemporary Art and the Culture of Japanese Animation. This exhibit combines traditional Japanese art forms and comic book serials with Western influences. Japanese animation has popped up in today's mainstream media everywhere from Pokemon to Hello Kitty. The show runs through June 23. The sixth annual underCURRENT/overVIEW showcase of Florida's West Coast artists begins July 7. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday (extended to 8 p.m. on Thursday); 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $5 for adults, free from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. www.tampamuseum.com.
USF Contemporary Art Museum, located on West Holly Drive on the USF-Tampa campus, 4202 E. Fowler Ave. (813-974-2849). This museum is a purveyor of cutting-edge conceptual art. Exhibits include Bandy: Sharon Engelstein & Aaron Parazette and Blip (co-curated by Engelstein and Parazette). In Bandy, Engelstein, known for her inflatable sculptures, collaborates with Parazette, who creates colorful wall paintings, to produce an exciting installation. Blip features the work of other Houston artists who share their ideas and methodologies. The show opens May 24 and runs through July 20. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Visit www.usfcam.usf.edu for late summer shows.
Historical
The Dunedin Historical Society Museum, 349 Main St., Dunedin (727-736-1176). This museum's permanent displays hip you to Dunedin's past via artifacts, documents and more. Permanent exhibit segments have been produced on regional topics such as Dunedin's pioneering families and industries. The History of the Citrus Industry opens July 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is a suggested donation of $2 for adults.
Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 Fifth St. S., St. Petersburg (727-820-0100). A Day in the Warsaw Ghetto, German Army Sergeant Heinz Jost's photographs of the Warsaw Ghetto, runs through Aug. 4. The photographs reveal a special empathy with those trapped there. Also running through Aug. 4, is Freedom Illuminated: The Haggadah. The Haggadah — a compilation of biblical passages, prayers, hymns and rabbinical literature — is the book read before the Passover dinner. The book shows glimpses of contemporary life wherever Jews have lived. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission costs $8 for adults. www.flholocaustmuseum.org.
Gulf Beaches Historical Museum, 115 10th Ave., St. Pete Beach (727-360-2491). This Heritage Village satellite facility hosts exhibits and photography displays related to the history of Pinellas County's barrier islands. Located in what was the first church ever built on the islands, the museum's archived items date from the 1500s to the present. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
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 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
Heritage Village, 11909 125th St. N., Largo (727-582-2123). This 21-acre, open-air park features 23 historical structures reflecting turn-of-the-century lifestyles of Pinellas pioneers. An archive library contains over 2,000 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. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission's free, but donations are accepted. www.co.pinellas.fl.us/bcc/heritage.htm.
Henry B. Plant Museum, located on the UT campus, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-254-1891). A National Historic Landmark, the museum's housed in what was once the Tampa Bay Hotel. Exotic Florida provides a glimpse of early Florida before the land boom. The exhibit includes original artworks borrowed from private collections from the 1920s and earlier, along with period travel posters, poems, essays and songs typifying early Florida. The exhibit continues through Oct. 31. The museum also houses a permanent Spanish American War exhibit and mementos from Teddy Roosevelt's frequent visits. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $5. www.plantmuseum.com.
Koreshan State Historic Site, U.S. 41 at Corkscrew Road (Exit 123), Estero (941-992-0311). 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 on weekends. Admission is $3.25 per vehicle, tours cost $1 (weekends only at 1 p.m.); canoes and campsites are also available. www.abfla.com/parks/Koreshan/koreshan.html.
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. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission costs $5 for adults.
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. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission costs $2 for adults.
Seminole Lodge, 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers (941-334-7419). This two-story house was the winter home of inventor Thomas Edison. Sitting on 14 acres, the grounds include lush gardens (lovingly tended by Edison in his day), one of the first 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. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $11 for adults.
St. Petersburg Museum of History, 335 Second Ave. N.E. (on The Pier approach), St. Petersburg (727-894-1052). Originally founded in the 1920s, the museum's permanent displays include the Walk through Time and Try History on For Size galleries, where visitors can see themselves in vintage costumes through mirrors creating the illusion of wearing period clothing. On temporary display is Webb's City, an exhibit revisiting the circus-like atmosphere of the Webb's City store. In the depression era, Doc Webb drew as many as 60,000 customers a day to the store with such gimmicks as a talking mermaid and a dancing chicken. Admission costs $5 for adults, and hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. 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. Hillsborough County Goes To War, a comprehensive exhibit exploring the history surrounding the home front during the time of World War II, 1939-45, runs through July 7. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free; 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. Permanent exhibits include Florida Soldiers Walk Through Time: 1590s-1990s, featuring Florida soldiers and American history from the 1590s through Desert Storm, and a Spanish-American War exhibit. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Park hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Admission's free, but donations are accepted.
Ybor City State Museum, 1818 Ninth Ave., Ybor City (813-247-6323). This museum honors the history of Ybor City's founders, workers and cultural history. The complex includes a garden, the Ferlita Bakery (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) and a worker's cottage, exemplary of the shotgun houses in which many cigar factory workers lived. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $2. 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. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8.75 for adults. www.cmaquarium.org.
The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-273-4000). This downtown Tampa attraction focuses on Florida marine life and habitats. See indigenous sea life displayed in more than 1 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. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $15 for adults. www.flaquarium.net.
Great Explorations: The Hands-On Museum, at The Pier, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg (727-821-8992). This touchy-feely museum has interactive exhibits such as Pet Vet, where your kid can adopt a stuffed pet and give it professional Veterinary exam. Lab coats, shots and scales included. There's also Sssnakes, Ssspiders, Ssscorpions, a room where kids can crawl through giant toy snakes and see live snakes, etc. The playroom is for children 6 and younger. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $4. 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 kids 2-8. The play area inside is for newborns to age 4. The 12 child-size buildings (air conditioned, of course) 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. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $4.
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. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $13.95 for adults (includes an IMAX show). www.mosi.org.
The Pier Aquarium, 800 Second Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg (727-895-7437). Giant tubes throughout the building, bubbling with fish and other sea life, lead to The Pier's 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. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. www.stpete-pier.com.
Science Center of Pinellas County, 7701 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg (727-384-0027). The Science Center includes a Laser Odyssey Theater, a 30-seat planetarium, numerous exhibits (including Discoveries by African-American Scientists and Inventors), the Carol Samuels Observatory, 12 classrooms/labs, a Xeriscape garden and a wetlands outdoor area. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free. http://home1.gte.net/scicen.
St. Petersburg College Planetarium, Natural Science Building, 69th Street North at Fifth Avenue, St. Petersburg (727-341-4320). The Planetarium's schedule of presentations resumes May 24, with shows 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 after Friday evening shows, weather permitting. Admission is free.
Tarpon Springs Aquarium, 850 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs (727-938-5378). Features a 120,000-gallon reef tank, narrated shark-feeding shows, Moray Eel Encounter and a Stingray Petting Tank. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $4.75 for adults.
This article appears in May 15-21, 2002.