Florida is associated with sunshine and beaches but what to do on rainy days? Luckily, there are many indoor activities offered in the vicinity of Anna Maria Island. Besides the typical alternatives like movies, bowling and shopping visit one of the great museums in this area. Here the Top Ten:
- Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum 402 Pine Avenue, Anna Maria, FL 34216 Free Admission January-March: 10am to 4pm April-December: 10am to 1pm Tour this small museum, the historical Belle Haven house and the Old Anna Maria City Jail. Learn how the island changed over the years from an untouched jungle to a tourist attraction.
- The Bishop Museum of Nature and Science 201 10th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205 Tuesday-Saturday: 10am to 5pm Sunday: Noon to 5pm Formerly known as South Florida Museum it is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. There is also the Planetarium and the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat.
- Florida Maritime Museum 4415 119th Street West, Cortez, FL 34215 Free Admission Tuesday-Saturday 9 am to 4pm Located in the historic 1912 school house of Cortez the museum’s mission is to collect, preserve and share traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts and personal stories specific to Florida’s fishing and maritime heritage
- The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243 Free Admission on Monday Daily 10 am to 5 pm This state art museum was founded by the circus magnate and features 31 galleries in a pink Renaissance-style palace. The Circus Museum is charting American circus history with props, costumes & a restored Wisconsin train carriage. The home to the Ringlings is called Ca’ d’Zan and is a 1924 mansion draws inspiration from the palazzos of Venice.
- Sarasota Classic Car Museum 5500 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243 Daily 9 am to 6pm Tour this 60,000-square-foot facility with about 100 vintage cars of all types in a constantly rotating collection. The museum also displays rare cars and ones owned by famous people.
- The Dali Museum One Dali Blvd, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701 Daily 10 am to 5.30 pm, Thursday 8 pm It houses the largest collection of DalÃ’s works outside Europe with more than 2,000 pieces of art in 20,000 square feet of gallery space, including numerous oils, watercolors, sketches, sculptures and other objects.
- The Florida Holocaust Museum 55 5th St S, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701 Daily 10:00 AM – 05:00 PM (except holidays) The museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. It features permanant exhibitions with original artifacts, historical photographs and documents with additional changing temporary exhibitions.
- Museum of Science & Industry 4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33617 Daily 10 am to 5 pm MOSI for short is a not-for-profit science museum located in Tampa, Florida. It is a community-based institution and educational resource that is dedicated to advancing public interest, knowledge, and understanding of science, industry, and technology.
- The Edison and Ford Winter Estates 2350 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers, FL 33901 Daily: 9 am to 5.30 pm Dating from 1885 when Thomas Edison first visited Southwest Florida and purchased the property to build a vacation home this historical museum and 21 acre botanical garden is located beside the Caloosahatchee River.
- Chocolate Museum and Cafe 11701 International Drive Suite 400, Orlando, FL, 32821 Daily 11 am to 7 pm If you are exploring Orlando stop by this museum for a “treat”. A tour takes you from the beginning of the use of the cocoa beans through its rich history. Sampling is included and stay at the Cafe to taste more of the delicious sweets.
