Polk County History Center

This place is a hidden treasure. When you plan to go, be advised that there is no charge to tour the museum, but donations are accepted. (and worth a good donation!)
I was pleasantly surprised at the amount & diversity of the exhibits. The items displayed range from area wildlife, colonization, indigenous history, pioneer life, the Civil war, industry and central Florida history up to the present day. The information was complete and well presented.
Some of the items displayed are priceless, like the handwritten letters from the Civil War. We spent almost two hours exploring the various rooms and checking out the upstairs Courts. The Courthouse is beautiful and a piece of history itself. I love that the marble steps leading to the second floor were worn… you could imagine the thousands of people needed to traverse those steps to wear hollows into the stone!
This is definitely something the whole family will enjoy.

Polk County is fortunate to have such a wonderful and growing History Center, located in the old Bartow Courthouse, constructed 100 years ago and a historical landmark. Within the History Center are the Historical Museum and the Genealogical Library. There are many rooms filled with the stories of Polk roots… a kids’ «touch» room, photo galleries, a Civil War room, an industries room, etc. There are fossils, bones, murals, paintings and lots of learning to be had. The library gives free access to the
site and has many other files and collections for searching your roots or your historical building. They provide many free opportunities – like book talks, lunch & learn programs and workshops. Great for school groups, too! Open Tuesday through Saturday. A great architectural piece as well. Surrounded by good eats when you finish your tour!