St. Petersburg Museum of History focuses on past while preparing for future

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Before you make the trek down to the end of the St. Pete Pier, you can discover the rich history of the city.

The St. Petersburg Museum of History is a trip back in time. They just launched a new exhibit called, "Building the Sunshine City," which includes treasured artifacts the public hasn’t seen in decades – if ever.

Visitors can see clippings from the first newspaper in Pinellas County and a historic land grant that shows the birth of St. Pete. An old newscast from FOX 13 is even part of the exhibit. 

"We hold the city's archives. We tried telling the stories of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and Florida," shared Rui Farias, the executive director at the museum.

Rendering for St. Pete Museum of History

Beyond the exhibit, the museum itself is beginning its plans for the future. The museum will expand 8,000 feet into the grassy area in front of the building, complete with a rooftop terrace overlooking the waterfront.

Last year, the museum celebrated its 100th birthday. It is Pinellas County’s oldest and Florida’s third-oldest museum. 

Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day and during the summer, Farias expects the museum to stay open until 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

"The Pier is completely slammed with people in the evenings and we wanted to give them the opportunity to come check out the city's history," shared Farias.