Daytona Beach Museums & Historic Sites

Enjoy the history and culture of Daytona Beach museums, gardens, art galleries & historic sites . . .

For culture seekers, Daytona Beach offers a variety of art, historic and nature museums and galleries. Learn why Daytona Beach, in addition to its world-famous beaches and speedway, is such a unique Florida destination.

Explore the Daytona Beach area's rich and colorful history through permanent and changing exhibits, extensive archives and children's exhibits. The Museum of Arts and Sciences (6.7 mi) is the primary cultural facility for Daytona Beach and Volusia County. Other museums located in the city include the Southeast Museum of Photography (6.0 mi) and the Halifax Historical Museum (4.3 mi). The Museum of Arts and Sciences is actually a collection of museums and galleries and includes the Klancke Environmental Complex, the Cuban Museum, Root Family Museum featuring one of the largest Coca-Cola(R) collections in the world, the Dow American Gallery and the Bouchelle Center for Decorative Arts which together form what is probably one of the finest collections of furniture and decorative arts in the Southeast.

Come see the Museum of Arts & Sciences (6.7 miles). The area's largest museum offers vast collections restored railroad cars, decorative arts, Cuban art, African art, a planetarium and a brand new children's center featuring hands-on interactive activities.

Daytona Beach museums and historical sites are listed by distance from the Grand Seas Resort.

Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens • 2.7 miles

78 East Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, (386) 676-3347
Marvel at the changing gallery exhibits featuring the works of prominent Florida and international artists. Then stroll the lush tropica gardens, with peaceful nature trails, fishponds and fountains. Open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday noon -4 p.m.

Galleries of Art: Visit & enjoy the work of prominent Florida, regional and national artists is featured in shows throughout the year at Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, and the museum exhibition committee also hosts an annual student exhibition and other unique originally curated shows. The exhibition calendar is varied and includes works in all media and styles. The Museum serves as a permanent home for a collection of spiritual oil paintings by the artist Malcolm Fraser that were donated by the artist in 1946. The historic Emmons Cottage from 1885 is nestled in the Museum gardens. It is used for children’s art and environmental programs and serves as a local artist co-op during the school year.

Gardens: The Memorial Gardens, an urban oasis, are a lush, tropical rainforest nestled into the heart of the Ormond beachside adjoining the Museum. They feature native and exotic plants, water features, artisan-designed walkways and a gazebo. Visitors can enjoy the solitude of a quiet bench or nook or walk the labyrinth inside the gazebo. Designed by Belgian-trained Chicago landscape architect, Henry Stockman in the 1940s, the gardens feature both manicured landscape and natural areas. Numerous weddings are held in this magnificent setting.

Situated on approximately 2.5 acres at the southeast corner of Granada Boulevard between Seton Trail and Halifax Drive on Ormond's beachside, and built on what was once a sand dune, the Gardens are natural ground that was gently developed into a park. Natural depressions were made into ponds and you can climb the steps near the waterfall to the seemingly highest elevation in Ormond Beach. The Gardens contain five ponds that are home to numerous turtles, frogs and fish. Aquatic plants such as water lilies and water lettuces offer food, shade and natural cleansing within the ponds.

Gillespie Museum of Minerals • 4.3 miles

252 S. Beach St., Daytona Beach, (386) 255-6976
Explore the Daytona Beach area's rich and colorful history through permanent and changing exhibits, extensive archives and children's exhibits. Adult admission is $5.00 and children are $1.00 admission for children under 12 is free on Saturdays. Open Tuesday - Friday 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Art League of Daytona Beach • 4.8 miles

433 S. Palmetto Ave, Daytona Beach, (386) 258-3856
Visitors to the Art League will experience changing monthly exhibits, workshops, exhibitions and an art video library. the gallery is open Tuesday - Sunday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Harvey W. Lee Jr. Memorial Gallery-Mary McLeod Bethune Fine Arts Center • 5.0 miles

640 Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, (386) 481-2700
Harvey W. Lee Jr. Memorial Gallery-Mary McLeod Bethune Fine Arts CenterChanging exhibits feature the work of artists throughout the Southeast along with a permanent collection of African art. Call for hours of operation.

Southeast Museum of Photography & Services • 6.0 miles

1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. Bldg. 1200, Daytona Beach, (386) 506-4475
Florida's only museum exclusively dedicated to photography offers intriging changing exhibits as well as a permanent display. Admission is free.

Museum of Arts and Sciences • 6.7 miles

1040 Museum Blvd., Daytona Beach, (386) 255-0285
The area's largest museum offers vast collections restored railroad cars, decorative arts, Cuban art, African art, a planetarium and a brand new children's center featuring hands-on interactive activities. more. Open Tuesday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday, noon- 5 p.m. Closed Mondays.

The Museum of Arts and Sciences, Volusia County's largest cultural institution, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and features 100,000 square feet of arts, science, history, children's and nature exhibits and regularly changing programs.

Planetarium: The Museum of Arts and Sciences' Planetarium has been a vital source of astronomy and space-related education in the Daytona Beach area for more than 30 years. This unique place, located in the West Wing of the Museum, continues to amaze audiences of all ages through interactive shows and dazzling presentations inspiring many generations to pursue science. Situated inside a 40 foot hemispherical dome and surrounded by 96 concentric seats, the Museum's Minolta MS-10 Star Projector provides a breathtaking view of the entire night sky and all of its wonders. Adding to the array of instruments, the state-of-the-art SkyLase Laser Projector creates fulldome laser animations and shows - bringing a digital element to the Planetarium. Along with a large video display and other multimedia, the Planetarium creates a fascinating learning environment that captures the imagination.

Children's Museum: The Children’s Museum houses professionally designed interactive exhibits that demonstrate various principles of science. An interactive room includes exhibits that teach kids about physical science, sound vibrations, light waves, digital microscope, and construction pieces for building slot cars to race.

Racing's North Turn • 11.6 miles

4511 South Atlantic Ave., Ponce Inlet, (386) 322-3258
Bicentennial ParkRacing's North Turn sits on the exact location where racing history began in Daytona Beach. The Races took place right here on the beach starting in 1936 until World War II and then continued with the first Grand National Race in 1949. These great car races ran each year until 1958, when they were relocated to the brand new Super Speedway where today you can witness the thrill of the Daytona 500 or any one of Daytona's famous Races. As of February 15, 2007, the Ponce Inlet Historic & Archaeological Preservation Board announced that Racing's North Turn will be recognized as a Historic Landmark.

Ponce de Leon Lighthouse & Museum at at Ponce Inlet • 14.2 miles

4931 S. Peninsula Dr., Ponce Inlet, (386) 761-1821
Completed in 1887 and the tallest lighthouse in Florida, the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse is 175 feet tall, making it the second tallest lighthouse in the US. Only Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in NC at 207 feet is taller. The surrounding grounds feature historical and nautical museum featuring a Fresnel Lens exhibit, artifacts on lighthouse life, shipwrecks, a gift shop and more. ft shop. Open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., with extended summertime hours.

Pause to catch your breath at each of the four windows. Take a photo at each and you will have a visual reminder of what it was like to climb the 203 steps to the top. Reaching the top, you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the sandy beaches, the Atlantic Ocean, and the nearby interesting drawbridge with much boat activity.

Each of the three Light Keeper's dwellings has been restored. They are all now active museums. The original Fresnel lens from Cape Canaveral's lighthouse is one of the items on display. The heavy large and complex multi-part Fresnel lenses are very interesting. The Ponce De Leon Lighthouse is one of our top pick interesting and fun Daytona Beach Attractions.

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