For a small, free museum on local history, the depth of information was very impressive! There were…read moremany interesting exhibits related to local history, city planning, the railroads, riverboats, agriculture, business, and sports achievements. The founder of the City of Sanford was Henry S. Sanford. Sanford was a distinguished diplomat and businessman. After he passed his personal papers were donated to the city by his daughter, Carola Sanford Dow. The Sanford Museum opened in 1957 as The Henry Shelton Sanford Memorial Library and Museum. The building was expanded in 1974 and again in 1993. On display are Henry Sanford's personal items that include European and American paintings, furniture, objects and books from 1820-1890. The Chase Gallery was added to the museum in 1993. It is named in honor of Sydney O. and Margaret Chase. The gallery has many exhibits pertinent to local history. Topics covered include: steamboats, The Senator which was a champion bald Cypress tree, businesses from the town's history, Native American history, African-American history in Goldsboro, early police and fire departments, the Great Freeze of 1895, Swedish immigration in Upsala, Naval Station Sanford, 19th Century funeral practices, and local sports history. My favorite exhibits were on Old Bob, the funeral horse who transported bodies to Lakeview Cemetery for 28 years before being laid to rest there, the Native American history that included a dug out canoe found in Loch Low believed to be from the year 800, and the recreation of the library from Henry Sanford's home in Derby, Connecticut. At the museum you can learn how the town of Sanford sprang up from Fort Mellon during the Second Seminole War and how after the Great Freeze it became strongly identified with celery. I had previously visited the Seminole County Museum which was helpful in understanding some of the exhibits here. The lady who was working on the day I visited said the two museums sometimes work collaboratively. The Sanford Museum has lectures and events and you can find out more about dates and times on their website. They can also point you in the direction of significant historical sites all throughout town. If you want to know more about the history of Sanford, this is the perfect place to start. Don't forget to stop by their small but carefully curated gift shop area where you can pick up maps and brochures and they sell unique items like celery earrings and Sanford key chains.

Took in the museum this afternoon. Small but well appointed. Nice local history. Never knew…read morecelery was so important in the towns growth..

One of my favorite museums. Beautiful maintained and friendly staff. The history and art are…read morebreathtaking. I like to take a minute to stroll through the tropical gardens that overlook a lake. A great visit!

They were celebrating Czech heritage, so admission was free, and they also offered free snacks and…read morefree tours. We wandered through the art gallery and enjoyed a lovely mosaic display, then headed outside for a Czech snack and explored the sculpture garden. They even had a Czech sculpture scavenger hunt, which was fun, and the garden itself was beautifully maintained with many impressive statues.

For a history museum, the Museum of Seminole County History is pretty awesome. As soon as I entered…read moreI was greeted by Museum of Seminole County History Coordinator, Bennett LLoyd. He is so friendly and engaging, not to mention a fountain of great historical information. The museum is two buildings. The front building is located in the 1926 old folks home that was created to care for the elderly who didn't have anyone to help them. In 1965 this building was converted into offices for the County Agricultural and the Home Demonstration Agent. They moved out in 1980 and the building sat vacant. In 1982 the County Commission approved the establishment of a Historical Museum that officially opened in this building in 1983. In June of 1999, the Museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum added a new exhibits back building in 2003. The Museum of Seminole County History is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Seminole County and that of Central Florida. You start your visit in the Old Folks Home. There is a gift shop area in the front and you can also make a donation to the museum here. Exhibits throughout the museum include Native American history, Spanish exploration, American Revolution, Civil War, army forts, pioneer life, early transportation, early medical practices, the development of Central Florida towns, a replica of the Martha Gwynn Fox Room, police and fire department, and the Seminole Correctional Facility. The back building has a replica of a log cabin, buggies, early farm tools, and sculptures made by local artists from bald cypress wood from the Senator, the oldest and largest bald cypress tree in the US. The tree was in Big Tree Park until an arson fire in 2012 destroyed it. Some of the wood was salvaged for these sculptures. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to this history museum. The comprehensive displays were well thought out and interesting. I was able to pick up pamphlets and printouts that led me to other historical cities and sites. If you have any history questions Bennett Lloyd and the Museum of Seminole County is a great resource that can launch you into a deeper understanding of the people and events that shaped this part of Florida.

Not a huge metropolitan museum but very informative. The day we visited there was a reenactment of…read morean army campground during the Seminole Indian wars. We watched a shooting demonstration, cooking demonstrations, explored their camp, and listened to explanations of life during that period of history. The kids obviously loved the guns the most!

I met up with the family at the Art & History Museum and was surprised. I've been in the area for…read moremany years and never knew that this existed. I enjoyed all the historical art that was on display. My favorite was the telephone history with all the different styles over the years being present. The courtyard with the painting studios/residences were very cool too.

Beautiful museum with a lengthy history, dating all the way back to 1937! This place is a whole…read morecomplex of active artist studios, in addition to event space and gallery space and an outdoor Mayan garden. This terrace is decorated with Mayan inspired etchings and sculptures and tiles. The location is in a beautiful area of Maitland; right by the lake, this is a great place to visit and then stroll over to the water. Highly recommend a regular visit here or to attend one of their other special events.

Lots of old…read morestuff The Lake Mary Historical Museum is a cool old building that was built back in 1926 as a community center. It then served as the town hall from 1973 to 1996 and now it serves as the historical museum and historical society. The building isn't particular large but has a wonderful front porch and an interior that is stuffed full of cool artifacts and displays. The exhibitions change from time to time and when I went the the theme was Honor our Military. Lots of old helmets, uniforms, models, magazines, papers and other stuff that represents the military, especially Lake Mary's contribution to the various wars. They manage to get quite of bit of stuff in here, especially since the front of the building also has to serve as a meeting place for the historical society and needs open space for tables and chairs. Other exhibitions show and emphasize different aspects of Lake Mary's past so there is something new displayed frequently. The people working here are exceptional friendly and nice and will answer any possible questions you might have and the museum even has a small gift shop. A cool little museum for anyone wanting to know about the history of Lake Mary.

Small museum which also shows local artist work on occasion…read more Came here whilst having a little wander round the area. Interesting place to come to find out more. Free entry with lots of information about the area and people along with various displays and photos to look at. Wouldn't necessarily make this my mission to see but worth popping in if you are passing by.

A very old…read moreschool The Student Museum of Sanford is the fourth oldest school in continuous use in Florida. It started out in 1902 as Sanford High School and then when the new high school was built in 1911 was changed to a grammar school. It served in this capacity until 1984 and now is an interpretive center and teaching museum. A building that has taught a lot of things to a lot of people. The structure is in a Romanesque Revival Style and is one of the few buildings left in Florida from this period. It had two wings added in 1916 but still retains it's very distinctive and cool looks. The outside is interesting to look at with the fascinating architecture and nice gardens in the back but it's the inside that has the really good stuff. Lots of well designed rooms with different names that emphasized aspects of the regions history. My favorite was the early school room with the quaint old desks, items and artifacts that really takes you back in time. The museum is only open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1:30 to 3PM because it takes on it's other role as a interpretive center and teaching museum and is usually crawling with kids. They is no charge and there are always people around to answer any stupid questions you might have. Definitely one of the most fascinating museums in the area that just has so much cool stuff to look at. Unfortunately not many people have even heard of it because the the short hours that it is open to the public. That's fine because it continues to function in it's main role as a place that educates and teaches. One that it has been doing for a long, long time.

Went here about 20 years ago on a field trip and still have good memories of it! We drive by it…read moreoccasionally and it looks like they're keeping it up well.

Casa Feliz was an amazing find when I was wandering around Winter Park, Florida…read more The house is truly remarkable and the backstory is impressive, as well. Imagine the owner of the home, Robert Bruce Barbour, a wealthy industrialist from Massachusetts commissioning noted architect, John Gamble Roger's II, to design the house any way he wanted and proclaimed that if he didn't like it, he would simply sell it. What a cool tale of how such an amazing structure came to be. The house was called Casa Feliz, translated to "Happy House," and the house is truly stunning. I would definitely recommend checking out this amazing house.

What a beautiful place to listen to music. It is located just off Park Avenue next to the Winter…read morePark golf corse. It is an old farmhouse and has the rooms still decorated with the century furniture. Very charming and quaint.

A memorable, inexpensive date idea that takes just 1 to 2 hours! This museum is home to the world's…read morelargest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including the stunning Tiffany Chapel. If you're a student, definitely check the museum's website before you go. Admission was only $6 for me, and check-in was quick and easy. The staff were so friendly, informative, and helpful. The museum has a quiet, calm atmosphere that makes it easy to take your time and really enjoy everything. I was honestly surprised by how big it was. I didn't expect there to be more than 30 rooms to explore! Each room has pamphlet guides, and complimentary audio guides are available on your phone with admission. I also loved the museum shop and picked up a few postcards to take home. There are so many great photo opportunities throughout the museum, too. If you're looking for a fun date, a peaceful afternoon, or simply appreciate art and history, this museum is absolutely worth a visit in Winter Park!

What a great museum and way bigger than I was expecting! It cost $8 for admittance and they have…read morebrochures in each section to assist for a self guided tour if you prefer to take your time. The selection was larger than I knew it would be as I thought only of Tiffany Lamps, but it is the glass making, pottery and even art as well! It is a beautiful, picturesque gallery that is worth a look. Only major downside is finding parking but that is really a winter park issue and not the museums fault.

The Sanford Welcome Center is located in the building that was the first U.S. Post Office in the…read moreCity of Sanford. The red brick Classical Revival building was built in 1917 by Algernon Blair of Montgomery. James Wetmore served as the supervising architect. The building is typical of government buildings of the time and it is trimmed in Georgia sandstone and white sandstone pillars. The original exterior is still intact. After a new post office was built two blocks away in 1962 it became the city library and in 1975 part of the Seminole County library system. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I love the architecture of this building and today it is looking better than ever as the Sanford Welcome Center. Their mission is to provide education and information as they market Sanford as "an arts, culture, recreation, and historic destination." I popped in during my visit to town and was warmly greeted by Rosie. I had a great chat with her. Inside the welcome center you will find public restrooms, cheap snacks and drinks, attraction brochures, maps, and places to stay and dining recommendations. The Chamber of Commerce has an office. Downtown historic Sanford is experiencing a renaissance. Check in here to learn about events, food and drink, and one of a kind experiences in this charming town.

The Sanford historic center is now back open it is located on 1st Street in Sanford Florida…read more Inside you will find some brochures about things to do in the area there is also a gift shop with lots of fun stuff to buy. Most of the time they have an art gallery in the back containing art from local residence. There's always someone there to help you if you need to get advice of where to eat or things to do. They also have bathrooms and a small place to sit if you want to rest and get out of the heat and check out the Sanford newspaper. I come here at least once a week there is always something different to see each week. Walking distance to many restaurants, shops and the beautiful Lake Monroe lakefront.

I do not know about the husband or guy who does the framing, I believe is the husband, but the wife…read moreor female owner was extremely to be honest and for a lack of a better word snotty towards me and I will not go back in there. I only recommend them to high end customers who are dressed in designer clothing. Little did she know I had access to when I admired her own artwork and asked her advice about mine by showing her my shots on my cellphone. It wasn't a scheduled visit but a impromptu one since I was in the area.

Downtown Art Gallery is always my number one "go to" when I have a framing need. Their selection of…read moreframing stock is extensive and their framing work is always 100% perfect. In addition to their expert help in framing, they carry an extensive inventory of art and jewelry that is hard to pass up any time you enter their shop. If you ever receive an invitation to one of their "drop-ins", do yourself a favor and don't miss it. Jeff & Heidi are the best!!!