Museum of Florida History

Florida Department of State and Tallahassee museums partner
to share variety and versatility of museums in community

Secretary of State Ken Detzner and the Florida Department of State today announced the first annual “March of Museums.” March of Museums celebrates the variety and versatility of museums in our communities. In addition to events being held by the Florida Department of State, the agency is partnering with other museums in Tallahassee to share the many unique opportunities in which visitors can experience museums.
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, said, “As Florida’s Chief Cultural Officer, I am excited to announce the launch of the first ever ‘March of Museums’ here in our state’s capital city of Tallahassee. March of Museums is an event to celebrate the important services museums provide to our communities and will feature the Grand Opening of Tallahassee’s newest museum, The Grove Museum, on Saturday, March 11. Exciting events will also be hosted by the Department’s Museum of Florida History, the Knott House Museum, and Mission San Luis, in addition to events being held throughout the month of March by our partners in Tallahassee.”
Tiffany Baker, Director, Florida Historic Capitol Museum, said, “We are so pleased to join in the activities surrounding March of the Museums. The Florida Historic Capitol Museum will be offering The Way We Worked: Labor and Florida History, the second installment in our four-part Florida Humanities Speaker Series, as well as a World War I themed trivia night in conjunction with the special exhibit Over Here and Over There: The United States, Florida, and World War I.”
Dr. Allys Palladino-Craig, Director, Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, said, “The Museum of Fine Arts is pleased to participate in March of the Museums. The Museum of Fine Arts will be offering three very unique exhibitions during the month of March to the community: Cinema Judaica: The War Years 1939-1949, Honest Visions: Artists and Autism, and Broken Ground: New Directions in Land Art.” 
Dr. Nashid Madyun, Director, Meek-Eaton Black Archives and Research Center, said, “We welcome the Tallahassee and surrounding communities to a landmark blend of African-American visual culture, historical artifacts and documents. The featured exhibition, The Montague Collection and other galleries in the museum, will allow us to further our K-12 educational goals and engage a regional audience on the contributions of African Americans to society.”
Russell Daws, President and CEO of the Tallahassee Museum, said, “The Tallahassee Museum is excited to be a part of the state’s March of Museums, which celebrates the commitment of museums to improving their communities and people’s lives through education, exhibition and economic development.”
March of Museums commemorates Florida Heritage Month, which officially begins March 15 and continues through April 15.  Visit FloridaHeritageMonth.com for more information. Continue reading below for a full calendar of events.

Calendar of Events
March of Museums

Saturday, March 4 
March of Museums Kickoff Event at Florida Historic Capitol (11:00 – 11:30 AM)

• The Florida Department of State will co-host a March of Museums kickoff event at the Florida Historic Capitol, featuring remarks and a photo opportunity with Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. The kickoff event coincides with the 172^ndanniversary of Florida’s statehood on March 3, 1845, and the 193^rd anniversary of Tallahassee being named territorial capitol on March 4, 1824.  Members from Visit Tallahassee and partner museums will be in attendance for the ceremony, as well as reenactors in costumed dress appropriate for the time period.

Tallahassee Museum: World Wildlife Day Celebration (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

• The Tallahassee Museum will celebrate World Wildlife Day with a museum-wide event. The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Listen to the Young Voices,’ with a focus on connecting young people around the world to explore what wildlife conservation and protection means to them. The event will also instill a sense of responsibility to take action for the future of both wild animals and plants. To find out more go to www.TallahasseeMuseum.org.

Saturday, March 11 
The Grove Museum: Grand Opening (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM)

• Join the Florida Department of State for the community grand opening event of The Grove Museum, the ancestral home of the Call and Collins families and former residence of Governor LeRoy Collins and Mrs. Mary Call Collins. The opening event is free admission and will include tours of the museum and the grounds, activities for children and families and live performances. Visit TheGroveMuseum.com/Opening for more information.

Museum of Florida History: Saturday Family Program (11:00 AM – 12:30 PM)

• The Second Saturday Program at the Museum of Florida History corresponds with Preserving Eden: Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs and focuses on photography. Family Programs at the Florida Department of State’s Museum of Florida History offer hands-on history for every member of the family. The program, admission, and parking are free. Visit www.MuseumofFloridaHistory.com for more information.

The Knott House Museum: Screening of “Modern Times” (6:30 PM – 8:00 PM)

• The Knott House Museum (Florida Department of State) presents an outdoor screening of Charlie Chaplin’s comedic masterpiece “Modern Times” accompanied by a discussion of the film’s significance. The $5 admission fee includes popcorn. Sodas and pizza will be available for sale. Visit www.MuseumofFloridaHistory.com for more information. 

Sunday, March 12
Mission San Luis: Military Muster (10:00 AM- 4:00 PM)

• Come experience colorful pageantry and blackpowder musket and cannon fire at the Florida Department of State’s Mission San Luis’ fort, Castillo de San Luis. Enjoy the opportunity to learn about the world of Spanish soldiers and Apalachee warriors at Spanish Florida’s western capital. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors 65+, $2 for ages 6-17, and free for members, children under 6, and active duty military. Visit www.MissionSanLuis.org for more information.

Tuesday, March 21 
Historic Capitol Museum at Tallahassee Community College: The Way We Worked: Labor and Florida History by Steve Noll (5:30 PM – 8:00 PM)

• How did Florida get to where it is today regarding jobs and labor?  Steve Noll examines Florida’s work history in an enlightening presentation that is sure to provide insights and perspective on today’s situation. After Dr. Noll’s presentation, join the conversation about ways to improve Florida’s job market and prepare workers to take on the hot jobs of the future. Please RSVP at https://fhcmmarch21.eventbrite.com. This is the second in an enlightening four-part Florida Humanities Speaker Series of “hot topic” humanities lectures and community conversations examining the historical context of issues impacting the lives of Floridians today. Free parking and admission on TCC Campus. Visit www.flhistoriccapitol.gov for more information.

Thursday, March 23 
Goodwood Museum & Gardens: Clementine Hunter’s World (Documentary, 35 min. NR.) & “Fine Art, Folk Art” Exhibit (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)

• As the civil rights protests of the 1950s were beginning to jolt America, self-taught African-American artist Clementine Hunter quietly painted a visual diary of plantation life in Melrose, Louisiana – unaware her painted images would in time become portals to remind viewers there were always two sides of the 20^th  century plantation fence. As part of the exhibit programming Goodwood will host Clementine Hunter’s World, a reception and/or exhibit tour at 5 PM, and documentary viewing at 6 PM, in the Carriage House. Event offers free parking and admission is $10. Visit www.GoodwoodMuseum.org for more information.

Thursday, March 30 
Historic Capitol Museum: Trivia Night – World War I Theme (7:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

• Test your knowledge of Florida role in The Great War with an exciting evening of WWI themed trivia in our beautiful, historic building. Guests will enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and prizes will be awarded at the end of the night. Register your team by calling (850) 487-1902. Registration fee is $20 per team, maximum members per team is 4.  Advance registration is required. Don’t have a team or just want to watch the action? Individual entry is $5. Visit www.flhistoriccapitol.gov for more information.

Month-Long Opportunities 
Exhibits at the FSU Museum of Fine Arts:

• Cinema Judaica: The War Years (Exhibit on display February 17 – March 26) Exhibition by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Museum—a companion exhibition of movie posters to the film series: ‘I Saw it in the Movies.’ Working with Cinema Judaica for the loan of their WWII poster collection from the war years (1939-1949) as the companion to a film series sponsored by Holocaust Education Resource Council. For more details visit mofa.fsu.edu
• Broken Ground: New Directions in Land Art (Exhibit on display February 17 – March 26) Curator Jeff Beekman states that Land Art, one of the seminal movements beginning in the late-1960s was largely born out of a frustration with the growing commercialization of the art world and the limitations of the traditional “white cube” gallery. At its core this movement sought to tie together artwork and the landscape into which the works were inextricably merged. This movement has grown to encompass issues of ecology and sustainability, an exploration of how human and natural forces have shaped one another in historical and contemporary landscapes, and an exploration of past approaches to the mythologies we have about land, particularly as it relates to the concept of manifest destiny and borders. For more details visit mofa.fsu.edu
• Honest Visions: Artists and Autism (Exhibit on display February 17– March 26) This exhibit features exceptional two and three-dimensional works by artists with autism. Each artist encounters his or her neurological differences with uniquely fascinating expressions, yet a common thread of authenticity ties the artistic manifestations together. They represent truth, sincerity, and unabashed personal declarations. For more details visit mofa.fsu.edu 

Goodwood Museum & Gardens: Fine Art, Folk Art (Exhibit on display February 24 – July 31)

• From grand boulevards to solitary backroads, “Fine Art, Folk Art” is an extraordinary exhibit highlighting Goodwood’s collection of European and American art and the work of Louisiana’s famed self-taught artist Clementine Hunter, a plantation worker. Visit www.GoodwoodMuseum.org for tour times/prices and more information.

Exhibits at the Meek-Eaton Southeastern Regional Black Archives and Museum:

• The Lincoln Motion Picture Company: A Tribute to Excellence in Race Cinema (Exhibit on display through March 13) This exhibit celebrates the ingenuity of African-Americans and their indelible footprint in early 20th century filmmaking. As a direct response to the misrepresentation and sometimes-grotesque depiction of African-American men and women, The Lincoln Motion Picture Company was formed on May 24, 1916 (Omaha, NE) and later incorporated in January of 1917 (Los Angeles, CA). This featured exhibition is a series of the Montague Collection, privately-owned by Mr. Clinton Byrd, a Florida A&M University alumnus and locally-borne businessman. For more information about the Museum and parking, please contact the Black Archives at 850.599.3020. For a full listing of upcoming events please use the following link: www.famu.edu/BlackArchives
• Sister Gertrude Morgan (Exhibit on display beginning March 14) Sister Morgan (1900-1980), was a self-taught artist whose life and culture combine the African-American tradition of independent demonstration with an extraordinary fundamental creative feeling. This featured exhibition is a series of the Montague Collection, privately-owned by Mr. Clinton Byrd, a Florida A&M University alumnus and locally-borne businessman. For more information about the Museum and parking, please contact the Black Archives at 850.599.3020. For a full listing of upcoming events please use the following link: www.famu.edu/BlackArchives

Museum of Florida History: Preserving Eden: Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs (Exhibit on display February 10 – May 1)

• Clyde Butcher is an internationally-renowned landscape photographer, who has used his art to record majestic beauty of Florida’s natural environment for more than fifty years. Clyde Butcher’s art makes Florida’s wetlands, dunes, coastal hammocks, and inland swamps accessible to many who will never experience these places in person. His images remind us of the importance of protecting and preserving Florida’s treasures. Free admission and parking. Visit www.MuseumofFloridaHistory.com for more information.

Tallahassee Automobile Museum:

• The Tallahassee Automobile Museum is a community treasure that offers up history and engaging experiences. The museum is packed with more than 150 exceptional automobiles dating from 1894 – 2010, motorcycles, Batmobiles, Steinway pianos, Case knives, brass cash registers, sports memorabilia, pedal cars, antique boats, motors and much, much more!  In addition to the museum, they are the largest locally owned banquet and conference center in the Tallahassee area. Visit www.tacm.com for more information.

About The Grove Museum
The Grove Museum features the c. 1840 Call-Collins House, set on ten wooded acres in the heart of Tallahassee, Florida. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, The Grove is one of the few historic sites of its kind in the nation to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. From slavery to civil rights, and from private home to public museum, the story told at The Grove Museum speaks to critical moments that define the American experience. The mission of The Grove is to honor the legacy of the Call and Collins families by educating the public on the importance of public service, entrepreneurship and historic preservation. Visit TheGroveMuseum.com for information on tour times and special events. You can also follow The Grove on Twitter (@TheGroveMuseum) and like the museum on Facebook (Facebook.com/TheGroveMuseum).
About the Knott House Museum
The Knott House Museum is a historic home built in 1843 restored to its 1930s appearance and is located at 301 East Park Avenue, at the corner of Park Avenue and Calhoun Street in Tallahassee, Florida. The Museum is administered by the Museum of Florida History, a section of the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs. The historic house is open for tours Wednesday through Friday 1:00, 2:00, & 3:00 p.m. and Saturday: 10:00, 11:00 a.m., Noon, 1:00, 2:00, & 3:00 p.m. Please call 850.922.2459 for more information.
About Mission San Luis
Mission San Luis, Florida’s Apalachee-Spanish Living History Museum, was the western capital of Spanish Florida from 1656 to 1704. The Mission, now a national historic landmark, brings the early 1700s to life with living history interpreters in period dress, reconstructed period buildings, exhibits, and archaeological research. The site is managed by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research, and support is provided by the Friends of Mission San Luis, Inc. Mission San Luis is located at 2100 West Tennessee Street in Tallahassee, Florida, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 850.245.6406 or visit missionsanluis.org.
About the Museum of Florida History
The Museum of Florida History is the state’s history museum that collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets evidence of past and present cultures in Florida, and promotes knowledge and appreciation of this heritage. With exhibits and programs for all ages, the Museum has something for everyone to enjoy. Part of the Florida Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, the Museum of Florida History is located in the R. A. Gray Building at 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida.  Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday and holidays, noon to 4:30 p.m.  Parking and admission is free. For more information, visit museumoffloridahistory.com.