Jacksonville Fire Museum, Firefighting museum in Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Fire Museum occupies the Catherine Street Fire Station, also called Station 3, a building moved in 1994 to a site beside Metropolitan Park. Its exhibits trace fire service history across Florida, among them photographs and a diorama of the Great Fire of 1901, a restored 1902 LaFrance horse-drawn engine and a 1926 American LaFrance engine.

The museum was founded in 1982 and operates from a restored historic fire station building. It preserves the story of fire service from its early days through to modern times.

The museum honors the role of firefighters in protecting the city and shaping its development over time. Visitors can see how these professionals became central figures in the community and how their work influenced local identity.

The museum is closed while a planned multi-use development of its land is decided, so the building and its collection cannot be visited. The Catherine Street Fire Station stands next to Metropolitan Park, and the structure itself can be seen from outside. It was last renovated after a 1993 report on deteriorating foundations.

The museum displays hand-pulled and horse-drawn fire engines from the late 1800s, which were once the fastest way to reach fires. These vehicles show how dramatically different emergency response was in those days.