The Collection on Palmetto is located at 2116 Palmetto St. in Clearwater.
The museum’s interior has hand-painted art, a
custom theater exhibit, a bronze sculpture by notable
artist Stanley Wanlass titled The Passing of the Horse (an
homage to the horseless carriage, a euphemism for the
automobile adopted early on and still in use) and an
elaborate chandelier to complement and highlight this
collection of automobiles.
Information on the technical details of the cars, their
provenance, and related facts are rendered through
audio tours and printed materials that are included
with admission to the museum. There is also a tour
that utilizes hand-held devices so that visitors can
hear the intimate details of the automobiles told by
members of the family, collectors, experts and friends.
These narratives go beyond the realm of information
that can normally be found.
Learning labs invite students to enrich their STEM
and history understanding with activities related to
electricity, simple machines, the assembly line and
the Orange Belt Railway. Field trip activities have also
been prepared to engage students and provide new
experiences. Through hands-on activities, docent-led
tours, discussions and audio-visual content, students
engage with content related to the automobiles and
engines, and to the technology that played a pivotal
role in their development. Field trip students enjoy a
ride on the Orange Belt Railway, a model train line that
is fashioned after the narrow-gauge line from the 1880s
that ran from Sanford to St. Petersburg.
A number of gas and steam engines of field and
factory can be viewed on the spacious, covered
veranda. A 12-foot flywheel powers the largest engine,
a Corliss steam engine that George Corliss created
with a valve-gear assembly to improve the efficiency
LAURA GINER
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 47