The James W. Rossiter House is it historic home of James Wadsworth Rossiter, Sr., who came to this…read morepart of the world in 1902. He purchased this property in 1903, go the history of the house can be traced to before the Civil War. I love to find Historical pieces of a community such as this. It is important that we know the footsteps of the past that led us to the present. It is hard to imagine what Florida was like not only during the Civil war, but even in the early 1900s. There was no air conditioning and I am confident that life was very difficult here in the Sunshine State. If you find yourself in melbourne, come check this place out.

I love to discover historic buildings so I was pleased to discover this museum on a recent trip to…read moreEau Gallie, now part of Melbourne. The Rossetter House Museum is made up of the 1908 Rossetter House and Gardens, the 1892 Roesch House once owned by the first mayor of Eau Gallie and the 1865 Houston Cemetery where the first white settlers to Eau Gallie are buried. James Rossetter (1863-1921) was born in Hamilton County, Florida. He arrived in Eau Gallie in 1902 and bought this property in Eau Gallie in 1904 from the first settler to the area, John Houston who fell in love with the area while conducting a Seminole Indian census in 1850. The house started as a small existing building on the property. Rossetter was a leading merchant in the fishing industry and agent for the Standard Oil Company. As his wealth increased, Rossetter purchased the winter home of John Aspinwall, a New York industrialist and moved it to his property. The Aspinwall structure was built in 1890 and makes up the west wing of the house, connected by open-air breezeways. James lived in the home with his wife Ella and their children Caroline, Ella, James, Appleton, and Charles. Caroline and Ella remained in the home until their deaths at which time the house and contents were donated to the Rossetter House Foundation. It is managed by the Florida Historical Society who gives guided tours Wednesday through Saturday. After you finish your tour you should make your way to Main Street, Eau Gallie which is just steps away with restaurants, shops, and art. I highly recommend stopping at FM Pizza Oven and Joan's Perfect Pie to complete your visit.

The Eau Gallie Arts District is a cool part of Melbourne, Florida to spend a bit of time…read more There are murals and cool shops. There are also cool restaurants and bars, as well. In my opinion, a townor city needs to have a neighborhood with a funky, eclectic soul like this particular neighborhood. If you find yourself in Melbourne, Florida, I would definitely recommend checking out the Eau Gallie Arts District.

Eau Gallie is a historic Florida settlement in what is now Melbourne. This area of Florida is known…read moreas the Space Coast. The first settlement in Eau Gallie was established in 1859 when John C. Houston received an 80-acre homestead on the north shore of the Eau Gallie River. In the late1800's the area had thriving pineapple plantations and land was selling for $1,000 an acre until the freeze of 1894-95 which killed off the pineapple crops. The Eau Gallie Arts District is known as EGAD. It is a Florida Main Street program created to bring revitalization to the historic downtown Eau Gallie area by adding murals to the buildings. In November 2017, 19 murals were added to the downtown creating an outdoor art museum. The murals are part of the Anti-Gravity Project aimed to "elevate outdoor spaces, generate positive community energy, and showcase the EGAD as the growing epicenter of innovation on the Space Coast." The historic district includes the Historic Rossetter House Museum and Gardens, the Eau Gallie Public Library, Pineapple Park and restaurants, galleries, and shops. FM Pizza and Joan's Perfect Pies are two businesses you don't want to miss. The Eau Gallie Arts District hosts various events throughout the year. One of the most popular is First Fridays when you can stroll down the historic Highland Avenue and visit the different shops, galleries, and bars that host events and exhibits. Other popular events throughout the year include Whiskey in the District, An Evening in Paris, and the Rocky Water Brew Fest. I love when art and history come together so this was a really fun place for me to explore. Unfortunately the downtown arts recently suffered a blow with the closing of the Foosaner Art Museum whose loss will be felt for years to come. In the future EGAD will see the former art museum into a 180-room hotel by Northboro Builders who purchased it, a parking garage built, and more retail businesses added to Highland Avenue. Hopefully as they focus on getting bigger they won't loss the old Florida charm which was what made this such a delightful place to visit in the first place.

Love this art center/ gallery/ boutique! I may be a little biased as I have my jewelry line on…read moredisplay and for sale here, but there are many reasons why I dig this place. Off Center has some really amazing locally created art and art pieces. Ruth Ann, who owns Off Center is not only a creative visionary and jack of all trades, but she's a genuinely nice person. All the staff is friendly and creative. They offer several art classes for children, which they really seem to enjoy. This place is a great resource for art and creativity, and a little retail therapy.

What an awesome find, a true treasure. It's wonderful that Melbourne has an arts district and Fifth…read moreavenue Art Gallery really stands out. Its a must visit place in Melbourne, tucked away near the water. The variety of art done by local artists is noteworthy. I'm a recent transplant to the area from San Diego CA and I found more quality pieces in Fifth Avenue art Gallery than I did in San Diego arts district. Places like this really mark Melbourne as an up and coming area. Support the arts and visit this gallery, purchase original art, you will be glad you did!

Wonderful, friendly place, great art and a wide collection of unique and one of a kind gifts.read more

This two day workshop of abstract impressionism art taught by Jan Bryant and baby lemonade was…read moreincredibly educational and fun, I highly recommend taking this class. They exposed our brains to different ways of creating art with using beautiful metallic acrylic paints & watercolors, different brushes, tools, nature and just let it go with the flow. Art with no rules using the senses of feeling and touch, painting with our toes and eyes closed allowing whatever to flow on mural, texture or smooth paper expressing emotions that words cannot and connecting with others to heal on so many levels. Cant wait for the next art class here Many Blessings, Adrea

The Studios of Cocoa Beach art gallery is a frequent stop for us. it's all local artists and the…read moreart is varied and changes all the time. since it's a nonprofit you'll find one of the artists minding the shop and always interesting to talk to. it's a fine art gallery so not the crammed gift shop you usually find but bright, open and affordable if you're looking for art for the home or office, or just looking for a relaxing interesting browse.

I love a history museum, especially one that's free, and the Brevard Museum of History and Natural…read moreScience checks both boxes. With more than 3,000 fascinating artifacts in its permanent collection, there's so much to learn and explore. The Brevard Museum, Inc. was formed in 1969. The museum is currently operated by the City of Cocoa in a building tucked away in the quiet College Green Estates housing subdivision. If you didn't know it was there, you could easily drive right past it. The museum has two wings to explore. One focuses on Florida's natural history, featuring Ice Age fossils, including a giant ground sloth and mastodon, along with exhibits that recreate life in 1800's Florida. The other wing traces the region's human history, beginning with indigenous people, the Spanish colonization of Florida, and continuing through pioneer life, before ending with the Space Age. Exhibits cover a wide range of topics, including Florida's Indigenous peoples, Ice Age and modern wildlife, early Brevard settlers, Spanish ships, the citrus and turpentine industries, Flagler's railway, space exploration, arrowheads, artifacts from the Seminole, Miccosukee, and Ais peoples, shells, and casts of prehistoric and modern animal fossils. The Albert and Grace Taylor exhibit displays the personal effects of pioneers Albert and Grace Taylor. Grace Webster Taylor was a resident of the City of Cocoa, who passed away on December 27, 1945. There are also replicas of a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, and the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. The exhibit that fascinated me most was about the Windover archaeological site. In 1982, a bulldozer excavating a pond for a new housing development uncovered several human skulls. Archaeologists soon determined that the remains belonged to an ancient Indigenous community that had lived in the area approximately 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Over time, researchers recovered the remains of 168 individuals from the peat at the bottom of the pond. The peat created remarkable preservation conditions, protecting not only the skeletons but also soft tissues, including some brain tissue. Research conducted by Florida State University revealed a wealth of information about Florida's earliest inhabitants. Textiles recovered from the burials provided rare insights into ancient weaving techniques, while preserved stomach contents offered valuable clues about their diet. The museum exhibit displays a preserved skeleton, a bust of the "Windover Woman," and a recreation of the unique wet archaeological excavation. Unlike many local history museums I visit, this one has activities for kids making it more family friendly. There is a Discovery Room designed for children, where there are toys and a rocket capsule they can climb into along with other hands-on activities to enjoy. Behind the museum is a nature preserve and the Johnnie Johnson Nature Trails. The winding network of paved and natural-surface trails meanders through 22 acres of native Florida upland and wetland ecosystems surrounding Clear Lake, making it a fun way to extend a visit. There is so much local history packed into this small, free museum. The exhibits on archaeology, Florida history, natural science, and the Space Age are interesting for all ages. This is a wonderful budget friendly activity outside of the typical tourist destinations.

This is a really fun, free museum for all ages located in Brevard. For a rainy day or just a fun…read morechance to learn about Brevard, this is the perfect place. The museum is very well maintained and cared for. Me and my three year old were at the park and followed the trail for about 7 minutes and with help from a stranger, located the museum. I do wish there was signs. Without the help of my phone and the stranger, we would've gotten lost as there are various routes. The museum has a lot of really cool elements. There are bones, fossils, shells, space, and even a playroom amongst many other things. I was very intrigued by all the history and the large rooms of items to look at. Some items are a little outdated, but as a free entry museum it's very well kept. I look forward to coming back with my other son and husband as a family.

This is a small thrift/antique store in downtown Cocoa Beach! It is family owned and, while a bit…read morecluttered, is a great opportunity to find some real gems while supporting a nice family! My Dad got a lamp he loves, I got a beautiful basket for my fiancé, and my fiancé got me this antique Chinese figurine set. If you are in downtown Cocoa Beach, it's worth stopping by, especially if their sweet dog Lola is in the doorway! :)

I dont't live in Titusville but I had some errands to do nearby Hines Furniture. I heard about the…read morestore from a coworker and I was glad I stopped in. What you will find here is used furniture in EXCELLENT CONDITION at a fair price! I was VERY impressed with the inventory. Though I'm not in the market for anything right now it would be worth it to me to make the trip to Hines for used furniture when the need arises!