No matter your age, or whether you’re a guest visiting the area or a proud resident of Jacksonville’s beach communities (Mayport, Neptune Beach, Jax Beach, Atlantic Beach, Ponte Vedra, and Palm Valley), the Beaches Museum provides something for all. Our diverse range of experiences offered — events, exhibits, archives, and more —give life to the vibrant history and culture of the area. With each visit to the Beaches Museum, explore the past, present, and future of Jacksonville’s beach communities, as well as what makes each community unique and what binds us together.
Jacksonville Beach, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
History
For more than 60 years, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has been committed to engaging and inspiring through the arts, gardens, and education. A permanent collection of more than 5,000 objects and historic gardens on a riverfront campus offers nearly 150,000 annual visitors a truly unique experience on the First Coast. Nationally recognized education programs serve adults and children of all abilities. For further information, including hours, visit www.cummermuseum.org.
Jacksonville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
Art
The Florida Museum houses more than 40 million specimens and artifacts, including one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of butterflies and moths, and is one the nation’s top five museums. Visitors to the exhibits facility on the UF campus can enjoy hundreds of exotic, live butterflies in the award-winning "Butterfly Rainforest" exhibit, witness a South Florida Calusa Indian welcoming ceremony, experience a life-size limestone cave and enjoy fossil skeletons, including a mammoth and mastodon from the last ice age.
Gainesville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Alachua
Type(s):
History
Science
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. Discover the earth’s wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is changing daily and is dedicated to consistently improving. As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, a portion of ticket sales and memberships goes directly to the care and feeding of our animals, and the protection of animals and plants around the world.
Jacksonville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
Gardens
Zoo
The Lightner Museum is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel, built in 1888 by Henry Morrison Flagler. Home to one of the premier collections of fine and decorative 19th-century and early 20th-century art in the country. The five floors display furnishings, paintings, Victorian art glass, cut and blown glass, and natural history specimens.
St. Augustine, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
St. Johns
Type(s):
Art
Gardens
Historic Home
History
Located on the beautiful St. Johns River in the 10-acre Walter Jones Historical Park, the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society takes visitors back to old Florida through historic buildings and fascinating stories of Mandarin's past. Open 9-4 every Saturday. See complete schedule at www.mandarinmuseum.net
Jacksonville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
Art
Historic Home
History
Park
Located in the heart of historic downtown Gainesville, the Matheson History Museum is home to the Historic Matheson House, permanent and temporary exhibits on Alachua County and Florida history, and a local history library and archives filled with resources for the researcher and the curious alike. Throughout the year we host a variety of programs on local and Florida history.
Gainesville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Alachua
Type(s):
Historic Home
History
House
Founded in 1924, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville was the first visual arts organization in Jacksonville, one of the first art museums in the state of Florida. As a cultural institute of the University of North Florida, MOCA serves the community and its visitors through exhibitions, collections, educational programs, and publications designed to enhance an understanding and appreciation of contemporary art with particular emphasis on works created from 1960 to the present.
Jacksonville, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
Art
The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history. Within the walls of MOSH are three levels of exhibits that make science, history and innovation accessible for all. From interactive, award-winning favorites like Currents of Time and Atlantic Tails to the Florida Naturalist’s Center, which houses animals native to northeast Florida, there is something for all ages to discover. Indulge your imagination with a live science show, animal encounters, or explore distant galaxies in one of our planetarium programs. When visiting Northeast Florida’s only science and history museum, there is no limit to what you can discover! MOSH is located at 1025 Museum Circle on the Southbank of the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville. For information on tickets, hours and current exhibits, visit theMOSH.org or call 904.396.6674.
JACKSONVILLE, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
Duval
Type(s):
History
Science
Climb 219 steps to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse for Breathtaking 360º Views • Shipyard Play Area • Shipwreck Artifacts Revealed • 1876 Keepers’ House Exhibits • Maritime Hammock Nature Trails • The Tin Pickle, Local Gedunk (WWII Themed Eatery) • WWII US Coast Guard Coastal Lookout Quarters • Conservation Lab NEW! Nation’s Oldest Port Demos Daily Demos Explore lightkeeper duties and daily life, sailing, wooden boatbuilding and underwater archaeology during your visit. See the Daily Demo Schedule at staugustinelighthouse.org to customize your visit.
St. Augustine, FL
Region(s):
Northeast
County:
St. Johns
Type(s):
History