Henry Plant Museum

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Henry Plant Museum Peek behind the scenes at the Henry Plant Museum. Travel back in time via historic trivia & etiquette A visit to the Henry B.
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When you’re building a railroad to nowhere, how do you make the journey worthwhile? …. If you’re railroad magnate Henry Bradley Plant, in the midst of the sand swamps that would be Tampa, you construct the most astonishingly magnificent hotel of its day, then fill it with treasures from around the world. With its splendid Moorish architecture, opulent furnishings, and spectacular tropical gardens, Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel attracted a host of celebrated guests, from Teddy Roosevelt to Sarah Bernhardt to Babe Ruth. Plant Museum and the authentically restored rooms of the Tampa Bay Hotel will transport you back to a time of indulgent 10-course meals, waltzing on the verandah and alligator hunting by moonlight…The journey is still worthwhile.

10/20/2026

Did you know that before movies could be dubbed, they were filmed separately in different languages? Through our special collaboration with "A Nightmare on Franklin Street" series, visitors can watch the English version of Dracula at Tampa Theatre and the Spanish version here in our NEW "Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897-1936" exhibit!

Learn more & buy tickets at plantmuseum.com.

Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897-1936 was generously underwritten by:
Cogent Bank
Raymond James
The Bank of Tampa
The Betsy and Steve Chambers Family Foundation
The Henry B. Plant Museum Society

10/18/2026

Mourning stationary, spooky carriage rides, eerie tales of hotel days long past — we've got it all this Halloween season! Join us for "An Eerie Evening at the Tampa Bay Hotel," returning Oct 22! 👻 This rare opportunity to visit the Museum after dark will feature period lighting, candles, and artifacts that set the stage for an evening of spooky fun.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now at plantmuseum.com
🗓️ October 22–24 and October 29–31 from 6–9 PM
👻 NEW this year: Haunted Carriage Tours by Collins Cattle & Grove. Learn more: collinscattleandgrove.com/hb-plant-haunted-tour

🎃

10/16/2026

🎥 Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897-1936, is now open!

Installing original artifacts, text panels, and monitors was just the last stage in a two-year process of research and planning to create this very special exhibit. Our curatorial team sought out loans from across the country, including a rare broadside from the Ohio History Collection; a 1915 player piano roll, souvenir brochure, and original poster from the Museum of the Moving Image in New York; film stills from the Museum of Modern Art, a mutoscope from the Museum of Florida History; a kinetoscope from Edison and Ford Winter Estates; and a host of artifacts from the historic Tampa Theatre.

Come explore how these objects and early films bring to life the early decades of the moviegoing experience in Tampa.

For tickets, hours, and visitor information, visit plantmuseum.com. (The exhibition is included with regular Museum admission.)

Exhibit generously underwritten by:
Cogent Bank
Raymond James
The Bank of Tampa
The Betsy and Steve Chambers Family Foundation
The Henry B. Plant Museum Society

10/15/2026

Happy Birthday, ! 🎉 Tampa Theatre opened 100 years ago and has become a beloved community institution for a century! The recent restoration of the Historic Duncan Auditorium ensures this movie palace will continue to serve generations of Tampa residents and visitors from around the world. Before heading back for the birthday bash, the famous Creepy Baby Head stopped by to check out our newest exhibit, Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897-1936! He saw familiar faces and artifacts that explore the evolution of Tampa's moviegoing experience - both here at the Tampa Bay Hotel and the Tampa Theatre .

Check out our NEW Museum Guide! This is a one-stop shop for navigating through each of our exhibits that interpret the h...
10/13/2026

Check out our NEW Museum Guide! This is a one-stop shop for navigating through each of our exhibits that interpret the history of the Tampa Bay Hotel and the experiences of the diverse individuals who contributed to its success during the Gilded Age.

With a Henry B. Plant Museum membership, there’s always more to see and more to learn! Members receive:
- Free admission to the Museum
- 10% discount in the Museum Store
- Free Victorian Christmas Stroll Tickets
- Access to members-only programs, receptions, and previews of exhibits
- The Orange Blossom newsletter
- Free admission to over 190 cultural institutions through the Southeastern Reciprocal Museum Program
- One "Member for a Day" pass

For more information on membership contact Jill D'Anna at [email protected].

10/11/2026

Mourning dresses, spooky carriage rides, eerie tales of hotel days long past — we've got it all this Halloween season! Join us for "An Eerie Evening at the Tampa Bay Hotel," returning Oct 22! 👻 This rare opportunity to visit the Museum after dark will feature period lighting, candles, and artifacts that set the stage for an evening of spooky fun.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now at plantmuseum.com
🗓️ October 22–24 and October 29–31 from 6–9 PM
👻 NEW this year: Haunted Carriage Tours by Collins Cattle & Grove. Learn more: collinscattleandgrove.com/hb-plant-haunted-tour

10/09/2026

NOW OPEN: Check out our newest exhibit, Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies! You'll explore the evolution of Tampa's moviegoing experience - from the first short film exhibitions at the Tampa Bay Hotel Casino to the innovations in sound, camera techniques, and social commentary that defined the inaugural decade of film screenings at Tampa Theatre.

We have several objects on loan from Tampa Theatre that reveal how theater employees and audience members redefined the movie palace to make it a beloved community institution and an indispensable part of local life.

For tickets, hours, and visitor information, visit plantmuseum.com. (The exhibition is included with regular Museum admission.)

Exhibit generously underwritten by:
Cogent Bank
Raymond James
The Bank of Tampa
The Betsy and Steve Chambers Family Foundation
The Henry B. Plant Museum Society

Enjoy Free Admission and Specialty Tour: Discover Cigar City CinemaCome check out our new exhibit, Cigar City Cinema: Ta...
10/08/2026

Enjoy Free Admission and Specialty Tour: Discover Cigar City Cinema

Come check out our new exhibit, Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies 1897-1936, and experience a bit of movie magic. Enjoy films from the American Biograph Company in the video room, specially selected to bring the stories and themes of the new exhibit to life. Then catch an exclusive mini-tour led by Selena Martinez, our Curator of Education, who will share some incredible behind-the-scenes stories.

For more information, please contact Selena Martinez, curator of education, at [email protected].

🗓️ Friday, Friday, October 9, 2026
⏰ Free Admission: 4:30–7:00 PM | Tours start at 5:00 PM
📍 Henry B. Plant Museum

For more information, please contact Selena Martinez, curator of education, at [email protected].

Join Steven Ball, organist and Tampa Theatre artist in residence, for an exciting look at the live music that defined th...
10/07/2026

Join Steven Ball, organist and Tampa Theatre artist in residence, for an exciting look at the live music that defined the silent film era. Beginning with the pioneering work of the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company and continuing through the epic films of D.W. Griffith, this program showcases the role played by music scores and performing artists in America’s emerging film industry.

🗓️ Thursday, October 8
⏰ 5:30 PM light refreshments | 6:00 PM lecture begins
📍Plant Hall Grand Salon (at The University of Tampa)

This event is held in conjunction with the Henry Plant Museum's special exhibit Cigar City Cinema: Tampa Goes to the Movies, 1897-1936.

10/06/2026

If you've visited us before, you have likely noticed the Rathskeller just below our doors! It has served many purposes over the years and is now home to a deli-style lunch spot. Situated on The University of Tampa campus, this is a perfect place to grab a sandwich before or after visiting our Museum.

For tickets, hours and visitor information, visit plantmuseum.com.

Address

401 W Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, FL
33606

Telephone

+18132541891

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