Beaches Museum & History Center offers a glimpse of the people and events that have shaped the First Coast Beaches

From pre-Columbian times through wars, land booms and depression, the beaches of Northeast Florida boast a colorful past. It is where the wealthy came to dip their toes in the warm waters of the Atlantic, where railroad tycoons chased their fortunes, where soldiers recuperated from the ravages of war and where some rather interesting characters called home. The history of the First Coast Beaches, from Mayport to Ponte Vedra Beach, is brought to life through pictures, firsthand accounts and artifacts at the Beaches Museum & History Center in Jacksonville Beach which opened its doors to the public on March 7, 2006.

The two-story, 12,097-square-foot Museum is located in Pablo Historical Park at the corner of Beach Boulevard and 4th St. North. The cracker-style structure was designed by Ruth & Dunavant Architects, Inc. of Jacksonville Beach, FL., and built by Auld & White Constructors, Inc. of Jacksonville, FL. While modern in its construction and technology, the Museum has a rustic, old Florida appeal to blend with the existing historic structures situated in the park.

The Museum is operated by the Beaches Area Historical Society (BAHS), an organization that was formed in 1978 by a group of longtime Beaches residents to help preserve the history and heritage of Northeast Florida’s beach communities. The Museum was built at a cost of $2M with the majority of funds being raised by local residents through a multimillion dollar capital campaign the Society initiated in 2001, as well as donations from the cities of Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach, and grants from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Inc. and the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.

The Museum features a permanent exhibit designed by Guglielmo and Associates, Inc, Museum Planners and Designers, of Tampa , FL., called “Shore Stories: Down the Boardwalk.” The exhibit is set within the 2,125-square-foot gallery along a traditional boardwalk surface. So real, it appears in some areas as though sand and water lap at the pilings underneath the visitor’s feet. An introductory video presentation sets the stage for the upcoming walk through time using visual techniques, light, and sound. The façade of the presentation theater reflects typical beachfront architecture from the early 20th century. Inside, large photomurals reflecting a much earlier time in Beaches history, line the walls and provide a glimpse of the upcoming presentation. The 10-minute video presentation offers an overview of Beaches history from the story of the early Timucua Indians, through French, Spanish, and British exploration and colonization, to the birth of the six communities we know today.

Upon leaving the theater, the visitor steps onto the boardwalk where the journey begins at the Village of Mayport and continues south through Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Palm Valley, and ending in Ponte Vedra Beach. An interpretive overlay of classic artifacts and objects of everyday life intermingled with photomurals, banners, and high-quality laminate text panels, work together to draw the visitor down the coast highlighting each community while showcasing important historical characters, businesses, and locations specific to each. Along the other side of the boardwalk, an equally enthralling story weaves history together chronologically, highlighting significant events, themes, and moments in time that tie the six historic Beaches communities together.

The Museum also includes temporary and hallway galleries that exhibit traveling displays from throughout Florida and the Southeast. These galleries are also utilized for lectures and children’s events. A reading room on the second floor allows professional and amateur researchers to view our past through historic photographs, maps, newspapers, postcards, books, and genealogical materials. Administrative space includes offices for Museum staff as well as collections and archival storage areas.

For more information please contact the staff at the Museum, Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am – 4:30 pm at (904) 241-5657.

© 2006 Beaches Area Historical Society - All Rights Reserved