HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA INC
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Mission Statement
The Historical Society of Central Florida has been serving the Central Florida region through the operation of the Orange County Regional History Center, a 67,000-square-foot museum of Central Florida history, since 2000. The museum features three floors of permanent exhibitions and also presents nationally important limited-run exhibitions. In 2006, the museum was accepted as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and was accredited by the American Association of Museums, the highest honor a museum can receive. We serve residents from Orange, Lake, Osceola, and Seminole counties, as well as guests to the Central Florida area.
About This Cause
The Orange County Regional History Center has been operated by the Historical Society of Central Florida since 1976. Our mission: Honor the Past, Explore the Present to Shape the Future, serves as a critical framework to creatively engage all who live work and play in Central Florida, in history and in our programs. The Center plays a vital role in our community, region and the state by raising awareness of historic preservation, reinforcing the importance of local history, and connecting our community to national and international events. Our Exhibits range from local historic accounts to those of national reputation, including Walt Disney World Company, the Spanish landing in 1513, Jim Hensen’s Fantastic World (2009), the Working White House (2011) and Peanut’s…Naturally (2012) and in 2013 will provide an unprecedented exhibit in partnership with Universal Studios Florida, A Year in the Life: Backstage to Onstage at Universal Orlando® Resort, an exhibition that will change with the seasons and reveal who and what it takes to produce Universal Orlando’s iconic annual events. In 2015-2016 the exhibitions staff took on a rigorous and unprecedented schedule of exhibitions during this fiscal year. Highlights from the installations included a groovy 1970s living room and a “can you guess how many buttons?” interactive in our political memorabilia exhibition. Here is a list of our exhibition activity for the year: 100 Icons of Central Florida History – Orlando Remembered April 2015 – May 2016 Exhibition took a quick and quirky look at some of Central Florida history’s most loved icons. 100 Years of Hannibal Square October 16, 2015 – February 21, 2016 This exhibition by the Crealdé School of Art shared the history of Hannibal Square. Art Legends of Orange County: Albin Polasek (March 5 – May 29, 2016) This exhibit was part of a yearlong initiative by Orange County which united local galleries, museums, and institutions. We featured the sculptural works and paper artifacts of Albin Polasek. Finding the Fountain of Youth: Exploring the Myth of Florida’s Magical Waters June 4 – September 4, 2016 This exhibit examined the way the legend of Ponce de Leon’s quest for restorative waters shaped the Sunshine State’s image as a land of fantasy, rejuvenation, and magical spring-fed waters. Rich in images and Florida kitsch, this exhibit showed that myth continues to color perceptions of the state today. Searching for the Seventies: The DOCUMERICA Photography Project August 19 – October 30, 2015 This exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service featured a diverse collection of national photographs showing landscapes and daily life in the 1970s. From gas shortages to bell bottoms, visitors explored this visually moving record of time and place—and chilled out in a bean bag chair to find their ‘70s vibe. Exhibition Supplements: History of Orlando Health exhibition, Select Items of Popular Culture from Planet Hollywood, the 1970s Class Quilt Scott Harris: Tribute to a Central Florida Personality August 27 – November 25, 2016 On the fifth anniversary of his passing, this display celebrated the life of Central Florida journalist and news anchor Scott Harris. Following his career from the newsroom to the field, where he interviewed politicians, covered rocket launches at NASA, and above all left an indelible mark on Orlando journalism. Hispanic Heritage Month Art Celebration September 3 – October 30, 2016 In honor of Orange County Hispanic Heritage Month, the Hispanic Heritage Committee of Greater Orange County presented this juried show of artists to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of our local Hispanic community. Pin for the Win: 180 Years of Political Memorabilia September 10 – December 4, 2016 For generations, Americans have celebrated their political candidates with colorful ribbons, buttons, signs, and posters—and in other surprising ways. Visitors explored decades of national, state, and local political memorabilia from the Doug Guetzloe Collection in honor of the 2016 election season. Our programs draw locally from more than 7 counties including, Orange, Lake, Osceola, and Seminole Brevard, Polk and Volusia counties as well as visitors from all over the world who travel to the Central Florida area. People from all demographic defines visit, and attend our programs and events. From children to seniors, locals to international, history’s hand is reaching out to engage and educate our visitors daily. Through our Collections and collecting strategies we preserve the areas’ most important artifacts that represent how our community was shaped and its affect on the entire region. From papers, to oral histories, our collections are a mirror into the past and the seeds of our future. With thousands of artifacts and papers in our collection, we continually update and reignite the message of our past to educate and inspire our visitors. Our building is our greatest artifact and we are proud to be located in the Historic 1927 Courthouse, a 67,000-square-foot museum filled with Central Florida history. The museum features three floors of permanent exhibitions and also presents nationally important limited-run exhibitions. In 2006, the museum was honored with accreditation by the American Association of Museums, the highest honor a museum can receive and became an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. With these standings we have been able to foster greater community education and learning programs about history, serving over 40,000 school children every year from all areas and demographics of Central Florida and nearly 136,000 visitors overall this past year. As we grow, so do our needs for funding. We operate on a staff of 35 to implement programming and exhibits, events and tours, and of course maintain our artifacts. Marketing, Education, Exhibits and Fundraising staff are ever stretched as we effort to meet the needs of our community and open the museum to all regardless of ability to pay admission. Our Community events such as Trick or Treat Safe Zone, and Holiday in Heritage Square, open the museum to the general public for free and offer those who are stretched for finances an opportunity to visit while having a safe and fun learning experience. The Orange County Regional History Center is a vital part of today’s Central Florida and continues to grow, adapt and interact with our community and its needs. We strengthen our community through Honoring the Past, Exploring the Present and Shaping the Future.