Places to visit in Tallahassee
Museums
The Grove Museum – The Grove Museum aims to preserve and interpret the Call-Collins House, one of the best-preserved antebellum residences in Florida, and all its surrounding acreage and historic collections. The house was built by enslaved craftspeople circa 1840, and the Museum endeavors to “engage the public in dialogue about civil rights and American history.”
Time: Open 1-4 p.m. on Wednesday (grounds open at 10 a.m.)
The Riley House Museum – Constructed around 1890 just outside the Smokey Hollow community, the Riley House was originally owned by a formerly enslaved man named John Gilmore Riley. He rose to prominence in the Tallahassee area as an educator, obtaining a formal education and serving in local schools, and as a civic leader.
Time: Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday
FAMU Meek-Eaton Black Archives, Research Center, and Museum – The Meek-Eaton Black Archives, Research Center, and Museum is in FAMU’s Carnegie Library, the first Carnegie Library built on a Black land-grant college campus. The Museum “collects and preserves African American history and culture in the Southeastern United States to support research and public education.”
Time: Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesday
Taylor House Museum of Historic Frenchtown – The Taylor House was originally built in 1894, owned by Lewis and Lucretia Taylor—one of the most prominent families that lived in historic Frenchtown in the late 1800’s. Now owned by the Tallahassee Urban League, the house is an official historical museum dedicated to African American history and culture.
Time: Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday
Outdoors
Frenchtown Walking Trail – Co-sponsored by the City of Tallahassee and the Riley Museum, the Frenchtown Walking Trail includes nine markers that tell the history of Frenchtown, one of Tallahassee’s oldest African American communities.
Battle of Natural Bridge Historic Site – The Battle of Natural Bridge was the site of the second-largest Civil War battle in Florida. Now the site of a state park, the historic site includes a historic monument to the Civil War and the unique natural features of north Florida.
Weekend activities
Bradfordville Blues Club – Located in rural Tallahassee, the Bradfordville Blues Club is an authentic blues juke joint offering live music, ice-cold refreshments, and a relaxing experience under the Florida stars.
Time: Open Friday-Saturday 7-10:30 p.m.
Beyond Tallahassee
Virtual Exhibits
National Museum of African American History and Culture – Originally opened in Washington D.C. in 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum dedicated to the life, culture, and history of African Americans. Having amassed over 40,000 different artifacts, the museum consists of dozens of interactive exhibits for audiences to explore African American culture and history.
– Digital Resource Guide: Includes the North Star, a digital place to “discover stories and objects that illuminate the African American experience.” The guide includes collections that include objects, stories, videos, and more.
– Searchable Museum Exhibits: Explore some of the vast exhibits on show at the museum from the comfort of your own home!
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – Located in downtown Cincinnati, the museum includes “permanent and special exhibits that inspire, public programming that provoke dialogue and action, and educational resources that equip modern abolitionists.” The museum is rooted in stories from the Underground Railroad.
– Digital Resources: Includes resources for educators, a video library, online exhibits, and other informational resources to learn from home.
Indiana University Archives of African American Music and Culture – Housed within Indiana University, the Archives of Arican American Music and Culture includes “a range of African American musical idioms and cultural expressions from the post-World War II era.”
– Online Collections:Include special exhibits with topics ranging from the history of Black radio, religious music, hip hop, and more.
The King Center
– Virtual Exhibit: The King Center was established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King and has served as a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century. This online exhibit includes various historical documents of Dr. King’s work in civil rights from Washington D.C. to Atlanta.