What's the Best Museum in the Tampa Bay Area?
From Sarasota to Tarpon Springs, there are plenty of excellent museums just a day trip away.
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School is almost out for the summer, and parents in the Tampa Bay area are in luck: There are plenty of esteemed museums within an hour's drive of the Tampa Bay area.
Which local museum is your favorite? Here's a rundown of art, science and history destinations across the Bay area — just follow the links for hours, directions and upcoming events.
- Glazer Children's Museum, Tampa
- Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa
- Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Tampa
- Tampa Bay History Center, Tampa
- Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa
- USF Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa
- G. WIZ Science Museum, Sarasota
- Sarasota Classic Car Museum, Sarasota
- The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota
- South Florida Museum, Bradenton
- Chihuly Collection Glass Museum and Gallery, St. Petersburg
- Florida Craftsmen Gallery, St. Petersburg
- Florida Holocaust Museum, St. Petersburg
- Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
- Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg
- Ted Williams Museum at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
- Armed Forces Military Museum, Largo
- Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin
- Dunedin Historical Museum, Dunedin
- North Pinellas Historical Museum, Palm Harbor
- Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Tarpon Springs
Cast your vote for your favorite museum in the poll below. Did we miss your favorite? Please let us know in the comments.
About Readers' Choice: Voting is open from 9 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Friday. Any ties will be broken based on reader comments and reviews. Poll choices represent a sampling of local businesses and are not intended to be all-inclusive. Would you like a free business listing in the Patch directory? Email your business name, complete street address and phone number to chris.taylor@patch.com with "Missing Listing" in the subject line.
In This article
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Henry B. Plant Museum
401 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL -
Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI)
4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL -
G. WIZ Science Museum
1001 Blvd of the Arts, Sarasota, FL -
Sarasota Classic Car Museum
5500 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL -
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL -
South Florida Museum
201 10th St W, Bradenton, FL
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Chihuly Collection Glass Museum and Gallery
400 Beach Dr NE, Saint Petersburg, FL -
Florida Holocaust Museum
55 5th St S, Saint Petersburg, FL -
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Dr NE, Saint Petersburg, FL -
Salvador Dali Museum
1000 3rd St S, Saint Petersburg, FL -
Tropicana Field
1 Tropicana Dr, Saint Petersburg, FL -
The Armed Forces History Museum
2050 34th Way, Largo, FL -
Dunedin Fine Art Center
1143 Michigan Blvd, Dunedin, FL -
Dunedin Historical Museum
349 Main St, Dunedin, FL -
North Pinellas Historical Museum
2043 Curlew Rd, Palm Harbor, FL -
Florida Craftsmen Gallery
501 Central Ave, Saint Petersburg, FL
Andrew
10:21 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
What about the Circus museum in Sarasota
Emily Seawell
11:40 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
Hi Andrew! You're right: Even though the Circus Museum is part of the Ringling Museum complex campus, it's technically a separate museum. We'll count votes for Ringling to include the mansion, Circus Museum and all the other fun stuff there. Thanks for pointing that out!
Joy Kobasko
12:28 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
This one is really difficult for me, especially because *all* of the museums in the Bay area are excellent in their own way. It all depends upon the experience you wish to have. For the best family day, clearly the Glazer Children's Museum or MOSI is what you're seeking.
In my own experience, the most profound, important and education experience I ever had at a museum was at the Florida Holocaust Museum. Their goal is not simply to serve as a memorial for the Jewish holocaust, but for those which continue to happen around the world.
Alex Tiegen
12:35 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
I keep meaning to pay the Holocaust Museum a visit.
Lauren Hendrickson
1:53 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
Most definitely Chihuly! What a wonderful place to visit and learn about glass. And where I learned about my new hobbie. Such a great experience and everyone was so nice to me and my family. Not to mention the opportunity to purchase glass pieces from local artists.
Nancy Westphal
11:48 pm on Monday, May 7, 2012
Dali Museum gets my vote! The art and the architecture and then Cafe Gala is the nicest Cafe with deliciously fresh food served daily!
Velva Lee Heraty aka Dream Momma
12:46 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Crasftsman House? Really? Florida Museum of Photographic Arts would have been a better fit.
Kristin
12:39 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
USF Contemporary Art Museum!!!
Betsy
7:48 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
what about Heritage Village in Largo?? That's a terrible omission to not include that location!!
Audrie R
11:50 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Thanks for the reminder of all these wonderful venues. There are so many wonderful museums and galleries in the Tampa Bay area. We as a community are so lucky. Let's go visit all of the ones in the competition and listen to the follow up comments and visit all of those places as well!
Audrie R
11:55 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
BTW, I just heard that St. Petersburg was voted the Best Cultural Destination in the US for a medium sized city the third year running! Hello, that speaks volumes for all of the Arts in the area!!!