Museums in Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades

Explore the history and culture of Florida’s Paradise Coast, experience a breathtaking work of art, or share some hands-on learning with the small ones in your family when you visit these amazing institutions celebrating history, art and science in Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades. Make your plans now to visit.

Artis—Naples, The Baker Museum

Southwest Florida’s foremost collection of fine art brings together a breathtaking assemblage of artists across genres, media, and centuries. Along with inspiring traveling exhibits, you’ll find permanent works by contemporary artists such as Seattle-based Dale Chihuly, whose massive Blue Icicle Chandelier hangs prominently in the museum’s atrium. The museum also proudly displays never-before-seen paintings by Belgian surrealist René Magritte along with Extension and Half Sphere, a major outdoor work that activates the museum’s north lawn.

C’MON!, the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples

Children of all ages will find endless hands-on adventures at this museum, rated among the best cultural institutions on Florida’s Paradise Coast. Exhibits encourage youngsters to learn about the world around them by exploring an enormous indoor banyan tree, expressing themselves through art, and discovering the wonder of the Everglades — all in a safe, nurturing environment.

Collier County Museum at Government Center

Nestled amid five acres of Florida native landscape, this museum takes visitors on a journey through time from millennia ago when sharks swam in warm coastal waters through the Ice Age, when mastodons roamed the state pursued by native hunters, to more recent times when brave and resourceful American settlers carved a living from the untamed wilderness of cypress swamps and palm thickets as cattle ranchers, loggers, plume hunters and rum runners. Visitors also learn about Calusa people who called the region home before Europeans arrived and the Seminole people, who settled the area centuries later. The museum’s grounds make a great spot for a picnic.

Historic Palm Cottage

Built in 1895, this hidden gem in downtown Naples is the community’s oldest house and serves as a gateway to the enthralling history of southwest Florida. The half-acre site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes the beautiful Norris Gardens at Palm Cottage.

Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

This museum is dedicated to teaching the lessons of the Holocaust – helping future generations understand and overcome the bigotry, hatred and fear that led to the deaths of millions of innocent people during World War II. Visitors can explore artifacts and photographs from the period, while experiencing the powerful stories of individuals affected by the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.

Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch

Long before Southwest Florida became a vacationer’s paradise, it was home to ranchers and cattlemen. When you visit the Roberts Ranch, you can explore the day-to-day workings of the longest-operating ranch in South Florida. You’ll get a feel for what life was like for Floridians in the early 1900s as they struggled to tame the region’s vast stretches of cypress swamp and saw palmetto. The museum, located in the agricultural community of Immokalee, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marco Island Historical Museum

Step back in time to explore the history and heritage of Marco Island. Exhibits span millennia, introducing you to the many people who have called this area home: Native Calusa tribes. Spanish explorers. American pioneers and farmers. And the visionary businessmen who brought development to the island in the mid-20th Century. The museum grounds include tropical plants and waterfalls, creating an atmosphere for peaceful contemplation.

Museum of the Everglades

Over the years, Florida’s massive “River of Grass” has meant something different to everyone: a haven for wildlife, a sanctuary for Native Americans, and a challenge to those who dreamed of bringing development to Florida. All these historic threads come together at the Museum of the Everglades in Everglades City. The interesting displays at this unique museum tell the story of this vast wilderness, including Barron Gift Collier’s ambitious 1920s plan to settle “Florida’s Last Frontier” by linking Naples and Miami via the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41).

Revs Institute

Few things have transformed the U.S. quite like the automobile. At Revs Institute, visitors can explore the history, design of the automobile and its impact on American society through the Miles Collier Collections, a curated gathering of the most profound and rare automotive innovations that has been called one of the finest sports car collections in the world. The museum’s 100 carefully restored exhibits date from 1896 to the mid-1990s and include some of the most significant vehicles ever built in terms of technology, aesthetics, and historic impact. Gearheads and design lovers will both find plenty to enjoy!