Florida International Museum, 100 Second St. N., St. Petersburg (727-822-3693). Summer exhibits at the museum include The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Kennedy Collection (featuring more than 500 objects that belonged to the young president), Countdown to Destiny (photos of Martin Luther King Jr.), Habana Esperando: Photographs by Margaux Ravis, and U-2: The Spy Plane. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $11.95 for adults, and annual passes cost $15.95. Visit www.floridamuseum.org.
Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo (727- 518-6833). This nonprofit museum features Lisa Williams: Gardens; The Wild, The Timid and The Invisible (nature-based eroticism) and John Henry: Wandering Spirit (monumental sculpture). Both shows start on May 25 and continue through June 24, and Aug. 27, respectively. Studioworks 2001, running July 8 through July 29, offers works by GCMA teachers and students. Selections From the Permanent Collection includes paintings, sculpture, photography and more. The museum also hosts a film and video series throughout the summer. For late-summer exhibits, visit www.gulfcoastmuseum.org. 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 $3.
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 N.E. Beach Drive, St. Petersburg (727-896-2667). Permanent selections include pieces by Monet, O'Keefe, Cezanne and other greats. Beyond Adornment: Beads from Around the World continues through Aug. 26, and H.A. Sigg: Recent Work, featuring abstract paintings, sculptures and collages, can be viewed through July 1. The Museum also offers a wide variety of summer classes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $6 for adults. Surf to 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. A Disarming Beauty: The Venus de Milo in 20th-Century Art runs through Sept. 9, and features surrealist and contemporary artists whose works incorporate the Venus de Milo. An eclectic film series, covering the gamut of avant-garde topics, runs throughout the summer. 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). Seattle Sampler, works by 12 studio glass artists from the collection of Dr. Richard and Barbara Basch, continues through June 10; the American Experience, 20th Century Prints from the Berkman Foundation, runs through July 22; Tampa Public Art, local works showing to July 8; and the fifth annual underCURRENT/overVIEW begins July 22. 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, a purveyor of cutting-edge conceptual art, features Contemporary Art from Cuba: Irony and Survival on the Utopian Island from May 19 through July 14. The exhibit offers works from 16 Cuban artists who explore irony as a strategy for psychological survival and oblique commentary. 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.
SummerHistoricalboy.
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. This summer, the museum also offers a view of Civil War-era Tampa Bay with an exhibit on the Maple Leaf, a Civil War vessel. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is a suggested donations of $2 for adults.
Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 Fifth St. S., St. Petersburg (727-820-0100). Working Through the Past, 1946-2000: The Art of Samuel Bak and The Women of Ravensbruck: Portraits of Courage both run through Aug. 19. The gallery's permanent collection includes 300 commemorative brass facsimiles, historical artifacts, photos, even a boxcar once used to transport prisoners to Nazi deathcamps. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults. www.flholocaustmuseum.org.
Florida Masonic Museum, 3201 First St. N.E., St. Petersburg (727-822-3499). This museum, dedicated to the world's oldest bunch of dubious frat boys, contains a huge collection of Masonic Art Glass from around the world, along with hand-painted aprons, charts and other Masonic memorabilia dating back to the Revolutionary War. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free.
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. Simple Pleasures: America's Love of Pond Yachts continues through Dec. 23. 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 19), 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. 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; canoes and campsites are also available. www.koreshanshs.homepage.com.
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. Items on display include tools, tools and ... oh yeah, tools (for house and furniture building, leather and blacksmith trades, etc.). Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults.
Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History, 329 S. Bayshore Blvd., Safety Harbor (727-726-1668). This museum's collection of historic memorabilia and archaeological artifacts promotes Safety Harbor's rich heritage. It also offers summer camps for kids ages 7 to 11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $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 a connected guest house, acres of lush gardens, a bamboo pool and, of course, a laboratory. 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 History and Prehistory of the Pinellas Peninsula and The Flight of the Benoist, with a replica of the Benoist aircraft that started passenger aviation. Capturing Florida Culture: From Kitsch to Collectibles also continues through Sept. 30. Admission is $5 for adults, and hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tampa Bay History Center, 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. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission's 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. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission's free, but donations are accepted.
Ybor City State Museum, 1818 Ninth Ave., Ybor City (813-247-6323). As We Heard It: Three Generations of Ybor City News runs through September 30. This exhibit pays tribute to the Manteiga family, who founded and continue to publish La Gaceta, the nation's only tri/lingual newspaper. The complex also includes the Ferlita Bakery, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the 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.
SummerScience and Hands-onboy.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater (727-447-0980). 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 $7.75 for adults. www.cmaquarium.org.
The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-273-4000). This downtown Tampa attraction includes a Learning Lab and exhibits focusing 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 $13.75 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 The Body Shop, where you can test your strength and flexibility, Phenomenal Arts, which brings visual art and technology, together and the Explore Galore playroom 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 children ages 2-11 and their families. The 14 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 houses the IMAX Dome Theater, the Saunders Planetarium and the BioWorks Butterfly Garden. Experience Aero Adventure, an interactive exhibit which features the science of flight and its propulsion. Other exhibits explore the human body, the environment and space. SkyWatch, a free telescope viewing, takes place every Saturday night, weather permitting. Summer programs are available for kids. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $13 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 $1. www.stpete-pier.com.
Science Center of Pinellas County, 7701 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg (727-384-0027). Permanent exhibits include Self-Determination: Discoveries by African American Scientists and Inventors, a static electricity exhibit, displays of minerals, ores, corals and more. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free. http://home1.gte.net/scicen.
St. Petersburg Junior College Planetarium, Natural Science Building, 69th Street North at Fifth Avenue, St. Petersburg (727-341-4320). From the Earth to the Universe begins at 7 and 8:15 p.m. every Friday through July 16. Follow employees up to the rooftop observatory for telescope viewing of the night sky immediately after each show. Admission is free.
Tarpon Springs Aquarium, 850 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs (727-938-5378). Features a 120,000-gallon Caribbean reef tank, narrated shark-feeding shows, the Pacific Jewels Aquarium, Moray Eel Encounter and an all new alligator tank. For the hands-on types, check out the 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.
