Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
Based in its namesake city, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation operates three history-focused venues, all approximately 25 minutes west of International Drive. The first of the three, The Heritage Museum, showcases exhibits that explore west Orange Countys rich history.
Learn more: Winter Garden
Literally steps away from The Heritage Museum, the History Research & Education Center further documents the areas past with an extensive archive. A short walk from there will take you to a facility that is perfect for the young and young at heart: the Central Florida Railroad Museum, which as its name implies celebrates the influence of railroads in Floridas development. And yes, they have a train. All aboard!
Exhibitions On View View More
The Polk Museum of Art, founded in 1966 by a dedicated group of Lakeland, Florida community residents, is a 501 not-for-profit arts organization and Smithsonian Affiliate accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It serves 140,000 local and global visitors annually through a diverse schedule of exhibitions and art education programs. The Museums enduring mission is to enhance lives through inspirational and engaging art experiences for all.
Hannibal Square Heritage Center
In the heart of Winter Park, learn about the upscale Hannibal Square districts origins as one of Floridas original African American communities at the Hannibal Square Heritage Center. Inside the 2-story venue, you can peruse black-and-white photography, artwork and oral histories in an intimate setting that invites you to take a closer look and escape into the legacy that makes this community proud.
The gallery also features a timeline that starts in 1880 and includes local events such as the 1911 founding of Winter Parks Bethel Missionary Baptist Church on Welbourne Avenue. Parking and admission are always free.
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Welcome To Our Daily Event Calendar For Central Florida Families
Please double check all information, using the link provided on each calendar event BEFORE heading out. *We do not produce these events so please contact event organizers/venues using links in each event listing. Changes in event details, human error and cancellations can and will occur. Double checking the details from the producer/venue of the event you want to attend ensures accuracy for your family. If you would like to list an event on our Daily Calendar, please
For all the latest events, news, and opportuntiies, follow My Central Florida Family on , , and . Or, , the Weekly Fun-Letter, and other information today.
*Click on any event that you are interested in to find more information. Within the event page, there will be a link that takes you to the event producers website/social page where you can confirm all the details with information directly from the event producer. Changes in event details, human error and cancellations can and will occur. Double checking the details from the producer/venue of the event you want to attend ensures accuracy for your family.
If you find any inaccuracies with any event, please contact us by clicking the email: so we can adjust it on our calendar.
Live Theater Performing Arts & Concerts In Orlando
The crown jewel of our arts scene, downtown Orlandos Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts produces hundreds of shows every year. The lineup includes Broadway productions, chart-topping musicians, marquee comedians, family entertainment and much more, including performances by Orlando Ballet, Opera Orlando and the Orlando Philharmonic. And now, theres a wondrous new reason to make the Dr. Phillips Center part of your Orlando getaway plans: Steinmetz Hall, an acoustically remarkable, multifunction space that opened in early 2022 and can achieve an N1 sound rating, which is the lowest level at which humans can detect sound!
Learn more: Steinmetz Hall
Other performing arts venues in the downtown area include The Plaza Live, Timucua Arts Foundation and Renaissance Theatre. And every October, Creative City Project takes over the streets of downtown for IMMERSE an interactive, multi-day, multimedia experience offering unexpected creative encounters you wont find anywhere else in the world.
Learn more: Downtown Orlando
Learn more: Orlando Arts Events
The fact is, exceptional performing arts await all over town. The Winter Park Playhouse and Garden Theatre are top options in Winter Park and Winter Garden, respectively, each showcasing a robust lineup of diverse entertainment.
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Festival Of Trees At The Orlando Museum Of Art
Presented by Orlando Museum of Art at Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando FL
This event will bring a family friendly holiday tradition back to the museum with elegant Christmas trees, elaborate gingerbread houses, festive wreaths and breathtaking décor.
Celebrate Sparkling Holiday Traditions with Festival of Trees, at the Orlando Museum of Art. For the 35th year the Festival of Trees, put on by Council of 101, will be benefiting the Orlando Museum of Art. This years platinum premier sponsor is Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center.
This event will bring a family friendly holiday tradition back to the museum with elegant Christmas trees, sparkling holiday vignettes, elaborate gingerbread houses, festive wreaths and breathtaking décor. Visitors can come admire gorgeous trees thoughtfully put together by Orlandos finest designers. All of the unique designs are available for purchase to continue the holiday spirit at home. Enjoy 10 days of fun, including holiday events like Breakfast with Santa, Reindeer Romp Childrens Party and more.
Admission to Festival of Trees includes admission to the entire Orlando Museum of Art and its current exhibitions.
Tickets go on sale in mid-October via Eventbrite. For additional information, please visit councilof101.org.
ADMISSION INFO
General Admission: Adults: $20 | Children : $8 | Seniors , first responders and military personnel with proper identification: $12
Orange County Regional History Center & Heritage Square Park
Housed in a historic, 1927 county courthouse in the heart of downtown Orlando, the Orange County Regional History Center traces 12,000 years of local history through three floors of dynamic permanent collections. Starting in the regions prehistoric past, youll see how we evolved from an Indian settlement, to a small citrus and cattle town, to our modern tourist- and tech-centric metropolis.
Learn more: Downtown Orlando
A Smithsonian Institution affiliate that is accredited by the American Association of Museums, the History Center also hosts limited-run national exhibitions, plus a full slate of events and educational programs for children and adults, including lectures, camps and workshops. The museum grounds also encompass Heritage Square Park, a beautiful outdoor space where you can enjoy sculpture, other artwork and people-watching.
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Art & History Museums Maitland
Part of Maitlands cultural lineup, Art & History Museums Maitland has so much to offer that it cant be contained by one building. Instead, it is spread out over two campuses, both of which are on the National Register of Historic Places: the Maitland Art Center and the Victorian-era Waterhouse Residence Museum.
The Maitland Art Center is also a National Historic Landmark, thanks in large part to unique Aztec- and Mayan-influenced architecture and one of the southeasts only remaining examples of Mayan Revival designs. The campuses feature other representations of unique architecture and lush gardens, as well as diverse collections, ongoing exhibits and educational programming.
Orlando Museums & Art Galleries
Everyone knows that Orlando is a magical place where you can enjoy fantastic lands, endless adventures and wondrous experiences you wont find anywhere else. But with documented history that includes Indigenous settlers, astronauts, African-American trailblazers, artistic visionaries and more, as well as robust regional support for the arts, Orlando has also emerged as a top destination for cultural tourists.
Learn more: Orlando History
Whether you want to explore the past, see historic artistry with your own eyes, or just immerse yourself in gorgeous paintings and sculpture youll not soon forget, you wont want to miss Orlandos museums and galleries including these family-friendly options!
Please note: Depending on the timing of your visit, some experiences may be temporarily modified. Learn more about healthy travel in Orlando, and check with your favorite attractions, restaurants and other businesses for their current status.
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The Mennello Museum Of American Art
A celebrated and self-taught artist, Earl Cunningham was best known for stunning coastal landscapes, not just of those he witnessed in Florida but also in Georgia, Maine, Michigan, New York, North and South Carolina, and even Nova Scotia. Since 1998, his work has been preserved, exhibited and interpreted by The Mennello Museum of American Art, which is part of Loch Haven Park just north of downtown Orlando.
In addition to its permanent Cunningham exhibit, this museum hosts a rotating lineup of temporary exhibitions, enriching programming and educational initiatives, as well as the Marilyn L. Mennello Sculpture Garden. With a sprawling, 350-plus-year-old live oak tree as its centerpiece, the garden presents numerous sculptures amid Old Florida landscaping and walking paths, the latter of which connect to the Orlando Urban Trail.
The Holocaust Memorial Resource And Education Center
Located in Maitland close to Winter Park, about 30 minutes north of International Drive, the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center doesnt just teach about the past. It also focuses on a future that is free of antisemitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry.
One of this museums most unique exhibits invites you to don Oculus googles for a powerful virtual-reality experience that will transport you to the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis, with Frank sharing her inspirational story along the way. Many other powerful exhibits await, as well as special programming examining relevant topics and historical events.
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Arts & Entertainment In Orlando
The arts come alive in Orlando and often in ways you must witness to believe! From the best of Broadway and ballet to thought-provoking collections and traveling exhibits, we offer a captivating blend of traditional, contemporary and even never-before-seen artistry and culture for you to explore, including many that are exclusive to The City Beautiful. Prepare to be amazed by these acclaimed cultural offerings the next time youre in Orlando.
Please note: Depending on the timing of your visit, some experiences may be temporarily modified. Learn more about healthy travel in Orlando, and check with your favorite attractions, restaurants and other businesses for their current status.
Orlando Museum Of Art Discounts & Events
The Orlando Museum of Art houses many compelling works of art meant to inspire and educate the public. Its location is picturesque too. The beautiful Loch Haven Park is surrounded by huge oak trees, brick roads and many other cultural destinations.
Orlando Museum of Art.
Free entry the first weekend of the monthYou can enjoy free entry to the Orlando Museum of Art the first weekend of every month with the Bank of America and Merrill Lynchs Museums On Us program. Just show your Bank of America or Merrill Lynch credit or debit card Saturday or Sunday.
Now through Labor Day, the museum is free for active duty military and veterans as well as 5 family members.
Orlando Museum of Art 1st Thursdays.
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The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum Of American Art
Situated in the heart of Winter Park, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is one of the most dazzling unexpected treasures awaiting you in the Orlando area and we mean dazzling quite literally. The reason being, it boasts the worlds most comprehensive collection of work by legendary artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany, best known for his leaded-glass lamps and windows.
The collection also includes Tiffanys jewelry, pottery and paintings, plus exhibits of American art pottery, Art Nouveau furnishings and objects, late 19th- and 20th-century paintings, and more. You can even look forward to the restored, Byzantine-Romanesque chapel interior that Tiffany designed for the 1893 Worlds Fair, as well as a nearly 6,000-square-foot, permanent exhibition of surviving art and architectural objects from Tiffanys Laurelton Hall estate.
What Is Florida Grown
Presented by the Associates of the Orlando Museum of Art, the Florida Grown event is committed to encouraging the appreciation of the visual arts by providing talented local artists the opportunity to show their work. Artists are to interpret the events theme to reflect the spirit of living and creating artwork in Florida. The deadline for artists to submit their entry is Sunday, March 17.
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About Orlando Museum Of Art
Founded in 1924, the Orlando Museum of Art is a 501 educational institution whose mission reflects the continued growth of Florida, ardent community support for the arts and the OMAs role as a leading cultural institution in the region.
Since its inception, the Museums purpose has been to enrich the cultural life of Florida by providing excellence in the visual arts. To meet this objective, the Museum has dedicated itself to collecting, preserving and interpreting notable works of art to presenting exhibitions of local, regional, national and international significance to developing first-rate educational programs and to presenting creative and inclusive programs to reach every segment of a diverse community.
Rollins Museum Of Art
Art-lovers wont want to miss the Rollins Museum of Art at Rollins College in Winter Park and not just because admission is always free. Inside, you can explore a massive permanent collection of more than 5,600 objects, encompassing everything from ancient art and artifacts to contemporary pieces.
Rollins Museum of Art also hosts rotating exhibitions and ongoing programs, including a childrens education gallery with fun, hands-on activities to encourage creativity and cognitive skills. Want more? Take a short walk to The Alfond Inn. Also operated by Rollins, the hotels public spaces feature The Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art, which showcases a rotating exhibit of curated pieces from the museum and is also free to experience.
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Orlando Museum Of Art Hosting Met Gala
The Orlando Museum of Art will be hosting a special Met Gala-inspired fashion event on Monday, May 2nd, featuring runways, fancy catering, and lots of art.
The Red Carpet Couture event will kick off at 5 p.m. and will feature paparazzi photo ops, fashion presentations by Tammara Kohler of Fused Fashion, an open bar, catering and hors doeuvres, live DJs, full museum gallery access, and more.
Tickets start at $120 for OMA museum members and are available for purchase HERE.
This event is scheduled to take place at the same time as the Met Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Wellsbuilt Museum Of African American History And Culture
Built in 1921 by prominent African American physician Dr. William M. Wells, downtown Orlandos WellsBuilt Hotel offered accommodations to African American travelers who were barred from Floridas then-segregated hotels, including famed musicians such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles and others. The hotel was even promoted in The Negro Travelers Green Book, which started publication in the 1930s and inspired 2018s Oscar-winning film, Green Book.
Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, Dr. Wells former hotel is now known as the WellsBuilt Museum of African American History and Culture. Inside, youll find programming dedicated to Orlandos African American community, as well as exhibits about the Civil Rights movement, African art and artifacts, and other items of interest.
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American Journeys: Two Centuries Of Art & Culture At The Orlando Museum Of Art
Take a broad survey of American artistic expression from thecountrys beginnings through the modern era at the Orlando Museum of Art, justa stones throw from the Celeste Hotel on the campus of the University ofCentral Florida.
The museum is presenting its American Journey: Two Centuriesof Art & Culture through June 30th of this year. Its a showcase you wontwant to miss!
American Journey at the Orlando Museum of Art
With a striking assemblage of pieces dating from the 18thcentury to the present day, American Journey provides the visitor with a lookat how artists reflected social, cultural, and political movements and eventsin the U.S. It also tracks how American art itself evolved over time.
As the Orlando Museum of Art notes in its overview of theexhibition, American art has expressed the ideals, aspirations, and sometimeschallenges of the nation throughout its history.
The works on display also suggest the diversity of Americanartists, including those representing more traditionally marginalized voices.
Though the sweep of time is part of American Journeyspower, the exhibition is organized not chronologically but instead thematically.It delves into different aspects of American culture and identity throughgalleries such as The People, The Farm, The City, The Family, TheWest, and The Sea.
The Orlando Museum of Art: A Cultural Treasure of CentralFlorida
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Zora Neale Hurston National Museum Of Fine Arts
Historic Eatonville is one of the oldest African American communities in the United States, and youll find it just 25 minutes north of International Drive. Incorporated in 1887, the town also served as the childhood home of seminal author Zora Neale Hurston .
Today, Eatonville honors Hurstons legacy with the annual ZORA! Festival, which takes place each winter, and the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts, aka The Hurston. In addition to spotlighting Hurstons contributions to literature and Eatonville history, the museum provides gallery space for artists of African descent. There is no set admission fee, but donations are always welcome.
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About The Council Of 101
The Council of 101 was founded in 1965 to further the cultural development and appreciation of the visual arts in Central Florida. Today, this outstanding group of volunteers comprises an organization of nearly 300 women. These dedicated members devote countless volunteer hours, boundless energy and strong personal skills to annual fund-raising projects that provide significant financial support to the Orlando Museum of Art. This level of support is achieved through the Festival of Trees and the Antiques Art in Bloom: Festival of Fine Arts and Flowers projects.
The Council of 101 purchases, through the Corporate Lease Program, Museum-quality prints created by contemporary American artists and gifts them to the Orlando Museum of Art. Prints from this collection may be leased by local businesses through the program administered by the Council of 101. The Council of 101, since its inception, has contributed over $12 million towards art, exhibits, facility renovation and Orlando Museum of Arts operating expenses.
