Sarasota - Manatee

Historical and Educational Attractions

This page lists attractions of historical, cultural, or educational significance in the Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida area. Listings may include historical homes, battlefields, forts, monuments, famous birthplaces, and other places of historical significance, as well educational attractions such as planetariums.
Kids Sarasota and Bradenton: Historical and Educational Attractions - Fun 4 Sarasota Kids
Listings
American National Bank Building

The American National Bank Building (also known as the Orange Blossom Hotel) at 1330 Main Street in ...

1330 Main Street, Sarasota, FL
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, The

Come experience Florida's largest natural and cultural history Museum! Take a ride through space and ...

201 10th St. W, Bradenton, FL, 34205
Boat and Lighthouse

The two structures located at 425 and 433 S. Osprey Avenue are a novelty and curiosity for citizens ...

433 S. Osprey Avenue, Sarasota, FL
Bradenton Carnegie Library

The Bradenton Carnegie Library is a historic Carnegie library in Bradenton, Florida. It is located a ...

1405 Fourth Avenue, W., Bradenton, FL
Ca' d'Zan Mansion

The home of the circus king and his wife, a couple from humble mid-western origins, Ca’ d’Zan stands ...

5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL, 34243
City Waterworks Building

The City "Waterworks Building", located at 1015 N. Orange Avenue, is a two-story red brick, Mediterr ...

1015 N. Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL
Crowley Museum and Nature Center

Crowley Museum and Nature Center is a 190-acre farmstead established in 1878. Site includes rare Flo ...

16405 Myakka Road, Sarasota, FL, 34240
First Black Community

This Black community grew as businessmen, fisherman, physicians, nurses, teachers, farmers, contract ...

6th Street & Central Ave, Sarasota, FL
First Post Office

Near this spot was Sarasota's First Post Office established in the home and store of Charles E. Abbe ...

Hyde Park St and Cunliff Drive, Sarasota, FL
Gamble Plantation Historic State Park

This antebellum mansion was home to Major Robert Gamble and headquarters of an extensive sugar plant ...

3708 Patten Avenue, Ellenton, FL, 34222
Gillespie Park

This park honors John Hamilton Gillespie, first mayor of Sarasota. It has two basketball courts, an ...

Playground Features
710 N. Osprey Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34236
Historic Spanish Point

Explore 30 historical, environmental, and archaeological acres at this irreplaceable outdoor museum ...

337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL, 34229
Indian Beach

5000 years ago, prehistoric Indians seasonally came to these shores, drawn by freshwater springs, ba ...

West side of Bayshore Drive at Myrtle St., Sarasota, FL
Johnson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church

The Johnson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church (also known as the Osprey Baptist Church) is a historic ...

506 Church Street, Laurel, FL
Landing of the Scots

On December 23, 1885, a number of Scottish families came ashore on or near this spot to settle land ...

Main Street and Gulfstream Boulevard, Sarasota, FL
Manatee County Courthouse

The Manatee County Courthouse, built in 1913, is a historic courthouse building located at 1115 Mana ...

1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL
Manatee Village Historical Park

Step back into time at the Manatee Village Historical Park. Visit this collection of restored buildi ...

1404 Manatee Avenue East, Bradenton, FL, 34208
Methodist Church

The Methodists moved their "Little White Church" at Five Points to this site in 1911. Next to IT the ...

104 Pineapple Ave & State Street, Sarasota, FL
Old Manatee Courthouse

The Old Manatee County Courthouse, built in 1859-1860, is an historic building now located at 1404 M ...

1404 Manatee Ave E, Bradenton, FL
Osprey School

The Osprey School is a historic school built in 1926 in Osprey, Florida. Described as being in a mas ...

337 North Tamiami Trail., Osprey, FL
Palmetto Historical Park

The Palmetto Historical Park offers children of all ages the opportunity to learn about the history ...

515 10th Ave. W., Palmetto, FL, 34221
Phillippi Estate Park

Along the shores of Phillippi Creek lies Sarasota County’s Phillippi Estate Park – 60 scenic acres o ...

5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL, 34231
Pioneer Park

Enjoy the brand new tree-top inspired playground, basketball & tennis courts! Home for the historic ...

1260 12th St., Sarasota, FL, 34236
Sarasota County Agricultural Fair

Sarasota County was formed in 1921, a year that coincided with the developing Florida Land Boom. Com ...

3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Court House

After the formation of Sarasota County in 1921, a permanent seat of government was needed. This site ...

South side of Main St. at US 301, Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Opera formerly Edwards Theater

In March of 2008, the Sarasota Opera will celebrate the restoration of its building, the former Edwa ...

61 N Pineapple Ave, Sarasota, FL, 34236
Sarasota Terrace Hotel

Build by Charles Ringling in 1925 on the site of the number one green of the Old Gillespie Golf Cour ...

East side of US 301 at Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Times Building

The Sarasota Times Building is a historic site in Sarasota, Florida. It is located at 1214-1216 1st ...

1214-1216 1st Street, Sarasota, FL, 34209
South Lido Park

Otto Schmidt Zoldan, a pioneer, settled on the southern tip of this key and in 1904 applied for a ho ...

South end of Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota, FL
Southside School

Southside School opened its doors to 170 students January 11, 1926, one of several schools built in ...

Webber Street between U.S. 41 and Osprey Avenue, Sarasota, FL
St. Armand's Circle

Decades after conception, St. Armands circle has fulfilled John Ringling's dream of a premier shoppi ...

North side of Circle at North Blvd of Presidents, Sarasota, FL
United States Post Office- Federal Building

The U.S. Post Office–Federal Building (also known as the Social Security Building) is a historic sit ...

111 South Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL
Urfer Family Park

Urfer Family Park provides a unique combination of recreational and learning opportunities. The ...

4012 Honore Ave., Sarasota, FL, 34233
Winter Quarters

Just east of this marker was the Winter Quarters of the Ringling Bros. And Barnum and Bailey Circus, ...

Calliandra Drive at Beneva Rd., Sarasota, FL
Yellow Bluffs

This area, so named for its outcroppings of yellow limestone, was the home of Sarasota's first inhab ...

West side of US 41 at 12th Street, Sarasota, FL