Other sights in Orlando
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Ripley’s Believe It or Not
The 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago introduced Ripley’s collection of ‘oddities and unusual people’ to the public. While it may today offend 21st-century politically correct sensibilities, this museum embraces Ripley’s vision with no holds barred. A short documentary film chronicles his search for the ‘strange, exotic and incredible’, and TVs throughout the museum screen footage of classic Ripley, including exotic food customs, the man with the ‘strongest eyes in the world’ and a snake slithering through a guy’s nose and out his mouth. Exhibits range from the life-sized Rolls Royce made entirely from matchsticks to a shrunken skull to a model of the 1,069lb man who, …
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Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture
For a concentrated look at Orlando’s rich African American history, head to the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture. Dr Wells, one of Orlando’s first black doctors, came to Orlando in 1917. In 1921 he built a hotel for African Americans barred from Florida’s segregated hotels, and soon after he built South Street Casino, an entertainment venue for black entertainers. Together, they became a central icon of the African American music community. This small museum is housed in the original hotel.
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Lake Eola
A gathering point for the downtown community, Lake Eola provides a pretty, shaded backdrop on a hot day. A flat, paved sidewalk, about 1-mile long, circles the water, a pleasant playground sits on its eastern shore and you can toot around the lake on a swan paddleboat (per 30mins $10).
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Gatorland
With no fancy roller coasters or drenching water rides, this dusty mom-and-pop park harkens back to Old Florida. It’s small, it’s silly, and it’s kitschy with, you guessed it, plenty of gators. The park sometimes offers free admission to teachers – be sure to ask.
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Rogers Building
On the first floor of the historic Rogers Building, Gallery at Avalon Island (407-803-6670; www.galleryatavalonisland.com) showcases local artists. Upstairs, a small theater screens the annual Orlando Film Festival.
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City Arts Factory
A mainstay of Orlando’s emerging art scene, City Arts Factory provides five handsome art galleries with changing exhibits.
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Harry P Leu Gardens
One mile east of Loch Haven Park is the 50-acre Harry P Leu Gardens, a tranquil escape from all the gloss.
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Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts
Novelist Zora Neale Hurston, a pillar of America’s Harlem Renaissance and best known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, was born in nearby Eatonville. This museum features changing exhibits of African American artists and hosts the annual Zora Festival during the last week of January, a celebration featuring African American music, art, and culture.
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Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Internationally famous for its comprehensive collection of Tiffany leaded-glass lamps, windows, jewelry, blown glass, pottery and enamel, this incredible museum, tucked into Park Ave, is one of the best museums we’ve seen anywhere. The centerpiece is the chapel interior Louis Comfort Tiffany designed for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893). In addition to Tiffany’s work, you’ll find a broad selection of objects from the late-19th-century Arts and Crafts movement and US paintings. Absolutely beautiful, with gallery after gallery of magnificently displayed masterpieces, this is a must-see for anyone interested in US art and design. Ask about the museum’s free…
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