Aquariums, Museums & Zoos

Great Explorations Children’s Museum has served the Tampa Bay area since 1987. Designed for children 10 and under, the 23,000 square foot museum is filled with exhibits and activities to stimulate learning through creativity, play and exploration. The museum is a learning playground where children can make a discovery, make a mess, and even make a new friend. The museum is the first mid-size children’s museum in the country and… Continue Reading Great Explorations Children’s Museum

Recognized as the second oldest continuously operating antique car museum in the country, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum is a must-see for any classic car enthusiast. As you stroll through the museum, which is about a 30-minute drive from Anna Maria island, travel back in time and into the future of man’s greatest invention . . . the automobile! The museum features over 75 automobiles, consisting of the alphabet of… Continue Reading Sarasota Classic Car Museum

With tourism promoted as the number one industry in Manatee County, the historical role agriculture has played in the development of the county has been lost among young people. The Manatee County Agricultural Museum works to combine recognizing the historical achievements of its pioneer farmers with a hands-on museum designed to educate as well as entertain. The museum’s exhibits focus on Manatee County’s primary commodities including livestock, vegetables, citrus, horticulture,… Continue Reading Manatee County Agricultural Museum

Housed in the restored historic 1912 schoolhouse located on the park like grounds of the Cortez Nature Preserve just south of Anna Maria Island, the Florida Maritime Museum captures the true essence of the historic fishing village of Cortez and the Florida fishing industry. At the museum you will find pieces of the almost forgotten past — the Banks Shell collection, ship models, historic boats and a surprise butterfly garden. You… Continue Reading Florida Maritime Museum

A gallery and resource center for the study of African-American achievements, the Family Heritage House Museum’s mission is to inspire children to have a respect for their ancestors, a love for learning, and a passion for service. Further, to strengthen black families and empower them to maintain historical bonds of kinship; to assist in the promulgation of the culture for the benefit of the general population. Since its inception in 1990,… Continue Reading Family Heritage House Museum

Have you ever fed a giraffe? Have you ever smelled their grassy breath? These are memories that will last you a lifetime. At Giraffe Ranch in you’ll experience first hand, the lives of giraffe and other species from around the world living under huge live oaks in a setting that is right out of Africa. Giraffe Ranch is a licensed working ranch that specializes in exotic species as well as… Continue Reading Giraffe Ranch

Crowley Natural and Cultural History Center also known as “Crowley” is a non-profit organization furthering natural and cultural history located on 190 acres of pristine Florida including pine flatwoods, oak hammock, hardwood swamp, sawgrass marsh, and the Myakka River. Enjoy a guided or self-guided tour of untouched Florida landscapes. Kids love the Children’s Discovery Path with five interactive stations on native Florida creatures. Farm animals, organic garden, and more! Open… Continue Reading Crowley Natural and Cultural History Center

As part of the South Florida Museum, the Bishop Planetarium is the region’s premier astronomy education facility, as well as a multimedia theater for films, lectures, live music and digital art performances. Continue Reading Bishop Planetarium

As part of the South Florida Museum, the Parker Manatee Aquarium, is designed to house three adult manatees and holds nearly 60,000 gallons of water, including a medical pool. The pool offers both deep and shallow water, allowing the manatees to maintain natural feeding behaviors. An exhibit area within the facility helps to educate the public about manatee anatomy and offers above and below water viewing. Manatee Care specialists provide… Continue Reading Parker Manatee Aquarium

Not too far from Anna Maria Island, the Museum of Fine Arts is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the heart of downtown’s scenic waterfront. Its permanent collection contains a variety of objects from 4,500 years of civilization and is the only collection of its kind on Florida’s West Coast. The purpose of the museum is to increase and diffuse knowledge and appreciation of art, to collect and preserve objects… Continue Reading Museum of Fine Arts