- Tallahassee Museum
The Tallahassee Museum is a privately funded, non-profit corporation in
Tallahassee, Florida .The stated purpose of the Tallahassee Museum is "to educate the residents of and visitors to the Big Bend area about the region's natural and cultural history, from the nineteenth century until the present." "Big Bend" refers to that portion of Florida where the
Florida panhandle meets the peninsular portion of the state. Tallahassee, Florida's capital city, is centrally located in that region.History
Discussions in 1957 led to the formation of the "Tallahassee Junior Museum," a name which was eventually changed to "Tallahassee Museum," although the earlier name is still occasionally used. The museum was moved to its current 52 acre location in 1962, lodged between Lakes Bradford and Hiawatha, in
Leon County, Florida .Facilities and exhibits
A major strength of the museum lies in the diversity of its exhibits and the multiple utilization capabilities of its facilities.
A considerable portion of the grounds is devoted to the re-creation of rural life in north Florida in about 1880. Included in that effort are homes, gardens, farm buildings (with appropriate farm animals), a
gristmill , and aturpentine commissary .Another major portion of the museum is devoted to Florida wildlife, with many animals in relatively large, well-vegetated areas, usually similar to native habitats. Of note are black bears, white-tailed deer, and bobcats, as well as several endangered species: red wolves and Florida panthers. There are also several aviaries, a snake exhibit, small mammals, and a "guest" animal habitat. Twice a day, there are "Animal Encounters," during which a staff member shows and teaches about an animal. They may show birds of prey, snakes. a rabbit, or a skunk. Many of the animals used for education have been injured, especially birds of prey. Since these animals could not survive in the wild, in accordance with state laws, they must either be used for education or be put down.
Buildings of historical interest or importance comprise another segment of the museum: Bellevue (once the home of Catherine Murat, a relative of
George Washington , and wife ofNapoleon Bonaparte 's nephew), Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church (founded by Rev. James Page, a slave preacher), and the Concord schoolhouse, a reminder of early African-American educational facilities.The museum also has several nature trails, one of which includes a boardwalk over normally flooded cypress habitat, and a number of special-use facilities for indoor exhibits and workspaces.
Source
* [http://www.tallahasseemuseum.org Tallahassee Museum web site]
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