The Manatee Observation and Education Center is a waterfront environmental education and wildlife viewing center located on Florida's east coast in beautiful downtown Fort Pierce. We are a not-for-profit organization operated by four full-time staff members and over 100 volunteers. The Center lies just west of the Atlantic ocean and straddles the nationally recognized Indian River Lagoon, a saltwater estuary, and Moore's Creek, a freshwater tributary. The site is a historical congregating place for Florida manatees as a result of warm water effluent from the long-retired Henry B. King Power Plant. While the plant is no longer there, it continues to be a congregating place for manatees and visitors alike. Come inside the Center to learn about manatees and other wild animals, Florida's diverse habitats, and much more. Explore hands-on exhibits and informational displays that are both fun and educational. Stand along the covered observation walkway or climb the second story observation tower for your chance to see Florida's "Gentle Giants" resting or playing in Moore's Creek. You may also see a variety of other wildlife including the Bottlenose Dolphin, Mullet, Brown Pelicans, and Terns. Stroll through the Center's gardens where red, yellow, and purple flowers abound. We are striving to replace exotic plants with native plants to attract Florida's colorful butterflies. Visit our latest installment - the Florida native butterfly garden - complete with accessible hand-constructed arbors, mosaic benches from local artists, and more along the beautiful Moore’s Creek in Downtown Fort Pierce.
Fort Pierce, FL
Region(s):
Southeast
County:
St. Lucie
Type(s):
Science
Preserve Real Places, Tell Real Stories: Manatee Village Historical Park's buildings are furnished to display what life was like in early Florida. Our mission is to preserve and share the heritage of Manatee County’s founding period (1840-1918) through our museum and collection of historical artifacts and buildings.
Bradenton, FL
Region(s):
Southwest
County:
Manatee
Type(s):
Other
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
Long famous for its Key Marco Cat — one of the most remarkable and influential discoveries in North American archaeology — the Marco Island Historical Museum explores Southwest Florida’s Calusa Indians and brings this vanished civilization to life with informative displays and an exciting recreated village scene. Permanent and traveling exhibits trace the settlement of this subtropical island paradise from its early pioneer roots as a fishing village, pineapple plantation and clam cannery, through its explosive growth and development in the 1960s by the Miami-based Deltona Corporation.
Marco Island, FL
Region(s):
Southwest
County:
Collier
Type(s):
History
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to environmental education and the encouragement of greater citizen participation in the protection of our natural environment by connecting our community to the world through nature and the arts.
KEY BISCAYNE, FL
Region(s):
Southeast
County:
Miami-Dade
Type(s):
Art
Children's
Park
Science
Other
The museum is housed in a former St. Rita’s Catholic Church built in 1899. With a preservation mindset, the community came together, and with the aid of State resources, restored the building and established a community museum that opened in 1999. Today, the exhibits along with supporting documents, artifacts, oral histories, photos, and other archival materials, provide a glimpse into the life and history of African Americans in Southeast Volusia and beyond. Black Heritage Festival, February
New Smyrna Beach, FL
Region(s):
Central
County:
Volusia
Type(s):
Art
History
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
The Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries invite everyone on the Emerald Coast to discover a wide range of cultural experiences. As a creative classroom for Northwest Florida State College, our 2,700-square-foot of fine arts exhibition space in the McIlroy, Holzhauer, and Hallway Galleries at Building 110 on the Niceville Campus is filled with inspiring fine arts programs. The Galleries protect thousands of artworks and artifacts, ranging from ancient amphorae to Salvador Dalí watercolors. We also house the world’s largest collection of paintings by Emil Holzhauer, a well-known German expressionist master painter and a member of the New York Ashcan School Movement. MKAC also curates the Doolittle Raid World War II History Permanent Exhibition at Raider Sports Arena and the Congressman Robert L.F. Sikes Museum & Collection at the Crestview Center. Visitors are welcome to schedule tours and site visits, and we offer mentoring opportunities. Our volunteer and internship program lets you serve as a docent, care for artifacts, connect with artists, and get hands-on experience in the arts. To learn more, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jasmine, at 850-729-6044 or [email protected]. We are grateful to our colleagues, artists, contributors, supporters, students, volunteers, educators, leaders, visitors, and vendors for their passion and dedication. We look forward to another inspiring season together! MKAC Galleries is open Monday - Thursday from 10am-4pm.
Niceville, FL
Region(s):
Northwest
County:
Okaloosa
Type(s):
Art
McKee Botanical Garden, which is located on an 18-acre tropical hammock in beautiful Vero Beach features something for all ages. Horticulture: McKee Botanical Garden is known for its horticulture beauty where native plants and exotic botanicals combine with Old Florida charm. The Garden features 10,000 native and tropical plants, as well as one of the largest waterlily collections in the state of Florida comprised of over 80 varieties and over 300 potted and 100 free-range plants, including night and day-blooming varieties. History: Thousands of visitors come to the Garden each year to learn about McKee’s rich history and enjoy the natural landscape of majestic palms, exotic plants, trees, waterfalls, tranquil streams, and historic structures like the Hall of Giants and Spanish Kitchen. McKee Botanical Garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and endorsed by The Garden Conservancy as a project of national significance. Children’s Garden: The Children’s Garden at McKee is a natural complement to McKee’s existing offerings and is designed to spark imagination and curiosity in children through interactive exploration where children can Explore, Discover, and Just Be a Kid. The Children’s Garden features include the Scorpion Shipwreck in the Grand Discovery Tree, a Fairy Circle & Fairy Forest Trail, Nautilus Shell Amphitheatre, Karst Splash Garden, Waterlily Fountain, Music Maze, Bamboo Village, Blue Crab Reading Circle & Stumpery, and Sandridge and Pollinator Garden. Garden Café and Gift & Book Shop: The Garden Café features a delightful assortment of salads, sandwiches, children’s menu items, desserts and beverages available for purchase. The Garden Gift & Book Shop features a wide array of garden-themed home décor and gifts, books for adults and children, t-shirts, soaps and lotions and many other treasurers. National Publicity: McKee was featured on the cover of Southern Living magazine in February 2020, which showcased Vero Beach, Amelia Island, and Apalachicola. The Garden has also garnered national attention in publications such as Better Homes and Gardens, Coastal Living, House and Garden, Travel & Leisure, and The New York Times. McKee was named one of “22 Secret Gardens – Soothing Places of Surprise and Sanctuary in the U.S. and Canada” by National Geographic Traveler. The Garden was awarded the Hall of Fame Excellence Award by TripAdvisor.com in 2022. McKee is one of more than 340 horticultural institutions in 48 states and DC, plus Canada and the Caribbean participating in the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday (10 am – 5 pm), Sunday (Noon – 5 pm). Closed Mondays and major holidays. Last admission ticket is sold at 4 pm. The Children’s Garden closes at 4:30 pm. Admission: $15 Adults, $13 Seniors (65+)/Youth (13-17), $10 Children (2-12)/Military. McKee members and children under 2 free.
Vero Beach, FL
Region(s):
Central
County:
Indian River
Type(s):
Art
Children's
Gardens
Historic Home
History
The Miami Military Museum and Memorial honors all branches of the US Armed Forces, as well as its clandestine services. We seek to educate the public on the service, sacrifice and accomplishments of the active military, veterans, families and supporters of this great community. We are dedicated to preserving the rich military heritage of South Florida by connecting Miami’s diverse residents with their community. We serve as the educational voice to inspire and enrich the community by connecting the past to contemporary and future issues.
Miami, FL
Region(s):
Southeast
County:
Miami-Dade
Type(s):
History