Museums + Historical and Educational Attractions in Lakeland and Polk County
Places to Learn while you Play
Looking for something to do indoors with kids that combines fun with learning? These hands-on museums and discovery centers will give your kids something to do indoors AND stimulate the brain.
Explorations V Children’s Museum provides 3 floors of kid-powered, hands-on exhibits and mind-stretching programs in the arts and sciences to celebrate the five senses!
If you love planes and all things aerospace, check out the Florida Air Museum at the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE), located on the SUN ‘n FUN campus. The museum features a dynamic display of airplanes including unique designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques, and warbirds.
While my kids’ favorite part of the Mulberry Phosphate Museum is the outdoor dig pile {you can find shark teeth!} they also have an indoor museum with a collection of fossilized remains, area memorabilia, and educational exhibits on the Phosphate Industry. Free admission.
What was once the Polk County Courthouse is now The Polk County History Center – a historical museum and library open to the public with free admission. The museum’s collection includes natural and cultural objects related to Polk and the greater Central Florida area that represent our history from pre-Columbian to present-day eras.
Although you can’t run and play at the Polk Museum of Art, it is kid-friendly! Plus FREE admission means you can stay for 10 minutes or stay for an hour. This museum of fine art has rotating exhibits, a children’s art gallery, a sculpture garden, a gift shop, and more.
Looking for more things to do indoors? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Indoor Activities in Lakeland + Polk County. You’ll find a variety of ideas for things to do with kids including arcades, indoor play areas, museums, skating rinks, trampoline parks, and more.
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As Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center,” the Florida Air Museum features a dynamic display of unique designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques, and warbirds. More than a collection of airplanes; it stands as a tribute to the history and joy of flight. Exhibits educate about pioneers like Howard Hughes, early air racers, Floridians, and others who have influenced the world of aviation.
The Aerospace Center for Excellence also offers a variety of year-round educational experiences for all ages including field trips, storytime, camps, tours, workshops, and speaker presentations. ACE and the Museum continue to grow and meet the challenge of showcasing aviation history through exhibits, restoration and preservation, education and outreach, and sharing a passion for flight with visitors of all ages.
Learn more:
7 Things to Do on Your Next Visit to the Aerospace Center for Excellence + Florida Air Museum
Adventure is in the Air: Book an Interactive Field Trip with the Aerospace Center for Excellence.
The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College (formerly the Polk Museum of Art) is the largest and the only nationally accredited visual arts organization in Polk County and has been a Smithsonian Affiliate Museum since 2010. The museum offers workshops and classes for teens and adults, after school art for children, weekend workshops, spring break camp, summer camp, and the annual Mayfaire by the Lake.
It is the belief at the Mulberry Cultural Center that everyone has a story to share. Through exhibits and programming, the Mulberry Cultural Center wants to tell those stories in a fun and engaging environment. Every six weeks a new exhibit is displayed in the main gallery with ongoing programs available for the whole family.
Mulberry Phosphate Museum which houses an outstanding collection of fossilized remains, area memorabilia, and educational exhibits on the Phosphate Industry. You will experience the Earth’s past, viewing the remains of various types of marine life as well as reptiles and mammals dating back millions of years. Dig for sharks teeth and fossils in our outdoor pile!
What was once the Polk County Courthouse is now the historical museum and library which serves Polk’s community through special events, volunteer opportunities, and educational programs. Throughout the year, the History Center hosts rotating exhibits and educational programs that feature a variety of subjects specific to Polk County. Highlights include artifacts and displays from Polk’s early industries (cattle, citrus, farming, railroads, phosphate mining), long-time Polk businesses (Badcock, Coca-Cola, Harrell’s, Mosaic, Publix and Citizens Bank), historic courtrooms, and a children’s room. The Polk County History Center offers educational programs and tours designed for classroom students, scouts and other large groups,