Nice little roadside museum. Two short but informative movies on Collier, Collier County and the…read morecompletion of the Tampa Miami highway, the Tamiami Trail. Friendly people.

A very nice surprise, if you're interested in how the heck southwest Florida was settled, this…read moremuseum is very informative. No charge for admission, donations only, the museum focuses primarily on Barron Collier's vision and commitment to building a city in south Florida and the Tamiami Trail from Tampa to Miami.

Tony and I went to Chokoloskee Island to the Historical Smallwood Store! It's now a museum adults…read moreonly $5. The water has a brackish reddish brown tint from the Red Mangrove. It also has a sulphury smell! It's very pretty down here! We also stopped in Everglade City FL.

I've seen the signs on Alligator Alley many times so I finally decided to stop. Smallwoods is an…read moreold Florida store and museum. It is an old Indian trading post with original fixtures and a huge amount of items from books, newspapers, sewing goods, dishes and everything else imaginable. There is a great water view out the back door of the store. It is built up on stilts. There is a $5 entry. The store sells all sorts of souvenirs. We spent under an hour browsing the museum.

This is an outstanding museum! It is smaller, but it's absolutely PACKED with material any history…read morebuff would enjoy. Take your time and set aside a few hours to view its contents, visit the other half of the museum (focusing on Collier County history), and explore the outdoor grounds which feature a Sherman Tank! It's a really special little place. The volunteers take their time to make it a special experience for you if you just ask questions :) Some of the models and displays are handmade by a volunteer, and they are outstandingly detailed. Take home a free book too! Definitely worth a visit!

This is a small but museum at the Naples Airport. But though it is small it hosts a lot of great…read moremilitary memorabilia and history. Definitely worth visiting.

Since we've been visiting the Naples/Marco Island area for many years now, Nate and I have done a…read morelot of the tourist attractions like the zoo, botanical gardens, a few museums, etc. but somehow had never been to the Marco Island Historical Museum until our visit in March 2026. The museum is free to visit, and I was really impressed. We got an overview when we entered and learned a lot about the history of Marco Island and its residents, starting with the Calusa period (pre 1700s). The history is fascinating and although some of it was a little washed over, I think most of it was well done in terms of honoring the native people of the area. There was a rotating exhibit while we visited about the evolution of transportation that happened throughout the island's history, which included ships, airplanes (Marco Island Airways operated in the 70s and 80s, trains, and automobiles. The other exhibits were packed with lots of information and artifacts which were very cool to see. The displays were nicely done with lots of great visuals. I especially enjoyed learning about the Mackle brothers, who had a large part in developing the island. They also had the famous Key Marco Cat on display, which was discovered in 1896 and was perfectly preserved in an oxygen-free bog. It is currently on loan to the Marco Island Historical Museum but is returning to the Smithsonian in April 2026. I'm glad we got to see this unique icon, especially as a cat lover. If you're interested in history, I highly recommend visiting this museum.

This was a fantastic way to spend a windy, chilly morning on Marco Island. This museum is…read morecertainly cherished by all who live here. What a gem of so well put together and maintained. No cost to get in either (donations accepted and appreciated). My husband and I learned so much about the history of Marco island as well as the development of the island. Fascinating stuff!

a charming, historic attraction that originally opened in the 1930s. Set on about 3 to 3.5 acres of…read morelush, mature landscaping, the Wonder Gardens is home to a variety of rescued, rehabilitating, and non-releasable animals. We took our time wandering the pathways, admiring the beautiful habitats thoughtfully designed for each species. There's a strong focus on birds, and the variety here is impressive -- vibrant parrots, graceful flamingos, and so many unique feathered residents. Just as we made it to the final exhibit with the crocodiles, an announcement came over the speakers warning of lightning in the area. Guests were directed back to the gift shop for safety, and the staff began offering rain checks or refunds depending on when you arrived. We didn't inquire about either, though -- we had already thoroughly enjoyed our time there, and since the Wonder Gardens is a nonprofit organization, we were happy to support them regardless. Before leaving, we browsed the gift shop, which had a fantastic selection of animal-themed souvenirs, cute décor, and even artwork created by the resident animals -- such a unique touch. If you're in the area, Wonder Gardens is absolutely worth a stop. It's charming, educational, and your admission supports ongoing rescue and rehabilitation efforts. If you're interested in getting even closer to the animals, they also offer scheduled animal encounters, so be sure to check ahead for times.

Needs work. Needs donations $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Several…read moreanimal cages empty. This is dry season, so plants and animals need water. Koi pond was so dirty I couldn't see any koi.

We visited the History Fort Lauderdale Museum yesterday for Smithsonian's Museum Day. My spouse and…read moreI have lived in Hollywood for the last ten years but haven't yet taken the time to visit historical Fort Lauderdale, so we were excited to check it out. The museum is a beautiful old inn with three levels. The first level has a few rooms with interesting artifacts and a video showing a brief history of how Ft. Lauderdale came to be settled. There are some beautiful art pieces from resident artists hanging on the walls of the video room. On the second floor, there are many different rooms showcasing different parts of Ft Lauderdale history; there is a room with information about archeological digs, Seminole and Tequesta history, a case with sports memorabilia from Wayne Huizenga's teams, a room with different military artefacts, among many other interesting details. I appreciated the information about the schools - they featured Fort Lauderdale high school and the founding of Dillard. The third floor is where resident artists work on their next amazing pieces. While we didn't get to visit the other buildings on the grounds, we did walk around the the grounds themselves are along the new river, with gazebos and very nice landscaping. All of the museum workers were very friendly and informative. I would certainly return and bring more friends, we had a great time!

I did the self guided tour on a Saturday afternoon. There are two floors of exhibits in individual…read morerooms. The exhibits detail the history of Fort Lauderdale, from the Seminoles to Flagler's railroad. The building is the first hotel in Fort Lauderdale, built in 1905.

Was an amazing experience to learn such a great heritage. I recommend for everyone to come and…read morelearn about such a great culture.. Very clean and organized and a lot of information...

Great little museum about the Seminole tribe in Florida. Came here over the weekend on a weeklong…read moretrip in Florida. I had learned about the Seminole tribe in school, and have been long fascinated by the history of the tribe (past and present) in Florida. My friend and I got in around 4 pm (they close at 5pm), so we missed the boardwalk. However, the front staff were very helpful and got us in immediately so that that we could watch the intro 18-minute video and then proceed to the rest of the exhibit thereafter. The museum showcases the history of the Seminole tribe and highlights various aspects of culture (including things like food, trade, arts, clothing). Part of the museum has artwork from painter Jimmy Osceola (no photos allowed in this part of the museum), which were absolutely beautiful and vivid in color! Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7.50 for students. IMO, well worth the money as it provided a good understanding of Seminole history and culture, all in one small space. The boardwalk would have been a nice place to visit (if I got there earlier) - hopefully next time!

Honestly this is really a sad waste of your time. Small and nothing really of significant…read moreinterest to see or learn here. The surrounding area is really depressing, in general there is really nothing in Florida City that warrants you making a stop for.

This museum caught our eye while traveling up Krome Ave after a morning trip to the Everglades…read more Two of the museum volunteers were sitting on the porch next to a big "OPEN" and "Free Admission" sign. We were the only visitors there at the time, and the gentleman volunteer on the porch gave us a brief history of the house before inviting us in to a self or guided tour. We chose to self tour and moved through the house looking at various antique items from the late 1800's and first half of the 1900's. At times, there were exhibits set up with various types of certain items (phones, cash registers, etc). It took us about 20 minutes, to move through most of the house. It's also a great way to get up close to objects that might otherwise be behind glass at a different museum. There's a small store inside selling various memorabilia and books. The entire museum is operated and staffed by volunteers between November-April. I would recommend a visit if you find yourself in the area.