Tallahassee Tourist Attractions

Mission San Luis contained one of the largest Spanish missions in Florida. Franciscan monks founded the mission here around 1655 to convert the local Apalachee Indians to Christianity. The community grew for nearly 50 years, with close to 1,500 people here in 1675. In 1704, British forces invaded the area and the residents burned the village as they fled to Pensacola and St. Augustine. Today, visitors can see the remains of some of the mission buildings and observe archaeological research in action. There are various historical artifacts displayed in the visitor center. As well, there is a reconstruction of a Spanish New World village with costumed guides playing the role of early settlers. Within the village, one will find an Apalachee chief's house, a smithy's workshop, a weaver's shop, a church and more.

Goodwood Museum & Gardens is an 1840's plantation house with 13 outbuildings. The Croom family of North Carolina first owned Goodwood and the property exchanged hands several times throughout its history. The present gardens do not have any plants introduced later than 1929 and have become a resource for heirloom plants and old garden roses. One of the more prominent owners was Senator William Hodges who bought the house in 1925 and enjoyed it as a social center. Period furniture and frescoed ceilings fill the Goodwood Museum. In the late 1990's the house underwent an extensive restoration.

Reputedly the oldest surviving bank building in the state, the Union Bank originally opened in 1841 to finance cotton plantations. However, it closed two years later due to a combination of crop failure, financial mismanagement and the Seminole Wars. In 1984, the Union Bank opened as an extension of the Florida A&M University Black Archives, Research Center and Museum. Exhibits related to the bank's history along with period furnishings are displayed as well as artifacts and cultural items related to black history.

Alfred B Maclay State Gardens is a 28-acre botanical garden known primarily for its collection of camellias, but with many other native and exotic flowers as well. In blooming season, from January to April, visitors can see more than 200 varieties of flowering plants. New York financier Alfred B Maclay and his wife founded the gardens in 1923. She donated the property to the state in 1953. The Barclay home with period furnishings is open to visitors during the blooming season.

The Black Archives Research Center and Museum chronicles the history of African Americans in the South and in the United States. Housed in the 1907 Carnegie Library on the campus of Florida's A & M University, the center covers time periods from ancient Africa to present day with a collection of photographs, artifacts, documents, archives, maps, audio recordings and more related to Black history and culture.

Knott House Museum is an 1843 Classic Revival house with Victorian furnishings and exhibits on local history. During the Civil War, both Confederate and Union troops occupied the house. On May 20, 1865, General Edward McCook read the emancipation proclamation from its steps.Former state treasurer William Knott lived here with his family from 1928 to 1985. It is known as the "house that rhymes" because Knott's wife used to write poems and attach them to the furniture.

Opened in 1998 as the Odyssey Science Center, the Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science houses a variety of hands-on exhibits geared to spark children's interest in science. Over two floors, visitors can learn about various aspects of science, technology and mathematics. The permanent exhibits include an interactive weather station and broadcast booth, a flight trainer, and the Saturday afternoon learning program. Temporary exhibits change regularly on the first floor.

Museum of Florida History is housed on the ground floor of the State Archives Building tracing the history of Florida from prehistoric times to the 20th century. The eclectic collection of artifacts including Seminole baskets and other Native American ceremonial objects, Spanish coins, a reconstruction of a Civil War camp, Civil War flags and memorabilia from the Citrus and Cigar industry. A notable piece in the collection is a 12,000-year-old mastodon skeleton.

Originally built in 1845, this white stucco, neo-Classical building served as Florida's State Capitol until 1978, when it moved to the modern office building in back. In 1979, the city began to restore the Old Capitol to its 1902 appearance and it opened as a museum in 1982. There are exhibits on Florida's state history and self-guided tours visit the house and senate chambers, the governor's suite, the Supreme Court and the rotunda.

The Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science contains exhibits related to the history and environment of Northern Florida. The museum is surrounded by 52-acres of woodlands with interpretative walking trails. There is a 19th century Cracker farmhouse, a one-room schoolhouse, a church and a natural habitat zoo with animals found in the region. As well, one will find the 1841 pioneer residence of George Washington's great-grandniece, Catherine Daingerfield Willis.

Florida's first state capitol consisted of three log cabins. The brick Capitol was completed in 1845 and serves as a museum to this day. Exhibits cover the political history of Florida, constitutions, and the history of the building.

The Tallahassee Antique Car Museum features a collection of antique automobiles such as a horse-drawn hearse. Some of the collectibles include pedal cars, boating items, motorcycles and sports memorabilia.