Henry B Plant Museum (Tampa, USA)
Two men were responsible for the opening up of the State of Florida in the late nineteenth century: Henry Morrison Flager and Henry Bradley Plant. Both were railroad barons and both built an empire of resort hotels. Whilst Flager built on the East coast, Plant brought the railway to Tampa. He also built the Tampa Bay Hotel with Moorish architecture complete with silver minarets on the roof and furnished it throughout with furniture and art from Europe. It took two years to build, covered six acres and was one-quarter mile long. The 511 rooms were the first in Florida to be electrified. The grounds were also extensive covering 150 acres. The facilities of the resort included an 18-hole golf course, flower conservatory, tennis courts, croquet courts, boathouse, hunting and fishing grounds, stables, racetrack, kennels, casino with 2000 seat auditorium, heated indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, spa and card rooms. The Tampa Bay Hotel is now a National Historic Landmark and is part of the University of Tampa. Part of the building has been restored and give an indication of its turn of the century style and has been opened as the Henry B. Plant Museum. A visit starts with an video called “The Tampa Bay Hotel: Florida’s First Magic Kingdom”. The self-guided tour continues with a brochure and signs in each room of the museum. The Grand Hall, Writing and Reading Room, Women and Pastimes, Garden Room, Parlour Suite and Parlour Guest Room all contain educational exhibits from the late Victorian period. Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm Sunday 12noon to 4pm Admission: (January to November) Adults: $5 Children under 12: $2 There is on street parking (free) in front of the museum. The museum has a gift shop. Tour sheets are available in French and Spanish.
Contact
401 West Kennedy Boulevard, 33606, Telephone: +1 (813) 254 1891 | Official site