A true hidden gem, the Orlando Fire Museum is a great, free (Donations Accepted!) museum located…read morenear the Science Center and Shakespeare Theater in Loch Haven Park. While waiting for a show at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater during Orlando Fringe, a friend and I were exploring the theater grounds when we happened upon the Orlando Fire Museum nestled in the back courtyard. Surprised to see the building, and curious to find out more, we were happy to learn the museum was still open, and went inside to find out more. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by three very friendly firefighters (two retired, one still serving) who were the volunteer workers at the museum. They welcomed us in, explained a bit about the museum, and led us on a free tour of the building. Our tour guide explained everything in great detail from the years and features of the vintage trucks and equipment on display, to the way fires used to be relayed to the team (The museum features a working telegraph machine!) When we finished the downstairs part of the tour, he was gracious enough to take us upstairs and show us even more, including the old living quarters at the station. The tour was incredibly interesting and informative, and pictures were encouraged. Although it's only open on Friday & Saturday, If you get the chance, definitely try to swing by this wonderful facility. The museum is a great place to learn about not only Orlando's history, but the history of firefighting in general.

Checked the website before coming and it said it was open... drove one hour to get there and find…read morethe doors closed, my boy crying dressed up as a fireman full of expectations. As we approached I called... their voice system said nothing about being closed.. Please update the website information :(

This is a blockbuster exhibit currently taking place in the Orlando Science Center. Admission to…read morethe science center includes this exhibit. An adult ticket is $26 but I was able to attend for free except for the $5 parking garage fee. On the first weekend of every month, Bank of America offers free admission to select museums with their Museums on Us program. I was so excited to see that the Orlando Science Center was participating because it saved me the admission fee. You must purchase the tickets on the museums website with the promo code on the Bank of America website and when you get there show your BOA card and ID. The Pompeii exhibit is a traveling temporary exhibit and January will be the last month you can take advantage of the free admission for Pompeii. This museum is located in Loch Haven Park. If you haven't been here before the entrance is a little confusing. You can't enter the building from the ground floor. The only way in is to enter through a bridge that runs from the upper floors of the parking garage across the street into the museum. The Pompeii exhibit is located on the same floor as admissions. Orlando is only one of 3 states to host the exhibit and it is the last stop in the U.S.. it was brought to Orlando by the Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program. In AD 79 Mount Vesuvius erupted destroying the town of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum in 24 hours. Nearly two thousand people were killed by heavy ash, building collapse, and pyroclastic flow, a super heated hurricane force wind carrying ash and rock that can destroy anything in its path. The pyroclastic flow was a deadly river of gas, ash, and rock. Many people collapsed and died in place when the superheated poisonous gas and ash hit them. As the ash hardened the void their bodies made were left behind. After the eruption the city remained hidden and largely forgotten until an excavation in the 1740's. In the late 19th century archaeologists developed a method of injecting plaster into the holes in the hardened ash left behind by the bodies. The exhibit starts with a short 360 degree movie that gives you a glimpse into what it might have been like to have been in Pompeii on that day. After the movie you step into different galleries displaying artifacts and models of artifacts that explain what life was like in Pompeii. My favorite items were a delicate pair of gold drop earrings, a gold snake bracelet, and a loaf of bread that remained uneaten. The final room has the plaster cast of two bodies surrounded by the portraits of how people would have looked at that time. It is very poignant. Since I am not going to get to Italy anytime soon I didn't mind the drive to Orlando to see these precious objects. I was a little disappointed to see that some items were replicas but overall I was very impressed with the exhibit. I learned a lot about life in Pompeii and Herculaneum. After my visit to the Pompeii exhibit I was free to explore the rest of the museum. While it is more geared to children it was still nice to check it out. Food can be purchased at the 4Roots Cafe on the ground floor. If you have time to go, the Cornell Museum on the Rollins College Campus currently has a door knocker from Pompeii on display and it is free to visit. Before I left, I visited the gift ship where you can pick up a few souvenirs from the exhibit like postcards and magnets. I ended up purchasing a catalog of the items that were displayed. The exhibit leaves on January 24, so hurry before it is gone. Pompeii in 79 AD was nice city to visit but you didn't want to linger too long.

The biggest let down. A lot of photos on the wall, a few videos and a few statues. Not a lot of…read moreauthentic artifacts which is what we were wanting to see. I have seen far far more about Pompeii in National Geographic for free. There were way too many people and certainly no social distancing in the Pompeii exhibit. This is the third time I have driven all the way to Orlando to see an over rated exhibit which was mainly photos and maps on the wall. If you have children the center is worth the membership. Otherwise a waste of money since so much is online today

I went to an event Pet Pool Party in the Marilyn L. Mennello Sculpture Garden at The Mennello…read moreMuseum. 'Pools in the Park' was Free Admission sponsored by Valley National Bank. I did not bring my dogs because it was super hot and I had a few stops in this area. I arrived near the end of the event to see if this was something I could share with my dogs. I saw lots of happy owners and pups (some wet.). They had great raffles and fun tents to experience with your pet. Full disclosure I have been a member of Mennello in the past and attended their folk music events. I really like that they have events that empower patrons to participate in art, music and the community. They have another Pet event in Fall 2025.

Fee: $8. Inside: Time spent, meandering you can clear in 12…read moreminutes. Curation: "Pool Party" - underwhelming. Of my 60 plus museum stops throughout the United States, this place comes in dead last. What is a win? The grounds! Beautifully maintained, on the water. Great place for evening Yoga sesh or picnic lunch. Bringing up this 1 star experience, to a 2!

i came here on a day a lot of the exhibits were being worked on but i enjoyed the half off price…read morebecause of it (plus i can come back !!) this was a beautiful museum of art w/ such a variety of different types of art. i took my time as i walked around the rooms & it was lovely. they had a whole hallway dedicated to young artists which was sweet & they also have many art programs for the littles as well as adult events! i really enjoyed my time & will make another stroll soon, i'm sure of it. thank you for existing.

We came here last week for the third Thursday event. March 20 26th…read more Every third Thursday they have a free event. You can get in free to the museum all day until 8:00 p.m. Some of the artists are there and you can talk to them about their artwork. They were giving out free wine and water. Great art museum to check out once a month because they do change out the displays. We got there a little late They were closing at 8:00 p.m. and we got there at 7:30 so we had to do a quick rush through but I was so glad I got to see this and we'll come back next month.

The Winter Park Historical Museum is a small free museum located across the railroad from Central…read morePark. It is operated by the Winter Park Historical Association and resides in a former railroad freight depot. There is a one room exhibit hall that features changing exhibits. The goal of the museum is to engage people in the history of Winter Park. The current exhibit is about the hotels and motels of Winter Park throughout the city's history. The exhibit highlights include the luxury hotels of the late 1800s, like the Seminole Hotel, built in 1886 on Lake Osceola. It was a place that attracted northerners and had luxuries such as steam heating and gaslights. President Grover Cleveland was a visitor but it burned down in 1902. Also included in the exhibit is information about the roadside family motels, tourist courts and the boarding houses used by the workers who built Winter Park. The museum offers programs throughout the year. It is staffed by a volunteer so if you want to know more about the history of Winter Park you can actually speak to someone about it. It also has a small gift shop. If you are in the area it is worth stopping by.

If you wanna check out the beginnings of your neighborhood, the best place to start is the Winter…read morePark history museum on 200 New England Avenue. The current exhibit is motels and hotels. There is a volunteer who will answer your questions. This used to be the lobby for the Atlantic Railroad. There is free parking on the street and donations are recommended.

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.

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.

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!

Admission is free, and there's limited parking out front. It was full at first, but when we passed…read morethrough a second time we got lucky and found a space. They had some interesting art on display, including a Picasso.

This museum is free to get in. It is very small and…read moreprobably would take you less than 30 minutes to get through. The part I really liked is the grounds you can go out in the back and hang out by the water. They do have sculptures throughout the campus but we only saw one or two in this area. We were doing museum day so we hit this one just to check it out. It did have an interesting piece a Pan Am bag. My mother worked for this company when she was in her twenties she was the Secretary to the CEO so this was interesting to me. Super friendly staff I'll check it out again to see if they change out the displays.