Last updated: 6/19/2021
Orlando, Florida
Address
65 East Central Blvd.Orlando, FL 32801
phone: 407-836-8500
fax: 407-245-0412
e-mail: Pamela.Schwartz@ocfl.net
web: www.thehistorycenter.org

Hours

Monday - Saturday
10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday
12 PM - 5 PM

Admissions

Adults: $8
Seniors
Military (with ID): $6
Students (): $7
Children (5-12): $6

Museum Type(s)

Staff

Pamela Schwartz
phone: 407-836-8595
Diane Masciale
phone: 407-836-8523
Amanda Parish Walters
phone: 407-836-8376
Sharon Early
phone: 407-836-8505
Amanda Henry
phone: 407-836-7046
Lesleyanne Drake
phone:
Whitney Broadaway
phone:
Shannon Elliott
phone:
Melissa Procko
phone:
Whitney Barrett
phone:
Mary Kelley
phone:
Heidi Jordan
phone:
Megan Partington
phone:
Daniel Bradfield
phone:
Savannah Bitto Poole
phone:
Description

The Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando is continuously distinguished as the area's Best Museum," providing a variety of dynamic changing and permanent exhibits."

Mission

We honor the Past, Explore the Present to Shape the Future. We do this through preserving our local history, acting as a repository for the community's artifacts, archives and collections, and through providing a place for non-partisan dialog on our community and history, through education programs and exhibits which reinforce that we all are part of history.

Artifact Collections

The Center's priceless artifacts collections were established and are maintained, thanks to donations received from hundreds of individuals and companies. The Historical Society's artifacts collection contains of thousands of items from Central Florida's past, including furniture, household items and kitchenware; toys and dolls; fossils; decorative arts; military, political, and advertising memorabilia; business signs; over 5,000 quilts, hats, shoes, fans and garments, textiles and accessories; tools, technology and medical items; citrus industry equipment; and Florida tourist memorabilia.

Research Collections

The collections of the Historical Society of Central Florida include library, archival, and photographic materials that record the history of the Central Florida region from the mid 1840s. There are over archival 500 collections on local families, civic and government leaders, organizations and businesses; advertising broadsides from early industries such as citrus and tourism; and maps. More than 12,000 photographs and postcards have been collected from the 1870s to the present of people, buildings, businesses, streets, hotels, banks, churches, historic homes, cities, and sports. The library collection includes Sanborn fire insurance maps, building permits, city directories, local history reference books, rare books, high school yearbooks, and vertical files on thousands of subjects, including local individuals and families, businesses, and significant events.

Educational Programs

School Services Programs are offered to school-based groups and organizations and include guided tours of the History Center, Hands-On History classes and History Theatre programs. These interactive opportunities let students, teachers, and chaperones develop an interest in, and a curiosity for, the learning of history, both locally, and around the world.

Adult Programs are offered to present history to our general public. We want people to develop an appreciation for and a greater understanding of our community's heritage. Topics range from relevant to current events, pertinent to historic observations, or correlate to an exhibition at the History Center. We have speakers from guest experts, to university professors and trained historians, to general history enthusiasts who offer a thoroughly researched and well-presented program.

Offsite Programs provide schools and organizations the opportunity to learn in the comfort of their own environment. Programs bring the history of Central Florida to life through interactive classes and activities that evoke a new and fresh view of history.

Day Camps are interactive history programs that include one-day Discovery Days, as well as weeklong experiences through our Passport to History Summer Camp, History Holiday Camp, and Spring Break Camp. They're designed to provide an affordable day camp with fun, hands-on environment to develop a curiosity for history.

Scout Programs include guided, self-guided tours and badge workshops taught according to Girl Scout, Adventure Guide, and Boy Scout guidelines. We offer an affordable option with group rate admission. Badge workshops are designed to help scouts and scout leaders achieve needed badges for program advancement.

Docent Program is created for volunteers to give guided tours of the History Center. We host monthly Museum Explorations (gallery trainings) and provide training and knowledge opportunities for docents.

Governance

Private Non-Profit

Library
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars
Appointment required: Yes
Publications

Reflections from Central Florida - Quarterly
Annual Report
Services
Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Group Tours
ADA
Wheelchair Accessible
Restrooms
Exhibitions
Museum Events
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Museum Trustee Association Spring Forum 2024

April 10 - 14, 2024

Atlanta, Georgia

Texas Association of Museums 2024 Lubock Annual Conference

April 14 - 17, 2024

Lubbock, Texas

2024 Colorado-Wyoming ANNUAL MEETING

May 1 - 4, 2024

Worland, Wyoming

West Virginia Association of Museums 2024 Conference

June 6 - 8, 2024

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

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