Beautiful museum with a lengthy history, dating all the way back to 1937! This place is a whole…read morecomplex of active artist studios, in addition to event space and gallery space and an outdoor Mayan garden. This terrace is decorated with Mayan inspired etchings and sculptures and tiles. The location is in a beautiful area of Maitland; right by the lake, this is a great place to visit and then stroll over to the water. Highly recommend a regular visit here or to attend one of their other special events.

I purchased their homeschool event at the telephone museum for my kiddo and I. It was such an…read moreenriching experience and the staff here especially the teacher guide explaining the history behind the telephones does such a fantastic job of making it so fun and interactive. I loved the way he was able to story tell it and get all the kiddos excited and involved! Kudos and big raise for him please. The grounds have lots of interesting sculptures to see as well. I look forward to coming back for more of their events.

Visiting the Zora Neale Hurston Museum was truly a treat! I learned so much about Zora's life,…read morelegacy, and her contributions to literature, culture, and history. The exhibits were informative and thoughtfully curated. It's a small but powerful space that honors her beautifully. Ms. Shirley Abullah has such a warm and welcoming presence--she was incredibly thorough and passionate in sharing Zora's story. I left feeling both inspired and more connected to such an important part of Black history. I wish more people knew about the museum and about Zora in general. The museum operates solely on donations and is located in historic Eatonville, one of the oldest Black-incorporated towns in the U.S. Each year, they host a large festival celebrating Zora's birthday--it's definitely something worth experiencing!

History is always on the top of my mind when visiting any place, and my trip to FL was no…read moredifferent. I noticed that some of the reviews may turn you off from visiting, but I hope you won't let it. As stated, it's not real a museum per se. It is more of a mini rotating exhibit of a chosen artist to show their work. This is more like a single room Vister Center, for Eatonville. Staff member, Ms. Shirley welcomed us in with open arms when we walked in. She provided us with some reading materials to learn more, and let us take our time looking at the art. She shared with us a little about Zora Neale Hurston. Who appears to have a deep impact on this oldest black municipality in the country. And it was nice to learn a little about the showcased artist as well: Granville Carrol.

A memorable, inexpensive date idea that takes just 1 to 2 hours! This museum is home to the world's…read morelargest collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including the stunning Tiffany Chapel. If you're a student, definitely check the museum's website before you go. Admission was only $6 for me, and check-in was quick and easy. The staff were so friendly, informative, and helpful. The museum has a quiet, calm atmosphere that makes it easy to take your time and really enjoy everything. I was honestly surprised by how big it was. I didn't expect there to be more than 30 rooms to explore! Each room has pamphlet guides, and complimentary audio guides are available on your phone with admission. I also loved the museum shop and picked up a few postcards to take home. There are so many great photo opportunities throughout the museum, too. If you're looking for a fun date, a peaceful afternoon, or simply appreciate art and history, this museum is absolutely worth a visit in Winter Park!

What a great museum and way bigger than I was expecting! It cost $8 for admittance and they have…read morebrochures in each section to assist for a self guided tour if you prefer to take your time. The selection was larger than I knew it would be as I thought only of Tiffany Lamps, but it is the glass making, pottery and even art as well! It is a beautiful, picturesque gallery that is worth a look. Only major downside is finding parking but that is really a winter park issue and not the museums fault.

This is a small history museum in Maitland. It was founded in 1970 as the Maitland Historical…read moreSociety. In 2010 they merged with the Maitland Arts Center. For $6 you can tour the history museum, art museum next door, and the Mayan themed gardens across the street. This campus is Greater Orlando's only National Historic Landmark, and was originally an artist retreat founded in 1937 by artist and architect Jules André Smith. The museum may be small but it is big on charm. We took a self guided tour although friendly staff is on hand to answer any questions. The museum collection of historical artifacts dates back to the late 19th century. The permanent exhibition is titled Maitland's Attic: A Journey Through A Small City's Past. Displays begin with the history of the First Peoples of Florida, followed by the start of the Art Center, the Florida Audubon Society, and ends in the 1970s in a room that would be familiar to anyone who grew up in that era. Behind the main building is another room housing the Telephone Museum established in 1981. The A&H's Telephone Museum explores the technology of communications and the history of the telephone as you explore how communications have changed throughout time. You can learn about the history of the Winter Park Telephone Company which was founded in Maitland. The Telephone Museum has working antique phones and switchboards. We had a great time reading the signs, looking at the collection, and reminiscing about the past. Whether you're a local resident or a curious traveler, a visit to the Maitland History Center is sure to be a memorable and enriching experience.

This small museum has two parts: one covers the history of settlement in Maitland, the other is a…read morehistory of early telephone systems seen through the Winterpark Telephone Co. started by Carl H. Galloway. It is worth it's modest $3 admission. The Maitland Historical and Telephone Museum is part of the overall complex of Maitland Art and History Museums (however, in those reviews, this particular museum has no photos nor reviews of it). I will be mentioning this as part of that review also. The general local history portion of the museum is self-guided, offering about 4 small galleries of artifacts and information. The telephone portion of the museum is given as a tour, and has interactive elements -- with the guide demonstrating the use of the switchboard, and guests encouraged to 'make calls' using the crank telephones and the like. Even if the history of that specific telephone company isn't an interest, the telephone museum offers an engaging look into the development of the technology and infrastructure of the early 20th centuries, and visitors will doubtless see parallels to the information revolutions that have occurred more recently. I also want to particularly mention our tourguide, Rachel, who was extremely friendly, helpful and engaging when providing historical information. She seemed genuinely engaged in her subject, and went the extra mile in helping us plan out our day at the various little museums within the complex.

Architect and…read morecarpenter There are skilled carpenters and there are talented architects, seldom is one person both. William Waterhouse was one of these rare and special individuals and built a very cool house that reflected his unique abilities. The Waterhouse family decided to come down from New York to spend some time in the Maitland area of Florida in the late 19th century. Wasn't much down there at that time so Mr Waterhouse decided to build his own house. Since he was an accomplished architect he designed the home in the New York style that he was familiar with and since he also hapened to be a skilled carpenter he built the house himself from the abundant local pine. In 1884 the house was finished and the family moved in and lived, entertained and become prominent in the community. The house is impressive and cool but certainly not extravagant. The Waterhouse family would probably be called upper middle class today, well off but certainly not filthy rich. The house was of course changed over the years but was finally restored to reflect it's original character and even filled with antiques from the period. Tours are available with wonderful docents for only three dollars. You not only get to see the cool house, wonderful period furniture and antiques but also the workshop filled with old tools from the time the Waterhouse family lived here. The docent we had was great, she knew everything there was to know about the house, Waterhouse family and the local area in the time the home was built. Patiently answered our questions and gave us a great tour and history lesson. Since the house is right on the grounds of lovely Lake Lily Park after seeing the house you can spend some time walking around the park. A great way to spend a few hours while in Maitland.

Nice little 30 minute tour of this old house built by people that moved here over 100 years ago…read more The house remains almost the same except for a few details, the tour is nice and explains a lot about the house and the people that lived here. Tour is cheap only $3.00 and worth the money,so if you are near lake Lilly come check out it. Its Only open till 4pm so come early. Good tour if you are bored and around the area.

The Winter Park Historical Museum is a small free museum located across the railroad from Central…read morePark. It is operated by the Winter Park Historical Association and resides in a former railroad freight depot. There is a one room exhibit hall that features changing exhibits. The goal of the museum is to engage people in the history of Winter Park. The current exhibit is about the hotels and motels of Winter Park throughout the city's history. The exhibit highlights include the luxury hotels of the late 1800s, like the Seminole Hotel, built in 1886 on Lake Osceola. It was a place that attracted northerners and had luxuries such as steam heating and gaslights. President Grover Cleveland was a visitor but it burned down in 1902. Also included in the exhibit is information about the roadside family motels, tourist courts and the boarding houses used by the workers who built Winter Park. The museum offers programs throughout the year. It is staffed by a volunteer so if you want to know more about the history of Winter Park you can actually speak to someone about it. It also has a small gift shop. If you are in the area it is worth stopping by.

If you wanna check out the beginnings of your neighborhood, the best place to start is the Winter…read morePark history museum on 200 New England Avenue. The current exhibit is motels and hotels. There is a volunteer who will answer your questions. This used to be the lobby for the Atlantic Railroad. There is free parking on the street and donations are recommended.

We go every year. And every year it's getting more packed…read moreso make sure you get there very early I got there at 10:30 a.m. and was having a hard time finding a spot for free. I do have parking for 10 and $20 but I did find a spot and a neighborhood. I love this art show so much beautiful stuff that I can't afford. But I like talking to the artist and finding out where they're from. It was a beautiful day in Winter Park saw a few friends and enjoyed looking through all the shops.

This was my first Arts festival in Winter park and I had such a great time, it was so well…read moreorganized. There were so many Artists, almost impossible not to find someone or something that you liked! I purchased two items, a painting and ceramic bowl, I love them both! Lots of food and drinks, love performances, also, kids and pet friendly so the whole family could come and have a great time.

The Winter Park Downtown Historic District is a fantastic neighborhood with its roots tracing back…read moreto 1881. The neighborhood has some great restaurants and shopping options and is close enough to downtown Orlando to make it convenient, yet far enough away to embrace its own identity and be a lot more laid back. The streets are cobblestone and just adds to the ambiance. This is a nice upscale neighborhood and gives a cool, almost small-town feel in the midst of the city of Orlando, Florida. I would definitely recommend a visit to this cool neighborhood.

Winter Park began as 8 acres of land purchased by David Mizoram Jr. in 1858 who called his purchase…read moreLakeview. The town of Winter Park was plotted when Loring Chase and Oliver Chapman purchased 600 acres in 1881. Life was given to the new town when the railroad was persuaded to extend it's line. The railroad depot built in 1882 was the towns first building. A store was built at Park Ave and Morse Blvd that housed a mercantile, post office, and assembly room. The building still stands. The town was chartered in 1887 and became a retreat for wealthy northerners looking to escape the cold climate in the winter, hence the name of the town Winter Park. The towns economy was built on entertaining winter tourists. Rollins College, the oldest college in Florida was founded here in 1885. The city was incorporated in 1925 and is governed by four city commissioners and a mayor. Today Winter Park is 9 square miles and home to approximately 28,500 residents. The town is known for it's lakes, parks, museums, and shops and restaurants along historic Park Avenue. My favorite restaurant is the Briar Patch. The Winter Park Historic District includes buildings constructed from 1882 through 1965, and it runs along Park Avenue from Canton to Comstock Avenues. Winter Park has held on to its old small town charm. Popular past times here include a boat ride on Lake Osceola, a meal on Park Avenue, and a trip to the Morse Museum. Favorite festivals include the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival and the 4th of July Celebration in Central Park. The Winter Park Historic District is a delightful mixture of the new and the old and just like in the 1800's you can still arrive by train.