The 10 Best Specialty Museums in Florida Panhandle, Florida Panhandle

The Panama City Publishing Company building was constructed by George Mortimer West around 1920 on a prominent corner in the heart of historic St. Andrews. He was a writer, promoter, economist, horticulturist, publisher, and entrepreneur. He is credited as the "founding father" of Panama City, building it into an economically viable city and port on the shores of St. Andrews Bay. In the late 1800'

The Underwater Museum of Art is the first permanent underwater sculpture garden in the U.S. Located in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Walton County, Florida, the museum lies at a depth of approximately 58-feet and at a distance of .7-miles from the shore of Grayton Beach State Park. The coordinates for the center sculpture (SWARA Skull) are Latitude N 30 18.754 Longitude W 86 09.522. Out of respect for the art, boaters are asked to find the center location and then move away from the park to anchor in order to avoid damage to the artwork.

The Justin Gaffrey Gallery features the artworks of 30A's premiere contemporary artist, Justin Gaffrey. Stroll through the outdoor sculpture garden, browse through Justin's coastal-contemporary landscapes, and take a tour of the artist's original studio. The gallery features artwork for every taste, from traditional still-life paintings to contemporary mixed media works. Open 10-6 Mon through Sat.

We are an educational and cultural institution of long standing traditions. It is our mission to preserve, interpret and present the prehistory and history of the Fort Walton Beach community and the Northwest Florida area from 14,000 B.C. through the 1950′s. We serve students, citizens and visitors through exhibits, educational programs, publications and special events.The Indian Temple Mound Museum is part of the Heritage Park and Cultural Center which also includes the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, Garnier Post Office Museum, Fort Walton Temple Mound, and the Civil War Exhibit Building. One admission price covers all four museums!

The mirrored walls of the Tallahassee Automobile Museum enclose more than just automobiles! This 100,000 sf. facility houses cars, trucks and memorabilia of all kinds. In addition to the antique cars, muscle cars, concept cars, and trucks -- check out the eclectic collection of Steinway pianos, Remington sculptures, Case knives, Barbie dolls, boats, boat motors, children's pedal cars, and die-cast toys. Journey through history with Native American artifacts, firearms, antique cash registers, pocket watches, salt-cellars, baby bottles, silver spoons, baseball cards, antique golf balls and clubs, 100-year-old brass-bladed fans, art objects from Thailand, neon signs, stained glass, a horse from a carousel, a children's barber chair shaped like an airplane and much, much more. Part shrine, part history lesson, part pack-rat's paradise, part garage and part art gallery -- except, in this case, the art has four spotless wheels and can go from 0 to 60 faster than a Cezanne can. It's truly an amazing museum of American history.

The Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum, located in Carrabelle, Florida, was established to honor and preserve the heritage of the men and women who trained at the camp during WWII. Camp Gordon Johnston opened in 1942 for the sole purpose of training Infantry Divisions and their support units in amphibious operations. This camp trained a quarter of a million men, closing in June of 1946. Three infantry divisions and two special brigades left here after receiving amphibious training to confront tyranny both in Europe and the Pacific. Learn about their dedication, fears and heroism at our museum. The Museum has compiled an extensive history of the various units that trained here, as well as a photographic display of the area and life as it existed at the camp. Furthermore, the CGJ veterans have contributed the artifacts brought back from battles overseas, along with uniforms, equipment, and all sorts of souvenirs, too numerous to name.

The Raney House Museum is an example of architecture and the interpretation of life in Pre-Civil War Florida. Apalachicola was one of three ports in the Gulf of Mexico which shipped cotton, grown upriver, along with Mobile and New Orleans when "Cotton was King". The town entertained ships from foreign ports, and was very cosmopolitan. The house offers visitors a glimpse into life in "Territorial Florida" (1821-1845) with many artifacts donated by Raney Family members.

The John Gilmore Riley Center/Museum for African American History & Culture, Inc. is a historical and cultural gem that sits at the bottom of a hill in downtown Tallahassee, at the corner of Meridian and Jefferson Streets. The Riley historic home represents the thriving black neighborhood, known as Smokey Hollow, that once existed in what is just east of downtown Tallahassee. It is especially significant when compared to other such historical sites in that it is the last vestige we have of the accomplishments of an entire group of people, the black middle class, which emerged in the latter part of the nineteenth century.