Events
Florida Humanities Speaker Series - Rain by Cynthia Barnett
Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 6 PM
RAIN: A history for stormy times Rain connects us in all sorts of ways—as profound as prayer and art, as practical as economics, as genuine as an exchange between strangers on a stormy day. It plays a key role in civilization, religion, and art. It also allows us to talk about climate change as conversation not confrontation.
Light refreshments included. Free to the public.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 12 PM
Museum Book Club - Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen
Dedicated to non-fiction, you'll discover the truth can be much stranger than fiction. Join us every month to discuss new book! Read the book and come ready to discuss the best non-fiction books. Free to the public. Books are available to check out free of charge at the Museum while supplies last.
Saturday, February 1, 2020 from 10 AM - 12 PM - SOLD OUT
History Bus Tour
Join us for a tour through old Florida history, driving through the heart of downtown Lake Wales and beyond, stopping at historic buildings such as the Rhodesbilt Arcade,the old Lake Wales State Bank, Dixie Walesbilt Hotel, Bullard Building, Lake Wales Arts Center and more! Along the way, participants will learn about the historic district, buildings and lakes of Lake Wales. Enjoy an air-conditioned ride on the new History Bus!
$15/person. We’ll gather at the Lake Wales Museum before boarding at 9:45 AM.
Seating is limited, and advance registration and payment is required. To register, call 863-676-1759 or stop by the museum.
Thursday, February 6, 2020 from 6 - 8 PM
Come celebrate the Roaring 20s, which have come around again!
Enjoy live music, food, specialty beverages, and learn all about the history of Prohibition in America. Wear your favorite Speakeasy attire!
Free to the public. Donations requested for beverages.
History Talks Speaker - Tavern Life in Colonial Florida by Diana Reigelsperger
Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 6 PM
Diana Reigelsperger is an associate professor of history at Seminole State College in Sanford, Florida. Her research focuses on trade in colonial Spanish Florida, particularly smuggling and contraband. Her most recent publication is “Networks of Diplomacy and Trade in the Contested Florida Borderlands,” in The Latin Americanist in 2017. She completed her doctorate in history at the University of Florida in 2013. Her Masters's research focused on taverns as sites of rebellion in Spanish Florida, which became the inspiration for this presentation.
Light refreshments included. Free to the public.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 12 PM
Museum Book Club - Oh Florida! How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country by Craig Pittman
Dedicated to non-fiction, you'll discover the truth can be much stranger than fiction. Join us every month to discuss new book! Read the book and come ready to discuss the best non-fiction books. Free to the public. Books are available to check out free of charge at the Museum while supplies last.
Florida Humanities Speaker Series - Old Florida Stories by Caren Neile
Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 6 PM
Short Takes: A Grab Bag of Old Florida Stories From the Barefoot Mailman to Addison Mizner and the Ashley Gang, old Florida history is brimming with fascinating characters and memorable events. Enjoy lively interpretations of some of the better-known Florida tales, as well as others you might not have encountered.
Light refreshments included. Free to the public.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 12 PM
Museum Book Club - Becoming by Michelle Obama
Dedicated to non-fiction, you'll discover the truth can be much stranger than fiction. Join us every month to discuss new book! Read the book and come ready to discuss the best non-fiction books. Free to the public. Books are available to check out free of charge at the Museum while supplies last.
Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 10 AM - 12 PM
History Bus Tour
Join us for a tour through old Florida history, driving through the heart of downtown Lake Wales and beyond, stopping at historic buildings such as the Rhodesbilt Arcade,the old Lake Wales State Bank, Dixie Walesbilt Hotel, Bullard Building, Lake Wales Arts Center and more! Along the way, participants will learn about the historic district, buildings and lakes of Lake Wales. Enjoy an air-conditioned ride on the new History Bus!
$15/person. We’ll gather at the Lake Wales Museum before boarding at 9:45 AM.
Seating is limited, and advance registration and payment is required. To register, call 863-676-1759 or stop by the museum.
Florida Humanities Speaker Series - U Boats So Close to Home by Michael Tougias
Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 6 PM
U-Boats So Close to Home: An American Family’s World War II Story of Survival and the U-boat that Attacked Them The attack, the survivors, and the rescue of the first U-boat to enter the Gulf of Mexico, in May 1942, as it stalked its prey 30 miles off New Orleans.
Light refreshments included. Free to the public.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 12 PM
Museum Book Club - I'll Be Gone In the Dark by Michelle McNamara
Dedicated to non-fiction, you'll discover the truth can be much stranger than fiction. Join us every month to discuss new book! Read the book and come ready to discuss the best non-fiction books. Free to the public. Books are available to check out free of charge at the Museum while supplies last.