Tampa Bay History Center

The Tampa Bay History Center, established in 1989, has been housed since 2009 in a modern, 60,000-square-foot facility along Tampa’s Riverwalk. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the center features exhibitions that explore 12,000 years of Florida’s history, from its earliest inhabitants to its contemporary role as a major port and tourism hub. Permanent and temporary galleries showcase pivotal periods in Florida’s history, such as the region’s indigenous peoples, European exploration beginning in the 16th century, and Tampa Bay's rise as an industrial and cultural center. The History Center is also home to the Touchton Map Library/Florida Center for Cartographic Education. This unique resource offers one of the largest collections of Florida maps in the world, covering more than 500 years of cartographic history. The library presents rotating map exhibitions and is accessible to researchers and students by appointment. On-site amenities include the Columbia Cafe, operated by Tampa’s renowned Columbia Restaurant, serving Spanish-Cuban dishes rooted in Ybor City's historic immigrant community. The History Center also features a museum store, educational classrooms, additional temporary exhibition spaces, and venues available for event rentals.