Jailhouse to Justice! (A Patron Perks* Event)

Have you ever been inside the historic Courthouse on Center Street? Maybe to pop into the DMV, but do you know what REALLY goes on there?

Join us for a tale-filled walk through town to the courthouse where we will enjoy an exclusive tour of one of Center Street’s most iconic and historic buildings followed by a light lunch at the museum. For those who like a little challenge we’ll be conducting a trivia game during lunch based on information shared throughout our tour.

Our tour will begin at the Museum then we will walk to the courthouse accompanied by a museum docent who will regale us with lessor known facts/tales of our town's notorious residents and visitors. A Courthouse guide will take us through the building, pointing out its history and telling us about the role it plays in the county today. Built in 1891 it is the second oldest County Courthouse in Florida.

After walking back to the Museum, we will enjoy a light lunch in Baker Hall where we will test some of the knowledge you picked up along the tour with a fun game of trivia.

Details:

This is a walking tour offered to our museum members with our Patron level members receiving first priority. Round-trip to and from the courthouse is about 10 blocks total. Lunch will consist of tea sized sandwiches, scones, and assorted desserts. Drinks will include iced-tea, water and mimosas.

• Event date: Monday, September 9 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
• Cost: $25/pp.
• Sign up by September 3 to Phyllis Davis at [email protected] or 904.261.7378 x101.

Want to become a member? Visit https://ameliamuseum.org/membership/.

ACT QUICK, this event is limited to 25 participants!

*You may have noticed a name change with this announcement. We are rebranding our "Jailbreaks" events, reverting back to "Patron Perks" as we feel this better defines the variety of different events we hope to offer our members in the future.

Don't Miss This Wednesday's Brown Bag Lunch!

Meet Our Speaker Kathy Adams

Kathy Adams, a native of Fernandina Beach for 8 generations, is a dedicated volunteer at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Known for her engaging storytelling, she shares the area's rich history at the museum during daily Docent Tours at 11 AM and 2 PM, and at 2 PM on Sundays (included with your admission).

You can also find Kathy on our Walking Tours (Centre Street, Gilded Age, Architecture, and Ghost Tours) or hosting Victorian Tea Parties at the museum.

Join Kathy this Wednesday, August 7, at noon to learn about Amelia Island's Spanish history at our Brown Bag Lunch!

Attendance is free and attendants may bring their lunch. Seating is limited on a first come, first served basis. This program is wheelchair accessible. 

Watch this program remotely

at https://www.twitch.tv/ameliaislandmuseumhistory

To learn more, visit https://ameliamuseum.org/brown-bag/, contact Isabelle at [email protected] or call 904-261-7378 x.102.

Join Us Next Week on 3rd on 3rd!

Want to hear about new insights into 16th-century artifacts?

Join us on Friday, August 16, at 6 PM for an eye-opening presentation that challenges traditional beliefs about 16th-century European artifacts in the Southeast. Recent metal detector surveys in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi have uncovered numerous iron and copper-alloy artifacts in Indigenous residential areas.

Dr. Charles Cobb, Curator of Historical Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, will share how these discoveries are transforming our knowledge of how Indigenous peoples integrated new materials and technologies into their worldviews.

Don't miss the chance to learn about the latest discoveries in Southeastern history!

Attendance is free for members and a suggested donation of $5 for nonmembers. Seating is limited on a first come, first served basis. This program is wheelchair accessible. 

To learn more, visit ameliamuseum.org/3rd-on-3rd/, contact Isabelle at [email protected] or call 904-261-7378 x.102.

Celebrate Labor Day at the Museum!

Graveside Chronicles Coming This Fall!

Have you always wanted to know who resides at Bosque Bello Cemetery?

Domingo Pedro de Los Santos Acosta was born in St. Augustine and was sent to Amelia Island in 1808 as part of the Spanish Militia. You can learn more about Domingo at the Graveside Chronicles Tour taking place on October 12th. (This image is of a Spanish Militia uniform similar to what Domingo might have worn.)

The guided tour at Bosque Bello Cemetery offers a unique chance to learn about the lives and stories of notable past residents of Fernandina.

During the tour, you will be escorted to 8 different gravesites. Here, Costumed Interpreters will share the intimate tales of these individuals who played a significant role in shaping the community surrounding Amelia Island.

Details:

• Event date: Saturday, October 12, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 4PM (the last tour departs at 4 PM).
• Duration: 1 ½ hours.
• Cost: $25/pp. Timed tickets will go on sale September 6th and may be purchased online only at www.ameliamuseum.org.

Due to the Bosque Bello terrain, the tour might not be wheelchair accessible or suitable for those using walkers.

Join Our Oral History Project Team!

Want to contribute to preserving stories and be part of a meaningful project?

Become a Volunteer!

We are seeking dedicated individuals to help conduct interviews, take notes, and manage equipment for our Oral History Projects.

No experience? We will train you.

To learn more about our Oral History Projects, visit https://ameliamuseum.org/resources/. To become a volunteer, please contact Thea at [email protected] or call 904.261.7378 x. 105.

We Need Your Help to Make Our Garden Bloom!

As summer sets in, we want to make sure our Volunteer History Garden, located behind the museum, is the best it can be! Our volunteer Garden Angels help maintain the plants, but we need your help to ensure our garden is enjoyed by both museum visitors and local residents.

We are seeking donations of bags of white Mexican beach pebbles, white rocks, red geraniums, and a shepherd’s hook for our canoe planter. In addition, if you have any garden tools, leftover fertilizer, or garden sprays that you don’t use, we would be glad to take those off your hands.

Monetary donations are also graciously accepted - please designate the funds go to the Volunteer Garden to support these efforts.

To learn more, please contact Thea at [email protected] or call 904.261.7378 x. 105.

Ghost Tour every Friday

Tiptoe through dark streets and walk in the footsteps of a bygone era as the past comes alive through the skillful storytelling of your guide.

This tour begins at 6 PM every Friday. Meet your guide behind St. Peter's Episcopal Church, in front of the cemetery.

This one-hour tour covers 14 blocks of our historic district. Bring good walking shoes and maybe a brave friend – you never know what might spook you!

Tickets available at the museum or online at ameliamuseum.org/ghost-tour.

$15 Adults / $10 Children (6-17)

Special Ghost tours are coming in October – stay tuned!

Pub Crawl

A wealth of historical information about downtown Fernandina and a good time for all!

Make a reservation to tour a few of our small town’s most popular, notorious or otherwise historic pubs and bars. This 2.5 hour tour covers about eight blocks of our historic district with stops at three to four of Fernandina’s historic pubs to enjoy a specialty drink and tales of years gone by. Along the journey your tour guide will regale you with colorful tales about the town and the people who lived there. It’s history with a kick!

This tour is held at 5 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. 

A minimum of 4 people is required to run the tour, with a maximum of 8 people per group. Must be 21 years of age or older. ID is required. The cost is $40 per person.

To reserve your spot, contact Thea Seagraves at [email protected] or call 904-261-7378 x. 105.

Learn About Shrimping story and Support the Museum!

For more information or to book a tour, click here!

In Case You Missed It...

If you missed our recent programs, watch them below!

3rd on 3rd: Outlaws, Witches, and Adventurers: The Hidden History of Amelia Island with Jeff Suwak

Brown Bag Lunch: Pirates in Power with Regan Doran