You are here: Home > Things to See & Do >
Museums on the Forgotten Coast
Franklin County, Florida’s rich coastal history is connected to its maritime traditions and culture and is reflected in the area’s many museums and historic sites.
Check out our new museum video series highlighting museums in Franklin County.
In Apalachicola, the John Gorrie Museum State Park contains a replica of Dr. Gorrie’s ice-making machine. Two historic antebellum museums, the Raney House and Orman House, feature 19th century furnishings and provide a glimpse into life as it was in Apalachicola during the 1800s. The Carrabelle History Museum and Crooked River Lighthouse and Museum feature historic displays of the area, commerce and heritage. At Carrabelle Beach, The Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum preserves the heritage of Camp Gordon Johnston, a WWII training camp once located at Lanark Village. The museum includes displays of the area and life as it existed at the camp during the 1940s. On St. George Island, the Cape St. George Lighthouse and Museum feature the connection to the area’s maritime past. Click here to learn more about Franklin County, Florida's rich history.
Orman House Museum State Park
Apalachicola
Built in 1838 by Thomas Orman, this antebellum home overlooks the Apalachicola River, and was used for both business and social gatherings. Orman was a cotton merchant and businessman in…
Maritime Heritage Museum
Apalachicola
The Franklin County Maritime Heritage Museum is located just west of Apalachicola within the Franklin County Seafood Park, a 3.4 acre multi-use park which also features a boat and kayak…
Veterans Memorial Plaza
Apalachicola
Located at 2300 Market Street in Apalachicola, Veteran's Memorial Plaza is just in front of the Orman House. The centerpiece of the Veteran's Memorial Plaza is the Three Soldiers, Detail…
Apalachicola Historic District
County Wide
The Apalachicola Historic District showcases hundreds of historic homes, buildings and landmarks dating back to the 1800s. Visitors can explore the district on foot to see historic architecture, former cotton…
John Gorrie Museum State Park
Apalachicola
The John Gorrie Museum honors Dr. John Gorrie—physician, inventor, and father of modern air conditioning. During an 1841 yellow fever outbreak in Apalachicola, Dr. Gorrie discovered that cooling patients reduced…
World’s Smallest Police Station
Carrabelle
There is a phone booth in Carrabelle at the corner of Highway 98 and Tallahassee street that has propelled this small Gulf Coast town to national fame ovewr the years…
Historic Apalachicola Walking Tour
Apalachicola
Take a walk through more than a century of local history with the self-guided Historic Apalachicola Walking Tour. Follow the route through downtown and surrounding neighborhoods to see historic homes,…
Crooked River Lighthouse
Carrabelle
For nearly 100 years the Crooked River Lighthouse stood as a guiding light for ships, and fishermen navigating the treacherous pass between Dog and St. George Islands. Today the lighthouse…
Cape St. George Light
St. George Island
The Cape St. George Light is located on St. George Island, part of the scenic Forgotten Coast in Florida’s Panhandle. From U.S. Highway 98 in Eastpoint, turn south onto State…
The Raney House Museum
Apalachicola
The Historic Raney House in downtown Apalachicola is a glimpse back into the City’s cotton trade era of the early 1800s. Three decades prior to the Civil War were prosperous…
Bald Point State Park
Alligator Point
Some of the most picturesque areas along north Florida’s Gulf Coast are found within the park which supports 4,065 upland acres. Located on Alligator Point, where Ochlockonee Bay meets Apalachee…
Chestnut Street Cemetery
Apalachicola
The Chestnut Street Cemetery is the oldest burying ground in Apalachicola and is the burial site of many individuals connected with the town's history and development. Approximately 540 marked graves…
Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center
Eastpoint
Located along St. George Sound in Eastpoint, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve protects and studies one of the most significant estuarine ecosystems in the Florida Panhandle. The Reserve encompasses…
Fort Gadsden Historic Site
Eastpoint
Explore a powerful chapter of Florida history at Fort Gadsden Historic Site, located at Prospect Bluff along the Apalachicola River. During the early 1800s, the site was home to a…
Ralph G. Kendrick Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk
Carrabelle
Along the Gulf Coast near Carrabelle, the Tate’s Hell State Forest is well-known for being a wild place. Its name is derived from the legend of a lost farmer who…
Carrabelle History Museum
Carrabelle
Housed in Carrabelle’s historic 1938 former City Hall, the Carrabelle History Museum preserves and shares the people, industries and events that shaped this coastal community. Explore exhibits featuring Native American…
Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum
Carrabelle
The Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum was established to honor and preserve the heritage of the men and women who trained at the camp during WWII. Camp Gordon Johnston opened…
Apalach Ghost Tour
Apalachicola
Explore the spooky side of historic Apalachicola with Apalach Ghost Tour. Guided walking tours share ghost stories, local legends and tales from the city’s past while visiting historic sites throughout…
Big Bend Scenic Byway
County Wide
The Big Bend Scenic Byway is a 220-mile corridor covers both forest and coastal resources of Leon, Franklin and Wakulla Counties. It is one of 150 highways across the U.S. to…
Three Servicemen Statue South
Apalachicola
The Three Soldiers Bronze detail in Apalachicola is the focal point of the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza in Apalachicola and is adjacent to the Chapman Botanical Garden and the Orman House…