The museum displays colorful dioramas depicting the area from the days of woolly mammoths and saber tooth cats to the modem era of rockets and space shuttles showing visitors the diverse and rich history of Brevard County. Visitors can handle fossils, specimens, and artifacts from the animals and cultures that lived in this area over many thousands of years.
Some of the ongoing exhibits at the museum include simulations of an archaeological dig of the 7000+ year old Windover burial site, Ais and Seminole Indian tribes, replicas of the first local hardware store and bank, and the development of the citrus industry. Another extensive exibit shows Brevard’s main ecosystems including the Central East Coast Barrier Reef and the Saltwater Marsh. These displays, that showcase hundreds of specimens that give visitors a sense of the fragility of the ecosystem and the interdependence of sea, land and man.
The Museum’s bright and colorful Imagination Center for youth provides young visitors with an opportunity to explore and discover information at their own level. Children can act out a piece of history or a flight of imagination from the Space Shuttle. Everything is hands-on! Your kids will want to come back to this special place that’s listed in the Smithsonian’s Guide to Discovery Rooms.
Twenty two acres of the Museum’s land is set aside as a nature preserve with several trails that are wheelchair accessible. Enjoy exploring the scrub, hammock and wetland habitats while watching and listening for local wildlife. As you stroll through the tranquil habitat, you can imagine what Florida looked like before roads and towns were cut into the natural vegetation. The Nature trails are open to the public free of charge during museum operating hours. Guided Tours for exhibits and nature trails are by appointment and for groups of 15 or more paid admissions to the Museum.
