Getting to know the heart of Fort Lauderdale - Review of History Museum, Pioneer House Museum & Schoolhouse Museum Reviewed yesterday After years of living in Fort Lauderdale, my family and I finally discovered this hidden gem near Las Olas Boulevard. At $15 per adult (with free entry for young children), the History Fort Lauderdale Museum offers an incredibly enriching experience that exceeded all our expectations. Our guided tour lasted about an hour, but the memories and insights we gained will stay with us much longer. From the moment we parked (tip: museum parking is free with validation), we were treated like honored guests. Kamal, a staff member with an infectious smile, actually spotted us in the parking area and walked us all the way to the entrance. His genuine passion for the museum shone through as he shared insider tips, including the free Jazz Festival on the first Sunday of each month. Inside, Frank at the reception desk elevated our experience with his professionalism and personality. He had this wonderful way of cracking jokes and making us feel at ease. You could tell genuinely enjoyed his job. He was chatting with other visitors, remembering regulars by name, and creating this warm, community atmosphere that made the museum feel less like a formal institution and more like visiting a friend's place. His enthusiasm was the perfect prelude to our tour. Then came David, our guide who's dedicated nearly a decade to the museum. Dressed authentically in 1920s attire, he wove together stories about Fort Lauderdale's founders, their connection to Henry Flagler and the railroad, and how this small community grew into the city we know today. The museum itself occupies a pretty big space. A 1920s hotel converted to a museum in the 1950s. We began with a 7-minute video covering everything from the Seminole origins to the agricultural boom and railroad expansion. The railroad still runs right beside the building, adding an authentic touch to the experience. The highlight was the Pioneer House, meticulously preserved in 1920s style. Walking through those rooms, from the vintage kitchen with its period stove to the offices where city business was conducted, David brought the founders to life. The houses we were stepping into were the Pioneers of the area I grew up in. The first Black-owned businesses (nursing services, taxi companies), hired the area's first Black schoolteacher, and built a community based on education and opportunity. The stories of how these couples met, fell in love, and worked together to transform an agricultural settlement into a thriving city were both romantic and inspiring. Every detail in the house was preserved to reflect an authentic 1920s vintage style. From the original tables and Miami oak wood to the old telephone lines and the classic Victrola (an early record player with built-in speakers and storage that you operate by hand)each room, including the kitchen, dining area, and upstairs spaces, stays true to the era’s charm. The 1899 replica schoolhouse was surprisingly moving. Despite the Florida heat, sitting at those wooden desks while David explained how school would've been like in that time and made us appreciate how far we've come and how visionary these early settlers were. The third floor houses rotating art exhibitions that brilliantly connect past and present. We discovered works by Stephanie MacMillan, who paints those electrical utility boxes you see around Fort Lauderdale, I couldn't resist buying magnets of her work and a beautiful blue crab postcard. The variety was quite impressive and took the space that were once offered as hotel rooms. From textile art to politically-inspired pieces, offering fresh perspectives on our community. What sets this museum apart isn't just the well-preserved artifacts or informative displays - it's the people. Every staff member, from Kamal's enthusiastic greeting to Frank's warm humor to David's masterful storytelling, creates an atmosphere where learning feels like a conversation with friends. They don't just work there; they're guardians of our city's story, eager to share it with anyone who walks through their doors. Great dedicated loving workers that enjoy what they do and let their heart, history, belief, and hospitality shine through. Thank you for a wonderful experience and time with my family.

Getting to know the heart of Fort Lauderdale - After years of living in Fort Lauderdale, my family and I finally discovered this hidden gem near Las Olas Boulevard. At $15 per adult (with free entry for young children), the History Fort Lauderdale Museum offers an incredibly enriching experience that exceeded all our expectations. Our guided tour lasted about an hour, but the memories and insights we gained will stay with us much longer. From the moment we parked (tip: museum parking is free with validation), we were treated like honored guests. Kamal, a staff member with an infectious smile, actually spotted us in the parking area and walked us all the way to the entrance. His genuine passion for the museum shone through as he shared insider tips, including the free Jazz Festival on the first Sunday of each month. Inside, Frank at the reception desk elevated our experience with his professionalism and personality. He had this wonderful way of cracking jokes and making us feel at ease. You could tell genuinely enjoyed his job. He was chatting with other visitors, remembering regulars by name, and creating this warm, community atmosphere that made the museum feel less like a formal institution and more like visiting a friend's place. His enthusiasm was the perfect prelude to our tour. Then came David, our guide who's dedicated nearly a decade to the museum. Dressed authentically in 1920s attire, he wove together stories about Fort Lauderdale's founders, their connection to Henry Flagler and the railroad, and how this small community grew into the city we know today. The museum itself occupies a pretty big space. A 1920s hotel converted to a museum in the 1950s. We began with a 7-minute video covering everything from the Seminole origins to the agricultural boom and railroad expansion. The railroad still runs right beside the building, adding an authentic touch to the experience. The highlight was the Pioneer House, meticulously preserved in 1920s style. Walking through those rooms, from the vintage kitchen with its period stove to the offices where city business was conducted, David brought the founders to life. The houses we were stepping into were the Pioneers of the area I grew up in. The first Black-owned businesses (nursing services, taxi companies), hired the area's first Black schoolteacher, and built a community based on education and opportunity. The stories of how these couples met, fell in love, and worked together to transform an agricultural settlement into a thriving city were both romantic and inspiring. Every detail in the house was preserved to reflect an authentic 1920s vintage style. From the original tables and Miami oak wood to the old telephone lines and the classic Victrola (an early record player with built-in speakers and storage that you operate by hand)each room, including the kitchen, dining area, and upstairs spaces, stays true to the era’s charm. The 1899 replica schoolhouse was surprisingly moving. Despite the Florida heat, sitting at those wooden desks while David explained how school would've been like in that time and made us appreciate how far we've come and how visionary these early settlers were. The third floor houses rotating art exhibitions that brilliantly connect past and present. We discovered works by Stephanie MacMillan, who paints those electrical utility boxes you see around Fort Lauderdale, I couldn't resist buying magnets of her work and a beautiful blue crab postcard. The variety was quite impressive and took the space that were once offered as hotel rooms. From textile art to politically-inspired pieces, offering fresh perspectives on our community. What sets this museum apart isn't just the well-preserved artifacts or informative displays - it's the people. Every staff member, from Kamal's enthusiastic greeting to Frank's warm humor to David's masterful storytelling, creates an atmosphere where learning feels like a conversation with friends. They don't just work there; they're guardians of our city's story, eager to share it with anyone who walks through their doors. Great dedicated loving workers that enjoy what they do and let their heart, history, belief, and hospitality shine through. Thank you for a wonderful experience and time with my family.

Zach + Ari’s Awesome adventure! - Had an awesome time with our tour and enjoyed, learned a lot about the hotel and really loved looking at all the different pieces of art!

Definitely recommend for fellow history buffs! - We thoroughly enjoyed the complete tour as history lovers! The buildings and exhibits were gorgeous, and the staff were excellent. Frank was more than kind and David was a great tour guide.

Great tour guide! - Daniel was an excellent tour guide and had a lot of great information! I highly recommend taking time to view this historical site.

Great Guided Tour - My husband and I really enjoyed the tour. Our guide Daniel is a fountain of knowledge about the pioneers of the day. We learned a lot about the time period and it was a very personal tour with only 4 of us so we were not rushed at all. Important Tip, when you buy the guided tour there you can use it for free parking along 1 street. I didn’t know about it before I bought the tickets online so next time I know better than paying the parking meters.

Great local history museum - A brilliant lense into a forgotten Florida. Great tour of the house and great old photos. Current art exhibit focused on local artists channeling the areas mid century modern architecture is fantastic. Go buy one if Ms. Lihan’s pieces right away.

A very informative museum visit - This was a very amazing and informative Tour we we toward three of the nearby museums located on new river Williams all about the history of Fort Lauderdale how it was founded all about the developments and how it came to have its new modern beginnings. It was very enjoyable and we will definitely do it again for a small fee. You have a tour guide show you around and they take you from one museum to another And show you all of the things inside the buildings and tell you about how the buildings with a bill to lift in the buildings and how they came to be. I highly recommend it’s a few of visiting Fort Lauderdale.

Very interesting and the... - Very interesting and the guide demonstrated a wealth of information about the museum. He had a lot of good stories.

Learning Lauderdale! - Excellent museum to learn about the history of Fort Lauderdale. From the early Native Americans, the Seminole Wars , Pioneers , WW2, to the present. The main museum is housed in a former historic hotel along the New River; there are two other adjacent historic buildings (old house and replica schoolhouse ). Frank S. at the front desk was an amazing ambassador for the museum; my aunt and I signed up for the guided tour per his recommendation- it was well worth it. The tour guide (my apologies I don’t recall his name) was very knowledgeable. The museum has a number of cool artifacts within it’s collection. The top floor had local working artist studios which was fun to explore. Give yourself about an hour to an hour and half. There are nearby restaurants and parking is convenient.