St. Petersburg Museum of History

For the museum in Russia, see The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg Museum of History
Entrance to museum
Map
Established1920 (1920)
Location335 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg, Florida
Coordinates27°46′26″N 82°37′50″W / 27.7740°N 82.6306°W / 27.7740; -82.6306
TypeLocal History
Executive directorRui Farias
Websitespmoh.com/

The St. Petersburg Museum of History (SPMOH) is a history museum located in St. Petersburg, Florida, dedicated to covering the area's history. As of 2020, the museum's director is Rui Farias.[1]

History

The museum was founded by Mary Wheeler Eaton[1] in 1920 as the St. Petersburg Memorial Historical Society. The city of St. Petersburg granted the organization the site after the 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane destroyed the aquarium standing on the land. It is the oldest museum in Pinellas County.[2] The mission of the museum is to collect, preserve, and communicate the history and heritage of Florida with an emphasis on St. Petersburg and the Pinellas peninsula.[2] The museum hosts a variety of traveling exhibits, evening events, guest speakers, and more. The St. Petersburg Museum of History has a significant archive that includes over 5,000 indexed city photographs, 32,000 artifacts, and other historic photos and documents.[2]

Notable holdings include a plus-sized pair of pajamas owned by William Howard Taft; a full-sized replica of the Benoist XIV aircraft; reading glasses owned by George Armstrong Custer; and the largest collection of signed baseballs in the world (called "Little Cooperstown").[1]

Research Center

Within its premises, the museum includes a research center accessible to academics, historians, and the general populace. This center offers resources, such as documents, photos, maps, and books, focusing on the history of St. Petersburg, the wider Tampa Bay area, and Florida. This resource enables research across a spectrum of topics, from the region's indigenous communities and early European settlers to its evolution into a significant metropolitan area. The research center also supports the museum's exhibits and educational programs by supplying historical data and information.[3][4]

  • Collections Archive
    Collections Archive
  • Research Center
    Research Center
  • Research library
    Research library
  • Exhibit on St. Petersburg's local history
    Exhibit on St. Petersburg's local history
  • Exhibit: Piers Through the Years
    Exhibit: Piers Through the Years
  • Exhibit on local African American artists
    Exhibit on local African American artists
  • Event/Lecture hall
    Event/Lecture hall
  • World's largest collection of autographed baseballs[5]
    World's largest collection of autographed baseballs[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c DeGregory, Lane (July 21, 2020). "St. Petersburg Museum reopens with new exhibits, expectations". The Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "St. Petersburg Museum of History". spmoh.com. St. Petersburg, Florida. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  3. ^ Sell, Sarah (January 10, 2024). "History Harvest uncovers thought-provoking stories in the community". University of South Florida Campus News. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "St. Pete Museum of History chronicles memories of city through postcards". FOX 13 News. August 15, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  5. ^ Ledger, John Ceballos The. "St. Pete museum houses world's largest collection of autographed baseballs". The Ledger. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
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