Tampa Bay History Center Nears Completion

By Megan Voeller (Creative Loafing magazine)

Published 11.05.08

Between Channelside and the St. Pete Times Forum, a future cornerstone of Tampa's waterfront attractions nears completion. The Tampa Bay History Center -- a 3-story, 60,000-square-foot structure -- holds the promise of a permanent destination for history buffs (both current ones and those likely to be seduced into a new passion by the History Center's sleek building and interactive exhibits), much larger than the nook previously occupied by the institution near the Convention Center. And it's a long time coming -- since 1989, the History Center's staff and supporters have worked steadily and quietly toward expanding their beloved showcase of Tampa's heritage. The Grand Opening celebration is scheduled for January 17, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.

It's a point of pride for History Center staff that the new museum won't dwell exclusively on the icons -- or clichés, if you like -- of Tampa's history. Visitors can count on seeing a flamenco dancer (printed on a banner in the building's glass atrium) and hearing about the cigar industry (in the form of a walk-in replica of a 1920s Ybor cigar store), but they'll also encounter plenty of surprises.

During a hard-hat tour of the building last month, executive director C.J. Roberts highlighted some of the Center's unconventional offerings: a second-floor landing devoted to an interactive map of the region, which will allow visitors to construct historical tours and e-mail the results; a multimedia presentation on Tampa's history as a port displayed inside an actual shipping container; hands-on activities, including cattle "branding" (with a magnet), orange-crate label design and Native American finger weaving.

In addition to Tampa Bay's past, the History Center will offer visitors a chance to reflect on where the region is headed. An exhibition area devoted to the history of social change incorporates narratives from local residents and invites visitors to record their own thoughts on a whiteboard. Of course, the expansive new History Center itself implies good things about the region's future.