Henry B. Plant Museum,
401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa,
(813) 254-1891. Experience the
grandeur of a winter railroad resort
that opened in 1891 as the Tampa Bay
Hotel and is now a National Historic
Landmark. Stroll the grand hallway
and enjoy rooms filled with original
Hotel furnishings from Europe.
Realize the elegance of the Victorian
lifestyle as a tourist in turn-of-thecentury
Florida.
Heritage Village -
Pinellas County Historical Museum,
11909 125th St. N., Largo, (727) 582-2123.
This 21-acre, open-air living history
village features more than 28 historic
structures, some with costumed guides.
They also have a museum, library,
archives relating to Pinellas County’s
history, nature trail and a gift shop.
Museum of Fine Arts (MFA),
255 Beach Dr. N.E., St. Petersburg,
(727) 896-2667. Featuring diverse
traveling exhibits in addition to its
permanent collection, this internationally
recognized, newly renovated Museum
is an architectural gem located on
St. Petersburg’s downtown
waterfront.
Museum of
Science & Industry (MOSI),
4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa,
(813) 987-6300. MOSI is the largest
science center in the Southern United
States and home of the only IMAX
Dome Theater in Florida. You can get
blown away in a Gulf Coast Hurricane
or stroll through their BioWorks
Butterfly Garden. We dare you to ride
the high wire bicycle. There are more
than 450 hands-on activities for
all ages.
The Palm Harbor Museum,
2043 Curlew Rd. (corner of Belcher Rd.),
Palm Harbor, (727) 724-3054. Take a
trip back in time and enjoy treasures
from the past in a magnificent turn-ofthe
century English-style house. The
Historical Society collects, preserves
and shares the heritage of the
Palm Harbor area.
Tampa Bay
Automobile Museum,
3301 Gateway Centre Blvd., Pinellas Park,
(727) 579-8226. A unique collection that
includes front-wheel drive and rear-engine
cars from the 1920s-1930s. Featured
automobiles include the replica of the
1770 Fardier de Cugnot, the first selfpropelled
vehicle; Tracta; Citroen; Panhard
and Voisin (France); Tatra and Aero (Czech);
DKW and Mercedes (Germany); Willys
Knight and Ruxton (USA).
Tampa Bay History Center,
801 Old Water St., (formerly St. Pete Times
Forum Dr), Tampa, (813) 228-0097. Located
along the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa’s
Channel District, this Smithsonian
Institution Affiliate takes visitors on a
journey through 12,000 years of Florida
history, with stories that range from
the Spanish conquistadors, Seminole
Indians, Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough
Riders and immigrant cigar rollers to
legends in the world of sports. The facility
includes a Museum Store and a Map
Gallery, as well as the Columbia Cafe,
a branch of the famous Columbia
Restaurants.
Tarpon Springs Heritage Museum,
100 Beekman Lane, Tarpon Springs,
(727) 937-0686. This museum, located
on Spring Bayou in Craig Park,
explains how the dynamic interaction
of environment and culture created this
historic city. The History Wing traces
the development of Tarpon Springs
from prehistoric people to World
War II. The Ecology Wing houses
the beautiful murals of
Christopher Still.
THEATERS
American Stage Theatre,
163 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg,
(727) 823-PLAY (7529). American Stage
Theatre Company is a not-for-profit
professional theatre founded in 1977.
The company’s mission is to create the
most satisfying live theatre in the Tampa
Bay area, accessible to all members of
the community. Their vision is to preserve
the greatest human stories from our past,
while creating the most defining stories
and storytelling of our time. American
Stage presents its top-quality Mainstage
Series in its 182-seat Raymond James
Theatre each year.
The Capitol Theatre,
405 Cleveland St., Clearwater,
(727) 791-7400. This newly-renovated
theatre in downtown Clearwater has
737 seats and is operated by Ruth
Eckerd Hall in a partnership with
the City of Clearwater.
Eight O’Clock Theatre,
105 Central Park Drive, Largo,
(727) 587-6793. The award-winning
Eight O'Clock Theatre continues its
long history of presenting high-caliber
entertainment in the beautiful Largo
Cultural Center. They honor the tradition
of combining top-notch performers
with state-of-the-art lighting, sound,
sets and performances. All their shows
offer a glimpse of the talent we are
fortunate to have here in the Tampa
Bay area.
Francis Wilson Playhouse,
302 Seminole St., Clearwater,
(727) 446-1360. This quality community
theatre has been in operation since
1930. Each season, the 182 seat theatre
presents a new show every month. The
venue is available for a nominal fee to nonprofit
organizations that wish to enjoy a
performance exclusively for their group,
while fundraising through the sale of tickets
to the play.
The Mahaffey Theater,
400 First St. S., St. Petersburg,
(727) 892-5767. Nestled in the heart of
Galleria
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174 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015