Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, museum in Florida
The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum is a local museum in West Palm Beach housed in the second floor of a 1916 courthouse building. It displays objects, photographs, and documents spanning over 12,000 years of the region's history.
The museum opened in 2008 and draws from collections built by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, founded in 1937. Its earliest acquisition was a black-and-white photograph of an island street scene, which grew into millions of images, maps, and documents.
The museum bears the names of its founders Richard and Pat Johnson, reflecting how the community preserves its shared past. Displays focus on the people who shaped daily life here, from indigenous residents to early settlers and pioneers who built the area.
The museum is open weekdays from 10 AM to 4 PM and closed Sundays. It is easily accessible in downtown West Palm Beach with nearby parking options, free spots for visitors with disability permits, and an ADA entrance on the east side with elevators available.
The museum features a special exhibition called Sunshine Cinema focusing on films depicting Florida and how the region has been portrayed in Hollywood productions and cinema history. For children, the fourth floor contains a hands-on activity area where docents dressed in period clothing lead story time and craft sessions.
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