Florida Carriage Museum & Resort, Horse carriage museum in Weirsdale, United States.
The Florida Carriage Museum was an equestrian-themed museum in Weirsdale founded by collector Gloria Austin, holding more than 160 antique horse-drawn carriages from Europe and America along with equine-related artifacts and artwork. It formed part of a 400-acre equestrian resort property, renamed Grand Oaks after Austin sold it to Tom Golisano in 2011.
The Florida Carriage Museum was founded by carriage collector Gloria Austin in Weirsdale and held more than 160 antique horse-drawn carriages from Europe and America, along with equine artifacts and artwork. In 2011 Austin sold the 400-acre equestrian resort property, museum included, to her ex-husband Tom Golisano; it was renamed Grand Oaks and the museum became the Grand Oaks Museum. Grand Oaks sold and dispersed most of the collection in 2017, closing the museum; part of Austin's collection remains at the adjacent Equine Heritage Institute.
The museum was founded by carriage collector Gloria Austin, whose name links the collection to its owner. Its more than 160 vehicles came from Europe and America, and the site also held equine-related artifacts and artwork. After the 2017 sale, part of Austin's collection stayed at her Equine Heritage Institute next to Grand Oaks.
The property is very large and best explored by car, as the different display areas are spread throughout the grounds. You should wear comfortable walking shoes and plan to spend several hours there.
After the 2017 sale, a portion of Gloria Austin's carriage collection stayed at her Equine Heritage Institute next to Grand Oaks, while the rest was dispersed. Austin, who founded the museum, kept these remaining vehicles accessible there rather than letting the whole collection leave Weirsdale.
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