IMAG History and Science Center

Fort Myers

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Exciting changes are afoot at this already fascinating science center, which will soon add interactive exhibits and even virtual reality, weaving in Florida history. That's becoming possible due to a merger with the Southwest Florida Museum of History, which recently vacated its old historic railroad depot and began moving various objects into IMAG, including a diorama of the military fort for which Fort Myers is named.

Eventually, exhibits like the IMAG's 'Tanked,' which displays fish and their natural habitats, will be combined with an exploration of the USS Mohawk, a World War II warship deliberately sunk and turned into an artificial reef in 2012. Kids and grown-ups alike will dig it.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Edison winter home at Edison Estate and Laboratory, Fort Myers, Florida, USA

    Edison & Ford Winter Estates

    1.32 MILES

    Florida's snowbirds can be easy to mock, but not this pair. Thomas Edison built his winter home in 1885 and lived in Florida seasonally until his death in…

  • Cayo Costa State Park on La Costa Island is lined with undisturbed, pristine white beaches.

    Cayo Costa State Park

    24.04 MILES

    Slim as a supermodel and as lovely, Cayo Costa Island is almost entirely preserved as a 2500-acre state park. While its pale, ash-colored sand may not be…

  • Boardwalk in Audobon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

    Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

    24.16 MILES

    The crown jewel in the National Audubon Society's sanctuary collection, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary provides an intimate exploration of six pristine…

  • Stainless steel sculpture by artist Arik Levy titled RockGrowth 370, from 2017, in front of palm trees and main entrance to The Baker Museum, a modern art museum in Naples, Collier County, Florida, USA. The museum houses a diverse collection of art in a three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility. Permanent collections include American modernism, 20th-century Mexican art, sculpture and 3-dimensional art. The building, with its angled brick- and stone-toned fascia tiles, was designed by Florida architect Gene Aubry, who also designed the Hayes Hall building next to it.

    Baker Museum

    29.36 MILES

    The pride of Naples, this engaging, sophisticated art museum is part of the Artis–Naples campus, which includes the fabulous Philharmonic Center next door…

  • Row of lounge chairs on a scenic ocean beach, Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida, USA - stock photo

    Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park

    24.8 MILES

    This lovely state park and beach extends for a mile from the mouth of the Cocohatchee River. It boasts gorgeous white sands, which are protected during…

  • Single manatee

    Lee County Manatee Park

    6.27 MILES

    December through March, manatees flock up the Orange River to this warm-water discharge canal from the nearby power plant. The waterway is now a protected…

  • Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

    Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

    5.19 MILES

    With more than 3500 acres of wetlands, this park is a great place to experience southwest Florida's flora and fauna. A 1.2-mile boardwalk trail is staffed…

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Nearby Fort Myers attractions

1. Edison & Ford Winter Estates

1.32 MILES

Florida's snowbirds can be easy to mock, but not this pair. Thomas Edison built his winter home in 1885 and lived in Florida seasonally until his death in…

2. Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

5.19 MILES

With more than 3500 acres of wetlands, this park is a great place to experience southwest Florida's flora and fauna. A 1.2-mile boardwalk trail is staffed…

3. Lee County Manatee Park

6.27 MILES

December through March, manatees flock up the Orange River to this warm-water discharge canal from the nearby power plant. The waterway is now a protected…

4. Bowditch Point Park

13.84 MILES

At the island's northernmost tip, Bowditch is a favorite with families and picnickers. The small parking lot ($2 per hour) fills up fast, so come early…

5. Fort Myers Beach

14.21 MILES

Fort Myers Beach is long, long, long. The southern end is dominated by condos, with very little public access. The low-key middle has a large number of…

6. Lighthouse Beach

16.04 MILES

The most photogenic of the beaches, Lighthouse Beach sports Sanibel's historic metal lighthouse (1884) on the eastern tip of the island. There's also a T…

7. Lovers Key State Park

16.29 MILES

In the mood for a good hike, bike or kayak, with a chance to spot manatees in spring and summer? Come to Lovers Key, just south (and over a bridge) from…

8. Sanibel Historical Village

19.06 MILES

Well polished by the enthusiasm of local volunteers, this museum and collection of nine historic buildings preserves Sanibel's pioneer past. It gives a…