Plan your visit
The Orange County Regional History Center, housed in a historic courthouse in the heart of downtown Orlando, offers four floors of exhibits exploring 12,000 years of Central Florida’s rich heritage. A Smithsonian affiliate, the museum also offers visiting exhibitions and a wide range of programs for families, children, and adults.
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Selections from the vast and varied collections of the Historical Society of Central Florida illustrate Central Florida’s fascinating past.
Explore our past
As an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the History Center presents limited-run exhibitions of great depth and insight.
On display now
Convenient parking options include the Central Boulevard garage across from the Orlando Public Library, the History Center’s neighbor.
How to find usAn Evolving Community Resource
The Orange County Regional History Center is working to build an even better experience while we continue to recover from the pandemic’s considerable effects on our resources. We’re deep in the exploration stages of fully renovating and updating our current exhibitions and seeking ways to expand the History Center.
Much has changed since the History Center opened more than two decades ago. We are honored by our national awards, Smithsonian Affiliation, and accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, and have spent the past several years researching and growing our collection to better reflect the experience of our entire Central Florida community.
We also continue to offer more diverse programming and special exhibitions on topics we plan to include in our future visitor experience. This work takes thoughtful time and care, and we go forward with dedication to building strong relationships across the community and engaging in meaningful conversations. As always, we welcome your participation and encourage you to share your thoughts through our contact form.
Coming up: Lunch & Learns, Family Days, and more
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Upcoming Events
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Orange County Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive
December 2, 202310:00 am - 5:00 pm -
History Alive! Delicious Citrus
December 2, 202311:00 am - 2:00 pm -
OUC Family Day
December 9, 202310:00 am - 3:00 pm -
Third Thursday @ The Museum
December 21, 20235:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Around the Museum Blog
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01 Dec
Major League Drama at Tinker Field
Read more about Major League Drama at Tinker FieldBy Pam Schwartz, from the Fall 2023 Edition of Reflections Magazine Note: This article contains profanity in quoted material. On March 28, 1977, Orlando’s Tinker Field readied for the upcoming Spring Training game between the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins. What might have played out like any other nine-inning
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27 Nov
Has your Ancestry.com research plateaued? Your library can help!
Read more about Has your Ancestry.com research plateaued? Your library can help!Orange County Library System Genealogy Event – December 2023 OCLS’s West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center offers events that cover a range of basic and beginning genealogy research. This month you can get guidance on how to use holiday gatherings for research, among other virtual classes. For more information on
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17 Nov
Hitching a Ride: The Incredible Journey of Martha Esch
Read more about Hitching a Ride: The Incredible Journey of Martha EschBy Jeremy Hileman, Assistant Curator, from the Fall 2023 issue of Reflections Magazine For some people, it can take a lifetime to discover what they are truly passionate about. There are those among us, however, who seem to have known what moves them right from the very beginning. For Martha
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30 Oct
Discover how military records can uncover ancestral information
Read more about Discover how military records can uncover ancestral informationOrange County Library System Genealogy Events – November 2023 OCLS’s West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center offers events that cover a range of basic and beginning genealogy research. This month you can learn how to learn more about your family tree using newspapers, among other virtual classes. For more information
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17 Oct
The Haunts of Downtown Sanford
Read more about The Haunts of Downtown SanfordBy Kara Kovalev, Registrar, Orange County Regional History Center Sanford’s charming historic district sits along the shores of Lake Monroe. The town was incorporated in 1877 by Henry Shelton Sanford and ten years later suffered a devastating fire that took out most of the downtown area. Fortunately, its residents were
What our visitors are saying about their experience
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I want to thank the staff at the History Center for my daughter’s experience this summer [at camp]. Every staff member has been kind, talented and prepared – and helped nurture my daughter’s love of invention and creation. She deeply enjoyed the program. Thank you!
Ximena Cordova Palma -
I just have to tell you what a spectacular time our classes had today! The kids talked about it all afternoon, and all of our teachers raved about it! How early is too early to book for next year?
Teacher Judy Lindquist, Andover Elementary School -
The exhibits were interesting and well put together. I particularly enjoyed all the information about Florida’s citrus industry. Exhibits focusing on tourism were a close second favorite. Staff was helpful, and we enjoyed the optional audio tour.
Halee Pearl -
Great local museum! Took our daughter when she was 3 and she loved it. She asked to go back and at 5 she loved it even more! If you live in central Florida, or are visiting, you really need to check it out!
Joanna Bond