Museums in Orlando

A teaching museum situated in Rollins College’s Winter Park campus, Cornell Fine Arts Museum showcases over 50,000 objects of European and American art. From the contemporary to classical age, the museum houses a vast collection of rare paintings, drawings, photographs, and prints. Along with the large collection of permanent objects, Cornell Fine Arts Museum also features rotating and engaging exhibits, family programs, interactive play stations, and guided tours. In addition, the museum offers free admission and tours as well.

Address : 1000 Holt Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

Hours : Tue: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM; Wed - Fri: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sat - Sun: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM (closed on Mon)

Tickets : Free

Founded : 1978

Director : Ena Giurescu Heller

Collection : Paintings from the 14th - 21st century, prints, drawings and photographs from 15th - 21st century, ethnographic objects, watch keys from 16th - 19th century

Set in a beautiful, transformed courthouse from 1972, Orange County Regional History Center offers an insight into the rich heritage and culture of Florida. Affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the museum has five floors that display exhibits and interactive displays of Florida’s history from 12,000 years ago. The history ranges from the early days of Central Florida when it was a Spanish cattle ranching city to now being a theme park capital in the world. There are interactive displays about Walt Disney, a tribute to the victims of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in 2016, and a research library boasting over 17,000 collections of photographs, postcards, maps, and personal papers.

Address : 65 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32801

Hours : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (daily)

Opened : 1942

Tickets : 8 USD

Collection : Photographs, postcards, maps, papers, rotating and permanent exhibits

Opened in 2007, Wells' Built Museum of African American History & Culture was once a Wells’ Built Hotel that’s been converted into a museum. The museum got its name after Dr. William Monroe Wells who arrived in Orlando, Florida, from Georgia in 1917. Featuring Orlando’s African American culture, the museum houses several memorabilia, artifacts, and antique decor from the 1930s. Dr. William Monroe was notable because of his medical training and how he was able to deliver over 5,000 babies of the same race that he was. In addition, he also treated and helped fellow African Americans who suffered from diseases like pneumonia and influenza before penicillin was invented. Today, the museum - former hotel, displays masterpieces, beading and decorations, wall interiors, and furniture in the guestrooms.

Address : 511 W South St, Orlando, FL 32805

Hours : Mon - Fri: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed on Sat & Sun)

Opened : 2007

Collection : Authentic furniture, interiors, memorabilia, artifacts, beading, decorations

A non-profit organization in Orlando, Florida, the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) serves three regions: Orange County, Central Florida, and greater Orlando. One of the most renowned as well as the oldest museums in the area, OMA was founded by a group of art lovers in 1924. Nestled amid green lawns and age-old oak trees on Loch Haven, the museum houses a large and diverse collection of art pieces featuring both historic contemporary works. It also comes with 10 to 12 annual rotational exhibits and includes over 800 artworks from ancient Americas. Every Thursday of every month, the museum organizes an “Orlando’s Original Art Party” where visitors can mingle and discover local artists, along with consuming the bar and food offerings.

Address : 2416 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803

Hours : Tue - Fri: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sat - Sun: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM (closed on Mon)

Tickets : 15 USD for adults; 5 USD for children

Founded : 1924

Director : Aaron H. De Groft

Curator : Hansen Mulford

Collection : Contemporary art, American art, and series of other paintings

Uncover all the oddities of the world only at Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum in Orlando, Florida. Featuring 16 unique galleries, the museum contains over 600 artifacts, interactive exhibits, photographs, and several other items that range from shocking to bizarre. While at the museum, explore exhibits including a 2-headed calf, shrunken human heads to rare skeletons. Along with this, visitors can check out the shooting gallery, spinning vortex tunnel, and a vampire killing kit, to name a few.

Address : 8201 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819

Hours : 10:00 AM - 00:00 AM (daily)

Tickets : 26 USD

Collection : Galleries, artifacts, exhibits, photographs

A two-story brick building, Orlando Fire Museum in Rollins Street was formerly called Orlando Firehouse Number 3. This 1926 firehouse contains authentic artifacts, memorabilia, antique equipment, and types of fire engines, to name a few. The museum also offers exhibits, a research library, and tour guides by the volunteers who are retired Orland firefighters that provide an educating experience to all the visitors.

Address : 814 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803

Hours : Fri - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (closed from Sun - Thu)

Tickets : Free

Collection : Artifacts, fire engines, memorabilia, equipment

A local history museum in Maitland, Florida, Art & History Museums is run by the Maitland Historical Society. It’s a cultural institution that was originally meant as an art colony. This area was solely dedicated to experimental art, which then transformed into a place that was primarily renowned for its Mayan-style architecture. The museum comprises four entities, all different from one another: Maitland Art Center, Telephone Museum, Maitland Historical Museum, and Waterhouse Residence Museum.

Address : 231 W Packwood Ave, Maitland, FL 32751

House : Thu - Sun: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM (closed from Mon - Wed)

Tickets : 6 USD

Attractions : Maitland Art Center, Telephone Museum, Maitland Historical Museum, and Waterhouse Residence Museum

The Mennello Museum of American Art was initially established to preserve the works of Earl Cunningham - a 20th-century American folk artist. Today, the museum situated on the site of Loch Haven Park focuses on showcasing both traditional and contemporary artists from America. Located in Howard Phillip’s House, the Mennello Museum of American Art features a permanent collection of several paintings and sculptures created by Earl Cunningham, along with splendid American art from all genres and eras of different artists. The museum also hosts special events and exhibitions all around the year, including an annual festival called the Folk Art Festival.

Address : 900 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803

Hours : Tue - Sat: 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM; Sun: 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM (closed on Mon)

Tickets : 5USD

Founded : 1998

Collection : Sculptures, paintings, hand-blown glass, drawings

A small museum located just north of Orlando, in Winter Park Florida, Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden is a historic site set on a three-acre land facing Lake Osceola. This landmark is home to Albin Polasek - a late Czech-American sculptor. The museum is known for featuring and preserving the artworks, photographs, and sculptures in the garden created by Polasek. The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden offers guided tours, showcases short videos explaining the property’s history, and also gives a better understanding of why Polasek created all the sculptures. These sculptures depict Polasek’s story at different times in his lifetime. The land on which the museum sits also covers a chapel and his home that are open to the public.

Address : 633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

Hours : Tue - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM; Sun: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (closed on Mon)

Founded : 1949

Collection : Original furnishings, antiques from Polasek’s collection, sculptures, exhibits by local artists

Attractions : Water gardens and a butterfly garden

Situated just outside of Downtown Orlando, Orlando Science Center is a private science museum that is all about learning science and technology. Founded in 1955, this museum has four floors featuring several educational, fun exhibits, and family-friendly activities. Some of the attractions include Cinedome where 3D movies are played and Nature Works where visitors can explore the wildlife and ecosystems of Central Florida. Along with these two, there’s also Kids Town for the kids to have fun indulging in the interactive games, and Dino Digs where there are huge dinosaur eggs and fossilized dinosaurs that visitors can uncover. The museum also offers plenty of exhibits and weekly/monthly events such as the SuperHero Weekend, Kids at the Night Museum, and more.

Address : 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803

Hours : Mon - Tue: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thu - Sat: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed on Wed & Sun)

Tickets : 20 USD

Founded : 1955

Attractions : Kids Town, Cinedome, Dino Digs, Nature Works