Henry B. Plant Museum Reviews

This historic preservation of the Tampa Florida railroad resort that was billed later as "Florida's first Magic Kingdom." The museum highlights the architecture, the housing styles, the furniture, and all the activities that the guests enjoyed at this resort, the Tampa Bay Hotel. Even the lighting mimics the low light level from carbon filament bulbs. Many older venues are not wide enough to be wheelchair accessible, but the spacious rooms and architecture makes the venue accessible today.
The 14 minute video gives a perfect backdrop for the tour of boudoir, kitchen, living rooms, dining room, and other living areas with period clothing, Christmas trees and decor, photographs. Beautiful dresses, toys, ornaments, and the history of the first US Christmas tree.
The gift shop offers great vintage postcards among other period souvenirs.
The free parking spaces reserved for the museum fill up fast and I parked off campus and walked.

I have been here several times to visit the museum. It really is cool to have all the history in the actual place you learn about. My favorite time to visit is at Christmas when they decorate what used to be an old hotel with decorations from that era. If you are in the area, it is a very interesting place to visit and learn about Florida/Tampa history

This is the heart of the campus and rich on history abut Tampa and the story behind Henry Plant. a definite stop

Went with my in laws and 11 & 14 year old. It is a BEAUTIFUL building! And the self guided tour was very interesting. So cool to see what life was like for the rich back in the late 1800s. Wish it was still a working hotel because I’d stay there! Docent volunteer at the front desk was very nice.

Enter museum via veranda and not from inside building. This is the fashion hotel/resort of the day back in the late 1800s with the owner Henry Plant spending ~$3 million dollars to build and furnish, bringing exotic art and decor from around the world. There is a 14 minute minute (highly recommended to start so you know what you are looking at) and an audiotour or can just walk around and read the plaques. Also includes history on Gasparilla festival. Bathrooms are outside of museum inside the great hall (men downstairs, women down the hall towards Grand Saloon).

The building is really beautiful, it hosts a 1920's Party every other year (we attended last year's), you really feel like you were transported back in time. There are also many events year-round for all ages and tastes. I recommend a visit.

Beautiful hotel that has been turned into a museum and the University of a Tampa Administration building. Perfect glimpse of Florida history that has been restored and maintained by the city. Well done! Plan on taking 2-3 hours to enjoy including the adjacent park.

Visited this place with my family that included a teenager and a toddler. The experience was fantastic. This museum is located inside the Tampa Florida.

The collections in exhibition was incredible, the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Couple of things to have in mind if planning to visit:

* The first Friday of each month the museum is free from 4pm-7pm. Try to be there at 4pm to be part of the tour. If not you will have to walk on your own

* The museum is inside the Tampa University. GPS will drive you to a different location.

* Start looking for parking as soon as you get close because inside parking is limited.

This building is the former Tampa bay hotel built in 1891 by Henry B Plant, now it houses the University of Tampa.
The museum is smaller than expected, very crowded, but the visit is worth it if you love history.
There is beauty in the architecture, furnishings and art.
I suggest go to visit early, there is limited parking but on the weekends the facility parking is available and free.
PS:Nothing can be touched, not a suitable place for younger children to visit.

This part of history is worth checking out. The architecture is gorgeous and the objects within the museum are in excellent condition. I struggled a bit with the audio tour because the buttons didn't work a lot of the time. Still worthwhile.

Happened upon this place by mistake. Was visiting Tampa Bay University and saw the strange architecture from a distance. Wondering what it was we headed for it.
Glad we did. Did the tour on our own. $11/person. $2 extra for audio headsets. Not really necessary.
Throws u back in time to the 19th century. Even the lighting was set to the time.
All rooms were decorated for Christmas in vintage trees. Real cool. Architecture was awesome and very interesting. Mr. Plant, the man who built it had some serious $$ way back then. Imported everything from around the world.
Must see.

This Museum was absolutely beautiful
A must see if you are in the Tampa area
It sits on the Tampa University property
Very informative information in every room, and kept pristine
The grounds are equally beautiful

Moorish styled building is very rare in the United’s States. A lot of artifacts of Henry’s family, enjoyed visiting this museum. Free parking.

I was attending a conference at UT and looked out the window and noticed the impressive facade of this museum. I came back the next day to look around. The building in n 1890's hotel, The Tampa Bay Hotel. One end of the building belongs to UT and houses classrooms and offices. The other end is a museum. You can tour at your own pace with a hand held radio that allows you to punch in a number for more information at several key locations. The permanent collection had a very interesting collection of letters and memorabilia from a soldier that was sent to the Spanish American war from this location. When we were there, there was a special exhibit on "The Epicurean Experience". A look at food and how it was prepared for many of the grand events hosted by the hotel. There are many other interesting rooms to explore such as : The sitting room, the reading room, and some hotel rooms. You can easily get lost in this museum for hours. I highly recommend visiting!

This turn of the century luxury hotel, now museum , and part of the University campus is a great look at Tampa history. The Victorian decor and European antiques are over the top. The audio tour and exhibits provided insights into the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Fascinating details about how the hotel played a role in the Spanish American war.

As a Tampa native, I’ve visited several of our world-class museum, but this tiny, luxurious gem takes the cake! I highly recommend you take advantage of the included audio tour.

I went with my sister one random Saturday. I had never been to the old hotel, but it was pretty awesome seeing the old decor and rooms. They also had a cool exhibit on the Romanov family. If you live in Tampa, you should go see a little piece of our history.

I had phoned the museum placing an international call before our trip to find out about their Post-Christmas opening hours as their website only had a note about their Victorian Christmas Stroll Dec 1-23, but nothing about the rest of December.

When I called, I was told that yes they’d be open on Sunday 29th December per regular Sunday opening hours of 12noon to 5pm.

We took a water taxi to the stop, then walked across the bridge and thru the gardens only to find the museum doors shut!

Very frustrating as we wasted time and money getting here and the trek in the midday sun for nothing. we were annoyed as we were really looking forward to visiting on our last day in Tampa.

I want to believe it was an unexpected closure as I can’t believe the museum would close when Tampa was so busy for the holidays and a lot of people out and about after Christmas day.

There were a dozen other visitors also on the porch and peering into the windows to see if anyone was there or maybe opening later than usual. But alas no.

We noticed a piece of board placed over a small sign at the entrance noting the closure, but in this age of technology, they need to post ALL their opening and closure days on their website and social media.

I don’t leave a review when I haven’t been to a place, but having gone when I was told it would be open and being shut out is reason enough I feel to voice my disappointment.

Well done museum of the hotel and local history. Enjoyed my time in the museum and walking the grounds.

A fascinating view into the hotel/resort during the turn of the century and the Spanish-American war in which the hotel was HQ for the invasion of Cuba. Great audio self paced tour showing rooms in the hotel with actual furniture/accessories as well as historical exhibits on the war. Great for anyone interested in history or architecture and wants to get a good view of an impressive place in the early 1900s that has been well preserved.

The Henry B Plant museum is located in the University of Tampa's campus. The Building is one of the most interesting in the US with it's spiral towers and giant ballroom. The Building was originally built as the grandest hotel on the west coast of Tampa by railroad magnate Henry Plant. The first hotel in the country to have phones, and it was used as the military central base for operations during the Spanish American war and was the launching center for of the operations in Cuba

The museum is extremely eloquent with furniture, paintings and sculptures. The self guided audio takes you back in time to appreciate the ambience of the hotel. We spent about 90 minutes carefully listening and soaking in the experience.

Just seeing the building is neat. The museum has many exhibits from the time period when this was a large hotel.

With the aid of an audio recorder and reading the written summaries within each room, you will be well informed on how Henry P. Plant influenced the development of this city. It is a self guided tour which can be done within an hour depending on the pace you set yourself. Since its founding in 1933 it certainly has seem its fair share of people touring this museum. For example, one room is set aside on how this once expensive for upper society hotel was used for the Spanish-American war in Cuba at the end of the 1800's. Parking can be limited because this museum is on university property but an attendant on duty will get you on street parking across the street for free. Has different admission prices and gift shop.

Tampa has a rich history and this museum gives you a quick glance at it. The grounds are beautiful offering architectural backdrops for photos!

This museum is a tribute to Henry Plant and his unbelievably beautiful hotel. In an era where the super-rich strove to outdo all others, this man succeeded. The building is magnificent and the artifacts and rooms inside are well worth a visit.

The top site of all those I visited in Tampa. Classic little museum, located in a wing of the old Tampa Bay Hotel. This is a "must see" attraction.

Visit this former hotel for its history, architecture, and stories. Savor the beauty and craftsmanship.

We were blown away by this place. It is a hotel turned museum, Victorian era. Furnishings are kept 'in period'. Room after room, each with attention to detail. At times, actors perform, playing Mr. Plant, as was on the day we were there. This included with admission price. Tour is self-guided, with headphones, also included. Suggest this to be an adult museum, as children may not appreciate and may quickly get bored.

We visited the museum today and found it very interesting. It’s pretty small in relationship to the entire building. It was built as a large hotel around 1890, and is now home to the University of Tampa. They have self guided tours and you can take your time going through. After our tour we found a very nice restaurant within walking distance.

The Plant Hotel played a key role in the development of Tampa. The museum tells a great story but it's a school now and the grandeur of the Hotel is missing.

Walking into the museum you are taken back to 1891. This is a self tour where you use a device voices the history of each and every room. Well worth visiting.

Great place to learn about early Tampa and to see the rooms from the early years of the Tampa Hotel. Beautiful at Christmas time. Great little gift shop with unique items for sale. Being in the main building that is now The University of Tampa allows visitors to look around the beautiful campus grounds.

My wife and I visited the Plant Museum on a Sunday afternoon. The museum was not busy at all which allowed us to enjoy the experience without feeling crowded or rushed. The museum showcases the history of the Tampa Bay Hotel which operated during the Gilded Age. Many of the rooms have the original furnishings and carpets. It was a very nice museum. We learned a lot and had a great time!

Military get in free in the summer. They give everyone an audio-tour with your admission, which if you listen to all 31 stations will take about 2 hours. Lots of stuff to see, but it is literally one hall and the rooms off that hall. So if you just look at the stuff and read the signs (but don’t listen), I think people will think it is not a good deal. Listen to the tour - it is well done!

Nice collection of vintage items and history of them and the building in which they are housed. Not really a big tourist draw, however.

I've lived near Tampa since 2000 and had no idea this place was here and had no idea who Henry B. Plant was! This was a fascinating tour and I really enjoyed learning what part Henry played in putting Florida here!

I highly recommend this tour if you enjoy learning history!

This is a blue diamond location. It's always fun for me to visit either alone or with out of town guests, because of the location and the history asociated with the Tampa Bay Hotel built by Henry Plant. You can be transported back in time so easily here! It's close to down town, the River Walk and great restaurants. It also has an interesting gift shop!

Old Victorian style museum with lots of things to discover rights at the university of Tampa - Very unique architecture

Henry Plant was the 19th century tycoon who opened up central and south Florida to the railroad in the 1890's. To attract the moneyed elite of New York and elsewhere on the Atlantic seaboard, he also built a string of incredibly extravagant hotels where travelers could stay. Only two hotels have survived. The one in Tampa was built in flamboyant Victorian style, complete with onion-domed towers that are now an iconic part of the Tampa skyline. Today Plant's hotel houses the administration of the University of Tampa, but several rooms on the ground floor have been dedicated for this interesting museum. Exhibits and a good audio guide tell Plant's story and offer a wide-ranging sample from the 40 rail cars of furniture and art objects he brought back from Europe to furnish the hotel. All together, the Plant Museum offers a fascinating and often surprising look at how America's Gilded Age touched what had previously been a sleepy Florida backwater. Highly recommended for anyone interested in American history!

The former hotel is filled with information and Victorian decor. You get an audio guide along with your admission which is highly informative. There is also a 14 minute video of the history of the hotel. The 40 plus eating and serving utensils were impressive as was the keyhole Design found in many plaçes. The porch was a great place to sit and enjoy the view. There a nice park across the street. The gift shop was beautiful and had several informative books about Florida and the area.

Nifty place to stroll and learn about Henry Plant , the railroad, Tampa and the time of the 19th and 20th century. Beautiful grounds, splendid restoration of the hotel and excellent upkeep and selection of items from the that period of time. There is an amazing amount of history here, you could spend an hour browsing or a day or two reading and taking in every aspect of the hotel, Plant's life, the railroad and the attached educational center.

This is a lovely place to visit with easy parking. They do not have an actual guide but you can scan a QR code and download/listen on your phone. The antiques are very nice, a few rooms seemed as though the items had been thrown into them. the building also functions as an academic building and I was really amazed that the gorgeous staircases and carpet are in such great shqpe!

This museum brings the life of Henry B Plant to people that want to know more about the early history of Tampa Bay. Very well done.

it is a beautiful building in downtown Tampa, but the contents in the museum seems to less organized. you can use audio guide but still not easy to navigate

This museum offers a glimpse at the gilded age of grand hotels and the railroad barons who built them.The museum displays many of the artifacts and gives visitors the feel of what it was like to travel to Florida back before the turn of the century. It displays many of the art pieces that Mr. Plant lavished on the hotel, sparing no expense to give his guests a unique experience. The museum does an excellent job in its presentation and should not be missed.

We came here for family day and it was amazing. My kids loved learning some history about their hometown and seeing the beautiful Christmas decorations. They had horse and carriage rides for $7 a head and many family activities on the veranda. They even had old typewriters for kids to write Santa their letter and they put their address for Santa to respond back. It was simply beautiful and an experience we will be enjoying again next year.

We visited around Christmas and it was gorgeously decorated not only with period antiques but also for the holidays. It was neat to tour through the museum and learn about the areas' past history. The museum has the neatest gift shop to be sure and visit as well. A visit to the museum, the surrounding grounds and walk along the river is a great way to spent 2-3 hours.

It's on the campus of the University of Tampa and there is plenty of parking. It used to be a hotel and has a lot of history to it. If you are interested in the history of Florida, don't miss it. You walk through a series of rooms off of the hotel corridor. Each room is a treat. A quiet way to spend an hour or so.
Not much to do in the immediate area, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars.

The Victoria Stroll looking at al the decorated Christmas trees is great family fun!!! And they have the BEST GIFT SHOP FOR FINDING GIFTS any time of the year!!!!

One of the highlights of a visit to Tampa. The Henry B. Plant Museum tells the story of Henry Plant, the railway magnate and of the Tampa Bay Hotel which he built between 1888 and 1891 at an astonishing cost of 3 million dollars, designed in a unique revivalist style combining Russian and Moorish architecture. Plant and his wife searched Europe for art, furniture, china, silver, bronzes and other artefacts which were shipped over to Florida to decorate and furnish his hotel.

The fascinating museum occupies one floor of the original hotel, now the centrepiece of the University of Tampa. Today, showing original rooms and some of the many items which were brought from Europe plus, currently, an exhibition on graceful and elegant dining in the hotel, with china, cutlery, silverware, photographs and menus

The museum has displays showing the different phases of the hotel's life, including a link with Cuba as, during the Spanish–American War, the United States military used the hotel as a base of operations and President Roosevelt has a suite. Other guests included Sarah Bernhardt, the Prince of Wales, Winston Churchill, Ignacy Paderewski and Babe Ruth.

One of the highlights of a visit to Tampa and well worth seeing.

First of all, I love the campus of UT!! We toured the Plant Museum as it is attached to the main hall of the university. You have to scan the Q code on the phone for an automated tour. It was neat! Learned more about the history of tampa and the university, which used to be a hotel, by the way :-)

. The place is well maintained. This was a Hotel of the last century. It is fascinating to see how you were the rooms and the decoration of that time.

The University of Tampa is in the Museum. The people are very nice around this part of Florida which is hard to find. Beautiful historic building.

I drove by and had to stop. The architecture catches the eye. It is part of the university of Tampa so parking is not easy but it is worth the stop. It was part of a beautiful hotel and the history of HB Plant, his hotel and railroad is interesting. Pictures of famous actors, presidents and generals grace the walls. It would be nice to experience a hotel like this again. Of course I could never have afforded it. The gift shop has some wonderful items and after the museum you can enjoy the veranda or walk on the river walk. a must place for a Tampa city visit.

Good videos and self guided tour. Loads of articles to see but rather crammed in some of the rooms. I spent about an hour here and it was fascinating to see how the very wealthy spent their money in that era.

I visit this place on museum day. I love vintage furniture, the history of this place was very interesting. I’m so glad I went.

I took a drive to the Henry Plant Museum in Tampa. What a wonderful experience! It is now owned by the University of Tampa and they have basically left the old hotel as it was in the late 1800's. Furniture & antiques galore with beautiful fixtures, and a history to match. I would highly recommend this place. For lunch, try the Oxford Exchange across the street. Just don't go at lunch time during the week, very crowded.

The museum is part of the ground floor of the grand hotel that railroad and steamship magnate Henry Plant built in Tampa in the 1890's. Exhibits are well-done. They give you a good sense of the local history and the experience that wealthy guests had when they came down for the winter at this establishment. Definitely worth the time for a visit if you're in the area.

This is a self guided museum.
I highly recommend it for those looking for something special to do in the winter or simply as one more thing in Tampa. This site is not overly busy with tourists and the guides could not be kinder. It’s really a marvel inside and so close to the River Walk.

One of the less well known sites in tampa but well worth the visit particularly if you're interested in american history, architecture, and/or period furniture and art. the museum is housed in a hotel built by henry plant in the late 19th cent as he expanded his railroad empire down the west coast of Fla. It was the epitome of luxury and amenities at the time, all well documented and explained. It's design is very unique and has been well preserved as it is now owned by the city of Tampa and houses the Univ. of Tampa. It also played an important role in US history as it was the staging area for the US army during the Spanish-American war. Take the audio tour which is excellent.

As soon as we got off our plane in Tampa, we headed over to the Henry B. Plant Museum and we were not disappointed. This is a self-guided tour with an audio guide that comes with the admission price. We liked that it was self guided because we could spend as much time as we wanted in each room and, if we wanted, to listen to the description again. It's wonderful that this fabulous building has stood the test of time. After our museum visit we wandered thru the part of the college that was originally part of the hotel and is open to the public. There are some wonderful rooms and artwork in that area, too, that one shouldn't miss. We love history and the Victorian era so we spent hours there. They also have a lovely museum store to visit and the grounds around the museum are quite pretty. We would definitely go back there if we are ever in Tampa again. The only downside is that there is limited museum parking; we were able to find parking on the street not too far from the museum.

My husband and I made our first visit here five years ago. We brought our daughter and grandchildren and found it was worth a second visit. There is so much to see and hear that I'm sure you could visit many times and still keep learning. You can learn about the history of Tampa, the Spanish American War, and architecture and many other things. This time it was nice to see our grandchildren enjoying all this museum has to offer. Be sure to listen to the audio guides, as they add so much information.

This is a must see around Christmas time. The rooms are decorated in Victorian style Christmas. A fun place to visit any time of the year.

Part of this building that once was a hotel has been preserved, and is a lovely opportunity to see how the rich holidayed. At only $10 entrance, the visit was well worth it, we used the audio guide to talk us through the rooms. The actual museum isn’t huge, but you are able to walk around much of the rest of the building as well, which is also impression.

This museum with the downloadable tour was totally awesome in my humble opinion. The structure of the buildings is amazing. It is not a large museum, but we also walked through several areas of the Tampa University campus which was initially all part of the original 1800's structure.

I cannot say enough about how beautiful this location is!! Please be sure to stop by and scan your phone to complete the tour. You will learn so much about the location, the beautiful former hotel, and the town of Tampa.

Step back in time to get a glimpse into Tampa's history. Lovely self guided tour. It doesn't take too long so a good visit when you have a couple of hours.

Great museum with audio guide included in admission to multiple rooms. Narration by various people giving good explanation of the items in the rooms and history of the building. Worthwhile.

Get lost in history while listening to the audio tour of this amazing museum (audio tours are also in Spanish) and the staff provided a wheelchair for our senior mom. We traveled through time visiting the 18 different rooms made available with loads of memoribilia to wow over. Definitely worth visit.

I enjoyed my visit here. It’s very tranquil, a blast from the past. The building itself is fantastic. My favorite part was sitting on the veranda in front of the hotel in rocking chairs. Very peaceful. I’m so thankful they preserved this piece of history.
Best to start off with the 15 minute or so video that explains the history of the hotel, what Tampa was like in the old days. The preserved rooms are interesting and worth seeing.

RECOMMENDED

Tampa Bay Hotel built in 1891 is the home of the Henry B. Plant Museum. The Victorian era railroad resort defined the elegant frontier; it is now a National Historic Landmark. Unlike most museums it contains the actual furnishings enjoyed by the guests that came to the Hotel. The Museum displays the opulence of era as well as the vision of steamship and railroad transportation pioneer, Henry B. Plant. Currently also the home of Tampa University. Great insight into our past. A Gem in Tampa.

We loved this museum/ old hotel and were so glad we visited it. It is amazing they have so many of the original decorations at this old hotel. Took you right back to the Gilded Age. The audio tour tour is great, not too long and if you want more details will provide that. We stayed about 1 hour. The hotel is now part of the university of Tampa so one wing is the museum and the other is the school, be sure to go in the school part and see the elevator. This museum is well worth your time!

My husband and I enjoyed learning about Plant and the hotel. The building is quite impressive when you drive up. You can park right on the street across from the entrance or park for free at the Thomas Parking Garage which is about a five minute walk. We spent an hour at the museum and then walked through a section of the University of Tampa which shared the hotel structure. The audio that was free on your phone was well done.

We enjoy the Sunday presentations as well as the Victorian Christmas walk about. We took company and they enjoyed it thoroughly.

I have no idea why the previous reviews groused about this place because we really enjoyed it. First off, it's absolutely amazing that this remarkable building still exists given its history. Secondly, we have been to MANY historic homes all over the country and this entrance fee is by NO MEANS unreasonable. The museum gives a good representation of the place and time it was built and gives visitors a feel for the Victorian era. Visits are self guided with audio wands giving plenty of information for each room. Fans of the time period will very much enjoy the original furnishings and one of a kind oddities that would have been throughout the massive building. Yes the University of Tampa owns and operates the building but you can wander thru the hallways as there are historic photos adorning the walls to give you a feeling of times past. Well worth the time for history buff adults.

This museum was very interesting. I liked the headset with all the descriptions. It makes it easy to take your time and see what you want. It was very informative. I learned a lot. The building is very unique.

When visiting the area we made it a point to see the Plant Museum and were glad we did. Wonderful architecture and great period details and all annotated with wonderful stories. So glad this building has a modern use so that some of it can be preserved as a museum..

I wanted to like this museum. The exterior looked incredible. However, inside the exhibits are a jumble and it's not well-curated. This museum needs about half of the stuff removed (the mishmash of chairs room - you can start there) and better interpretation.
It's worth the $10 just to see some of the Victorian items inside and the building itself, but it's missing polish and modern museum practices.

Built as a millionaires hotel by a shipping and cruise ship owner, you get a history of the development and growth of Tampa from the late 19th century through early 20th. The museum rooms show photos and displays of the people and era. The Christmas displays were all set for the holidays. The rest of the building contain offices and meeting rooms for the university.

Reading about those times and seeing artifacts in person makes for a memorable experience. This place is cool - small, but very well showcased. Lunch time is the best time to visit, not as many visitors.

Was an amazing building and hard to believe was built all those years ago. It’s great that some of the interior has been retained in its original form.
The audio tour guide supplied gave so much information. Was money well spent and very reasonable price too.
A must see place if you’re in the area.

We liked the Plant Museum, and I adore museum gift shops like this one, but took away a star because the parking was almost non-existent. There were maybe six spaces outside, filled, and we begged a local merchant to let us park in his parking lot for a few hours. Then we rushed through the museum because we weren't in official parking. Christmas is supposed to be absolutely love at the Plant Museum but I don't know because I'm not going; I can't face the parking situation!

Excellent history of some of the aspects of Tampa. It is well-organized and informative. I recommend a visit.

I decided to wander through this museum while I had some free time from a conference, and I was glad I did so! This museum is a National Historic Landmark and still has all of the actual furnishings from when this museum was a functional hotel, and it was a great way to get a glimpse into the hotel business from a century ago. I loved the exhibit about musical instruments, as well as the gardens and the writing room. The hotel mainly served elite guests, and the furnishings and overall ambiance really reflect that upper-echelon world. It's the type of building that you'd expect to see in Newport, but is also a great and living testament to Florida's history.

Take a look at life in the past in the life of Henry Plant, railroad magnate. His hotel is now part of the University of Tampa with a portion serving as the museum showing his influence in the development of the city of Tampa.

Worth a visit if you have a couple hours and don’t mind hassling a little for parking. We got lucky and were able to park at one of just a handful of free parking spaces across the street .

My wife visited the museum around noon Thur. Aug. 10th
The architecture of the old Plant Hotel is really great.
The displays and artifacts are well documented via
a hand held electronic device. Although the Hotel was
built in the 1800s the museum is well air conditioned so it
is a great place to visit on a hot humid Florida afternoon
Give it try you will like it.

If you love History then head over this site of the former Tampa Bay Hotel. The museum is great to see and look back in time of how people traveled and vacationed. Located on the Tampa University Campus.

The Plant Museum shows how Tampa became a city. It also has a very good display of the Spanish American war.

We enjoyed touring the Plant museum from the late 1800s. The building is quite large while the museum is a small part of it. There is a short film you can watch that is interesting. The grounds are worth a stroll as well. I spent a lot of time in Tampa and never knew quite what the build was.

Very nice building, 1 hr tour. First floor open for public. Free parking. Lot of 100 years old stuff .

Worth a hour or two to get a glimpse into the past opulence of the 1900's tie period. They have a lot of the old furnishings and the history of it all. Parking is free in front of and behind the building.

Small but jam packed with interesting artifacts of the Tampa Bay Hotel and Henry B. Plant. So much awesome history on the contributions of Plant to the building of the city of Tampa. Well worth the $8 pp admission ($10 pp without coupon), and free parking as well. Highly recommend!

A beautiful hotel that is now an interesting museum. The architecture of the building is magnificent! After touring the museum, be sure to walk around the grounds and visit the dining hall.

For anyone who loves history and especially about Tampa this is the place to go. Think about going back in the past and visiting a luxury hotel that opened in 1891. Let your mind wander.. About 95% of the item displayed are original to the hotel, not reproductions. It is must see for anyone visiting Tampa.

Travel back to a time when Tampa was just being discovered. A must see during the Christmas holidays.

Very interesting reproduction of a historical hotel filled with actual items from it. It isn't very big but there is an audio tour included. Note that this is part of the University of Tampa and you can park right across from the museum

We had noticed the structure of the Plant Museum while visiting downtown Tampa, but we did not know what it was and is until we read a description in a guidebook. The Plant museum is a former hotel, and the architecture is quite amazing. The museum is now located on one side of the building, with the University of Tampa on the other side. The collections within the museum are quite amazing, showing life in a Victorian luxury hotel. Many of these hotels have burned down - so few survived, We especially liked the collection of garden seats, one of the original corner bedroom suites, and the old bathrooms. The museum also tells the story of Henry Plant and his dreams of bringing a luxury destination to Tampa. The museum, and the university have numerous old photographs of the hotel in its hey-day. The museum has a good gift shop.

A enjoyable museum into the former Tampa hotel, lots of exhibits with an on line audio to listen to as you go around

We were in Tampa on a Monday when many of the museums are closed. We stumbled upon this museum because it’s housed in the beautiful old Tampa Hotel, now the University of Tampa. The outside structure is magnificent.

The museum is in a small section of the ground floor of the old hotel. At Christmas every room is decorated for the holidays in the Victorian style. There is a very informative audioguide that tells about the rooms and the history of the period. We learned a lot about the Spanish American War, as soldiers were housed in the hotel.
There are good exhibits on sports at the turn of the century. Babe Ruth visited during spring training.

For $16 per adult, we felt this was well worth the admission price.

The museum is open on Mondays during the holidays, despite some of the internet sites saying they are not. This may not be great for kids, but for adults it is wonderful.

Quick visit due to the free Smithsonian ticket. Free parking in the garage in the back. Limited parking up front.

Very nice and relative small museum with some great information and displays.
The short 10-minute video presentation is a must see. (sit close to the tv as the volume is not that high)

There are many worthwhile objects to look at and to take in the grandeur of past time.

Total time to spend here is about 1 hour. NIce grounds to walk around and across the bridge is the Tampa downtown river walk.

Henry B Plant Museum is an interesting Museum that used to be a hotel built by the guy who made the railroads in Tampa. Worth Checking out.

Henry B. Plant attracted the powerful, rich and famous to Tampa as a tourist destination by building a spectacular, luxurious hotel with exotic flair. It belongs to the University of Tampa now but part of it is a museum to give people a sense of what it was like when it was in operation. It felt like stepping back in time. The hotel was furnished with 41 train car loads of furnishings and art purchased in Europe. No expense was spared. A free recorded tour is provided and admission is very reasonable. It is well worth a visit!

I must come clean and tell that I taught in the adjoining building for many years! If you're coming into town to see historic Tampa, this is one of the places you'll want to see. Heck, my students were paying in the $30K range per year a decade ago, so go and see the Tampa Hotel for a lot less! It's a beautiful old building that they are always maintaining and working on! I'm grateful it's all still there in it's former splendor! Henry B. Plant and Henry B. Flagler were two rail tycoons who HATED one another and had to outdo each other constantly! Hence the University of Tampa and Flagler University in St. Augustine. No trip to find the historical roots of Florida would be complete without visiting both of these "Sister" schools. I know I'm making both Henry Bs spin in their respective resting places, but they are rather similar to one another! If you go here, there are many great places to eat afterwards over on Platt. You want to check out the only Thatched Pub in North America, Four Green Fields, and also check out NOLA, a newer coffee and beignets place, based upon New Orleans cuisine and culture. Lots of little boutiques and fun places to see. The campus is just great and the area around it is also quite nice. I'm sometimes wrong about this area, but I think it's Hyde Park and SoHo (South Howard) all rolled into one. Bayshore, where one may walk along the Tampa Bay and see the most lovely sunsets, is close by as well.

Interesting museum that started as a hotel more than 100 years ago.
Self guided tour of the first floor gives a view of the Luxurious Life of travel to Florida for the rich and famous more than 100 years ago

we had an hour or two to kill before we went to the airport. this place looked interesting so we tried it. our only regret was that we did not make it the day before so we could have spent more time. granted, there is nothing old in tampa/ st. pete but this is about as good as you can get if you like tours of big old homes, mansions or buildings. plant's idea of a giant resort is a great example of the gilded age's oppulance and over indulgence of the wealthy. really liked the fact that half of this enormous building (pictures don't do it justice) is used as classrooms and offices by the university of tampa. the archetecture is incredible.

It is a small museum but worth visiting. The hand-held audio makes the tour insightful to know how it was back then.

This was a very interesting museum. You see what the hotel rooms looked like and there are many artifacts from the period. The downloaded audio tour was very informative. It's a good look at the history of the hotel and how the hotel and railway helped put Tampa on the map.

We experienced the museum during family weekend at the university. We used the audio tour with our cell phones and found it very helpful. We were introduced to the history of Henry Plant, society and social classes, along with the development of Tampa. The museum has done a wonderful job restoring the first floor wing of Plant hall to represent what the hotel looked like so many years ago. We would actually go back again because it was so educational and interesting.

This was a very nice museum to visit. They offer a free audio tour with entry and it was very informative. The items in the museum as all original and in such good condition. We would surely return.
It was also nice to walk to the water and see the school.

This National Historic Landmark used to be the first hotel in Tampa. Everything about it spells luxury. The museum occupies only a small part of this phenomenal building, the rest are Univ. of Florida offices. The self guided audio tour is very interesting, all artifacts are spectacular, very well preserved and presented. We spent a good hour walking around and listening to the audio. The building itself is architecturally very unique. Well worth the effort of going.

This small museum is housed in the extremely well preserved hotel built by Henry Plant at the turn of the 20th century. There is a short and informative fillm on the history of the hotel, as well as some of the history of the development of Tampa. The audio tour is thorough and takes you through rooms of the hotel, some simply set up as they would have been when the hotel was in operation, and some giving further history (i.e. a brief history of the brief Spanish-American War). The University of Tampa uses the rest of the building and it is well worth walking next door to see the lobby and to walk around on the verandas. A small museum, but worth the detour, if only to see the building itself, which is unique in its uses of minarets and other Moorish elements while the interior is a very good example of late Victorian luxury.

Very nice little museum, beautiful gardens, nice self-guided tour and insight into the life of the wealthy at the turn of the last century- a wonderful piece of Florida history- and, coming from St Augustine, we appreciate the history of our state.

Looking for a museum that was not too expensive, centrally located and found this gem. We visited on a Wed. morning and were able to park right in front of it, no charge. (Possibly because it is part of the Univ. of Tampa and school was out.) They had a sr. citizen fee and this came with audio devices. A very informative, relaxing experience. Displays were very well set up. Had a short video introduction to the history and strolled from room to room at our leisure. Spend as much or as little time exploring as you want. A remnant of The Gilded Age tucked away in Tampa....Wonderful!

Huge piece of Tampa history! Self guided tour was great, and very informational. Would visit again when in Tampa area. Great architecture and period furnishings to see and eplore

If you like history and antiques you will definitely enjoy this stop. We are all planning to back because there was so much to see.

The museum is a hidden gem in Tampa. The University of Tampa is a gorgeous campus that I suggest driving or walking around to see. The building is quite beautiful itself and it contains a ton of cool things inside. It is very informative and well put together.

I was very excited to visit this museum while planning my vacation to Tampa. Sadly, it wasn't what I expected. To begin with, it took us quite a while to find a parking spot. Then, we had trouble finding the entrance, which is located on the furthest left of the entire building. Since the old hotel is now a university, only a small part of the building is used for the museum. On the plus side, it was nice looking at all the historical artifacts that are over 100 years old. They have all sorts of things on display.. silver ware, old menus, fishing poles, a bed... the list goes on! I wish they would extend the museum to the second floor. I was so tempted to see what it looked like upstairs, but they have that area closed off. Overall, it was okay, but probably won't visit again.

Decorated beautifully at a Christmas, with cider and cookies on the patio. Be sure to get the audio tour which adds so much background. I take someone with me almost each year to experience a walk into history for a little while.

Took our homeschool group here last year for the first time. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. The museum itself is jam packed and at time it feels like maybe it's an afterthought. The college campus is in the same building as the museum so it's a little confusing to park and walk around. But despite all that, we enjoyed our day and learned a great deal about the early days of our city.

Although this stately building is now a classroom building on the campus of University of Tampa, part of it remains as it was when it was a grand hotel. This is the museum part. From to the furniture, to the linens, to the tableware, and to the wall coverings, the museum presents the luxury of the hotel along with its history including some dignitaries who stayed there.

Looking for attractions in Tampa on Tripadvisor and the Henry B Plant was recommended and we were not disappointed. Henry B Plant was a self made millionaire who built the first luxury hotel and resort in Tampa, Fl. The museum is located on the first floor of the original magnificent Plant hotel (now a part of the University of Tampa) and gives an insight into one of the first Florida resorts for the rich and famous. There are 20+ rooms designed to give you a view of how the guests, many who were famous, lived and dined. Information on the staff is also given so one can a full picture of how the hotel/resort operated. The tour takes about 45 - 60 minutes so one is not over whelmed with historical facts. Recommend you start with the short video on Henry Plant before viewing all of the rooms. It was also interesting to see how this huge resort dissipated over the past 100 years into what is now the University of Tampa and commercial center. Everyone enjoyed the museum. One caveat about the parking. There are only 10 free parking spaces in the front of the building so parking is very limited. However, free parking is offered in the University parking garage which the parking attendant will give you directions to and then you can either walk or take a shuttle back to the museum.

Museum has a Christmas themed display during the holiday and currently has a great Gasparilla exhibit in celebration of this annual Tampa event held at the end of January. Rotating exhibits complement the fixed collection which gives a glimpse into the life of the wealthy at the turn of the century when this former hotel was at its heyday. The rest of the buliding is a working campus for the University of Tampa, offering access to the upper floors which have been converted to classroom and faculty office space. The building exterior and grounds of this 120 year old structure are well maintained. The adjoining park fronts on the Hillsborough River with an up close view of downtown Tampa. Cross the river on foot at one of the two nearby bridges and take the riverwalk pathway which leads past the Convention Center, Amalie Arena (home of the NHL Lightning), and several hotels as well as a playground and dog park. Makes for a relaxing and fun day.

An interesting and colorful Museum with it's outside Moorish design and simply beautiful to step back in time and visit how this once elegant Hotel of Tampa has been preserved. The history of the hotel when the train stopped in front of the Hotel to allow passengers to disembark and to register at this magnificent Hotel, The wide verandas with the vision of many rocking chairs and ladies in long bustle type dresses, and the gentlemen in Top Hats and vested suits also enjoying the sure luxury. Also, the history of Teddy Roosevelt's visit who was a Rough Rider. This is a place not to be missed when visiting Tampa.

07 December, 2008.
I was in Tampa, Florida for a conference, on an official visit,
and stayed at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk hotel from 06-12
December, 2008. When I had arrived in the evening of 06 December,
I had enquired about places of interest close to the hotel,
preferably within walking distance. I was told about the Plant Museum.
My initial thoughts of this being a botanical museum were
somewhat revised when I was told that this was an old hotel
converted to a museum. The museum is located on the University of
Tampa campus, close to the Hillsborough river. IT has an
interesting architecture: a reference to the bygone era, when the
hotel was a star attraction, with its well-laid out balconies and
comfortable chairs. The place has been preserved almost to that
era, and one feels almost caught up in a time-warp when visiting
the museum.

Though this museum is small you can spend a few hours here if you take the time to read the excellent documentation on how this magnificent building came about and how it was used. It would have been nice to be able to go upstairs (where the students have classes now) just to see one or two more sample rooms. But each room had lots of items to see and read about and the hallway was crammed with artifacts. There's a nice little gift shop too. For us it was a perfect place to kill an hour or so between other events going on in Tampa. We also were lucky enough to get one of the very few parking spots out front of the museum......free but you had to go inside to get a pass to put on the car.

I didn't go into the museum, only checked the building out.

This is a beautiful building, which has been the main complex of the University of Tampa since 1933.

Henry B. Plant (1819-99), a businessman mainly involved with railroads, commissioned this Moorish complex, spent $3 million, and it opened in 1891.

It was the headquarters for troops going to Cuba during the Spanish-American War (1898), and Colonel Theodore Roosevelt stayed here.

It’s interesting to see what people do with more money than they know what to do with. Henry B. Plant built this oddly out of place hotel and filled it with eclectic furniture and decorations from around the world. The cost was about $2,500,000 to build and $500,000 to furnish. The building is now a national historic landmark and well worth the visit.

There is a 10-minute film that explains Henry B. Plant’s life and what was going on in that time period that helps explain what you will see in the museum. Guests are given handheld gadgets for a self-guided audio tour for you to hear more or less about the items at your own pace.

Despite the large building being a quarter of a mile long, the museum is in a tiny space. Nonetheless, this museum has an impressive amount of antiquities on display. We spent more than an hour wandering through the rooms. Items on display are bunched up in a room easy to be seen but overwhelming with the volume of items in each room. The audio tells you anything you would need to know about the items; no reading is necessary. I’ve seen enough vintage furniture in my life, I was excited to see other interesting things in the museum like old books, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt room, a binder full of handwritten letters home from a soldier, train tickets, the writing room, the first elevator ever installed in Florida, etc. The architecture is also truly magnificent. You really get a sense of life in that day.

There are only a handful of free parallel parking spaces in front of the museum otherwise Thomas Parking Garage is a free parking garage 5-minute walk away. The building is shared with the Tampa University so it's a little confusing to find the museum part.

The museum is closed on Monday’s.

If taking pictures of the building outside, try taking a panoramic photo on your cell, it turns out really neat.

We really enjoyed this museum and will be back during December for the annual Victorian Christmas Stroll in which they play music, decorate the museum with trees, lights, antique toys, and fancy ornaments for a look at Christmas past.

I visited when the house is decorated for the season. Each room was well done in a different theme. The docents were friendly and informative. Or you could buy the headset and take the tour yourself. Afterwards, it was nice to relax, in a rocker, on the front porch and sip tea and cakes. Going during the week is less crowded.

The museum is a very interesting way to spend an afternoon. Whether you're new to Tampa or have lived here a long time, the history of the area is fascinating to learn. The original furnishings and art work are on display. Self paced audio tour makes it enjoyable to explore the early beginnings of the region and the Tampa Bay Hotel.

Beautifully decorated rooms in the traditional Southern Christmas--1800 era theme. Then hot chocolate on the porch.

Went to see the Christmas Trees on December 9th and I really enjoyed this part of it. The Christmas tree reflected the time period that the Museum was a hotel, I believe. I loved the different variety of trees and the history of the museum.
The history DVD was very interesting.

The only complaint that I have was that it was stated that cookies and apple cider will be provided and the cup of apple cider wasn't even 1/2 cup and we only got one cookie. I guess when I saw cookies, I thought we would get 2 or 3 small cookies.

Henry Plant was to West Florida what Henry Flagler was to east Florida and the keys.
Plant developed hotels and railroad travel in the Tampa and West Florida region.
The Tampa Bay Hotel was a phenomenal feat that put this part of Florida on the map.
Currently you can visit the museum and learn about Plant and his impact. The building is now part of the University of Tampa and holds many beautiful artifacts from an earlier time.
Parking was not a problem today, we found a free space. Admission to the museum is $10 adult; $7 seniors.

We recently visited the Plant Museum when it was decorated in all of its Christmas finery. The rooms had beautiful decor as well as hidden toy mice which were fun to try to locate. A Barbershop Quartet performed Christmas selections as we toured the rooms of the museum. At the end of our visit we were even provided with a little cookie and some cider! We enjoyed our Christmas tour.

Hidden little Gem. Most are not aware of Henry B. Plant Museum or the History of U.T. If you are every looking for something to do, check out the Museum and the Beautiful UT Campus / grounds. Need something to eat, Oxford exchange is located on the other side of Kennedy from UT.

Really glad to have the audio tour download on my phone.Much interesting information.So glad this gem has been preserved. A grand addition to a Tampa visit.

Very well done, but somewhat compressed in a small area in a very large building. I assumed incorrectly that the tour included multiple floors of the building that it is currently housed in. Although the actual building in its entirety was a former historic landmark and operated as one building, the museum itself is in one end of that particular building. Again, there is a lot of rich history and some very good information that is curated very well. But you will stay in just one part of the building to view everything while the rest of the building you are free to roam and had some good photo ops too.

Great place to visit on a great campus. This was almost lost 80-90 years ago but was preserved by the good people of Tampa and those who started the University of Tampa!

Enjoyed touring this museum. The artifacts were interesting. The self tour was easy to follow. Volunteers were very helpful with questions.

Decided to visit the Museum during our visit to Tampa a few weeks back.
We visited on a weekday, so it wasn’t crowded at all, not sure how it would be on weekends.
It has entrance fee of $12 but they do offer discounts for students and children.
The museum itself is incredibly small, only the 1st floor is open to visitors and the rest of the hotel blocked off.
They have an audio tour which is great if you have a little more time and you want to dig deep in history. If not, they have a 14-minute film that introduces Henry Plant and his vision for the development of Tampa and the magnificent Tampa Bay Hotel.

The admission price is not entirely justified. For one it is a pretty small museum. And they can do better at staging the rooms.
The hallway is well decorated and so are some of the rooms, but the rest of the rooms were just stuffed with cultural artifacts rom that era or similar to that era. Felt more like a storage or attic room.
3.5 stars visit. It is worth your time if you have never been, but could use improvement as well.

Part of the university's campus now, the former Tampa Bay Hotel that is not the Henri B Plant Museum must have been quite something back in it's hay-day. Quirky exhibits, and lots of interesting objects and art work from the former hotel. Worth going to see!

Built after the Civil War and before the turn of the century the Tampa Hotel was a winter retreat for wealthy Northerners who traveled by train to Florida on rails built by Henry Flagler and Henry Plant.

Today the hotel is an icon in Tampa and houses the administrative offices of the University of Tampa along with the museum. The audio tour gives one the history of Tampa, the hotel and it's service through the years to include a marshaling area to support troops deploying the the Spanish American War.

The hotel has been well maintained and well worth time time to visit.

This museum is worth a visit just to see the building. Inside, the displays provide an informative and interesting picture of what the Tampa Bay Hotel was like in its heyday. The audio tour is good as well. Tip: Arrive early. There is convenient parking right out front and it's nearly empty around opening time but fills up later.

A beautiful site to experience! You will find the museum in the south wing of Plant Hall on the University of Tamps's campus. The museum was once a hotel in 1891and is opem to the public for a fee every day except on Monday. If you are lucky enough to be there on First Friday you will get in free! In December you can see wonderfully decorated Christmas trees from all around the world. There are self guided tours as well as guided tours. Whether ou are a history buff or not the formally Tampa Bay Hotel is an experience you will take home with you.

The Henry B. Plant Museum takes a fascinating and unique step back into the history of the Tampa Bay area. Located in the south wing of Plant Hall at 401 West Kennedy Boulevard on the University of Tampa campus, the museum is housed in what was formerly known as the Tampa Bay Hotel, which was a 511-room resort hotel opened in 1891 by Henry B. Plant near the terminus of his rail line. It was one of eight luxury hotels that Plant, a railroad magnate, built to anchor his rail line. The hotel closed in 1930 as the Great Depression severely curtailed tourism. That's what the hotel is all about. Its exhibits focus on Gilded Age tourism, the elite lifestyle of the hotel's guests and the building's use as an invasion headquarters for the Spanish-American War. The entire building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Plant Hall covers six acres, is a quarter-mile long and was equipped with the first elevator ever installed in Florida. It still is working today, making it one of the oldest continually operational elevators in the nation. The 511 rooms and suites were the first in Florida to have electric lights and telephones and most rooms also included private bathrooms. Built in a Moorish Revival architectural theme, the hotel had six minarets, four cupolas and three domes. Colonel Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders stayed at the hotel. Other visitors of note during the hotel's heyday were Sarah Bernhardt, Clara Barton, Winston Churchill and Babe Ruth. In fact, Ruth signed his first baseball contract in the Grand Dining Room. The entire south wing is dedicated to preserving the glory days of the hotel. Various rooms display authentic artifacts, many of which were purchased by Henry B. Plant on European shopping trips. Guided tours and a self-guided tour that starts with a video entitled "The Tampa Bay Hotel: Florida's First Magic Kingdom" showcase a life of leisure in old Florida.

Part of the University of Tampa now, I learned a lot of Florida history. Several rooms of the musuem are unchanged from the hotel days.

Beautiful building on campus of University of Tampa, with large park adjacent. The museum is only in a small portion on building, which focuses on Guilded Age resort life. It is worth the $10, but you can also walk around public portions of building I'd you are more interested in architecture. You can run through museum in a half hour, but you'll want at least an hour to do audio tour and read all exhibits. Isn't really set up as the hotel would have been, but still nice.

We had a great time learning the history of Plant and his railroads. The house was decorated for Christmas and it was absolutely fabulous.

This perfectly preserved museum inside the University of Tampa’s admin building provided a focused tale of the American Gilded Age. The commentaries, video and furnishings successfully transport you to Tampa’s heyday as an exotic tourist Mecca for the rich and famous. I am glad that a small part of Henry Plant’s visión and life is still available to enjoy today.

Fun day trip with lots of history. Great way to learn about the development of the Tampa area. Kids might get bored but adults will enjoy every aspect of this museum.

I knew I would enjoy seeing this exquisite building, but I had no idea that I would enjoy my time in the museum as much as I did. A wing of the old resort building has been set aside as a museum not only for the history of the hotel itself, but for the development of early Tampa, as well. It is well organized and well curated. Don’t skip the audio guide. Frequently these guides are academic and way too long. Not here. They are brief, charming, and sometimes amusing insights into life in that era.
Just walking through the period rooms is like visiting the past. And who wouldn’t want to visit the 1890s for a few hours? It’s intensely relaxing.

While you are there, you can also walk through other parts of the building, which are now the University of Florida. They will add to your appreciation of this wonderful old building. Kudos to the city of Tampa that they preserved it and honored it over the years. It’s these quirky old architectural wonders that make each city unique.

It is located on the river, very close to other museums and restaurants. You can also stroll the Riverwalk and take the river boat from this location. Don’t miss it.

My husband and I were in town for only one day and the museum was recommended. We loved seeing the artifacts and learning a bit about Tampa’s history, and Plant’s contributions to its growth. Beautiful collection and architecture.

Nice audio tour of a section of the Tampa hotel located in the college. Beautiful restored rooms and furniture from the Gilded Age.

A Portion of the mansion's rooms were decorated for Christmas. It was so special from the menus that were served when it was a hotel to the children's room with the antique toys from the era. It is a part of the Univerity campus so you were able to see the main foyer with life size bronze statues. My husband and I sat in rocking chairs on the immense porch after the tour. We were offered cookies and cider by the docents. Very nice experience into the past and hearing about Henry Planrt the railroad and steamship tycoon that helped shape our country,

I got a Groupon thought it would be a nice day. It turned out to be a very nice museum. We got there in time for the guided tour, which was very informative. Then we listened to a character presentation of what it was like when the museum was a hotel. We were able to walk around on a self guided tour also. If you love architecture and looking at and hearing about days gone by then you’ll like this museum. The staff were very nice too.

Wow! You are in for a surprise. This museum is on the campus of the University of Tampa. Bring your iPhone and earbuds so you can take the audio tour, which is included with the price of admission. Highly recommend. Due to Covid, no Canadians or Europeans. We had the place practically to ourselves. Check out the Edison lightbulbs. Oh, and bring and wear your mask.

A magnificent piece of history , the museum is designed to visit easily without being overwhelming . What a campus !

This museum of the former Tampa Bay Hotel is really interesting and well put together. The self guided audio tour provides an excellent amount of information and allows for you to move at your own pace. There is lots of space to move around and tons of pieces to look at and learn about.

Ten dollars each is too much to tour half of one hallway only on the first floor. One room had vases scattered around, another had a small table. One had a settee and a few other items. Most items were displayed in the hallway. We expected much more and were disappointed with how little of the hotel we could tour.

There is much to enjoy in this exquisite museum. Tampa history is brought to life with the wonderful exhibits. The Spanish-American War memorabilia feature is particularly fascinating. Kudos to the beautiful gift shop - a gem in a Gem!

This museum, now owned by a college, has preserved several rooms as they once were when this was a luxury hotel. There is a wonderfully informative audio tour and many many antiques and historical artifacts. A must if you like history, antiques, or are just looking for a couple hours to fill,

Beautiful museum. Lots to see. Lots of exhibits. Audio tour was great. Lots of historic artifacts and furnishings.

Most Floridians have seen images of the 1891 hotel but a visit will impress you even more. Friendly saff, phone toor available by ap they will help put on your phone. Plant is somewhat eclipsed by Flagler but desrves his place in the son....was called "King of Florida." He spared no expense buildiing and furnishing his hotel. Visited by many of the famous of that era. Much of the origianl or simiar furniture and art work are on display. If you like the Victorian Era, you will love your visit. Our visit will spur us on to learn more about him, era, and the Spanish American War, as well as the city of Tampa.

What a fantastic museum. We live in St Augustine so we know all about Henry Flagler's empire. Fun to learn about Henry Plant on the other Florida coast. Such great artifacts and the audio tour on my phone was a great accompaniment. Limited parking so beware.

Went for a overnight visit to Tampa, decided to stop in. The cost in December was more due to the Christmas decor, the lights do add a nice glow. It didn’t take much time to walk through, the architecture is really beautiful, I always love walking around and thinking of the people who previously stayed there. They have a cute little gift shop and we parked in front of the building which was free.

Haven't been there in years until now and wow it's impressive. Well organized, well presented. Loved the audio tour. It's an American castle right in Tampa. Warning: there's pretty much only 5 parking spots (parallel parking) for the museum. You'll be hiking across busy Kennedy otherwise. Stop by the South side of the museum to see the disappearing seacoast artillery piece (similar to what was out at Egmont Key).

This is a wonderful insight into a frenetic time in Floridian history: The opening up of the state and the excitement of opportunity. The museum recreates a sense of the old hotel, with European artefacts haphazardly scattered about the cloisters and rooms. The building itself is a creative mix of architectural styles and the museum gives an insightful appraisal of the design and history of the iconic building.

A wonderful bit of Tampa history. Originally a hotel built over 100 years ago, now part a museum and the University of Tampa.

If you're interested in Gilded Age architecture, decor, and history, this is the place. Museum provides self-paced audio tour. The museum is only a small part of the building--to see the rest you must go out and enter thru the U of Tampa lobby.

This museum is a great display of Tampa and Florida history. With original artwork, pictures and structures and interesting stories of how Tampa was founded. All displayed in a beautiful historic building withing the University of Tampa campus. The architecture of the buildings alone is worth a thousand words - all nestled along the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa

The is a beautiful museum with lots of history. It takes about 2 hours to tour and is well worth the time spent there. Anyone who wants to learn about Old Florida should go there.

My husband and I went and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. You could just imagine rocking in a chair out on the veranda. It is a beautiful piece of historic architecture. It costs $10 and you receive a self guided tour. You can wander in any direction just punch in the number you want to listen to.it covers one end that was originally guest room. But you can really see how the well to do livened during the guilded age. Be sure when you complete the tour to go in the main entrance of the lobby. This is now the admissions office and main offices for the university of Tampa. But you can walk the hall and see the salon on Amin dining area, etc.... so pleased this beautiful structure has been preserved and is in use today.

The restoration of the hotel and grounds is fantastic, adjoined by the college dorms in original hotel rooms. Lots of artifacts!

We went to the museum on a day on which the staff were removing all the Christmas items. It was a mess, boxes everywhere. Christmas trees on the floor. You couldn’t see some rooms very well. In the rooms where they evacuated the Christmas stuff, you see great items of the collection of the old hotel. The history is told in a video room. You can see the music room, bathroom and sleeping room of the guests. The European furniture from France and Italy where nice to see. You get a audio device who tells you the details.
The manager gave us our only back because of the mess, very correct. I think I come back next time I visit Tampa again.

Very interesting historical site, nice self-guided tour with ear phones, see how the gentry lived only 100 years ago, take non-flash pictures, visit gift shop: all for only $7 for seniors. Takes about 45 minutes to see and longer if you elect to "hear more" from the audio gadgets.

We had often seen the onion domes from the highway, but had never taken the time to visit. Since we had 4 friends visiting, we thought it might be a nice place to tour. Both couples were wowed by the lovely building, the inside open reception area, the wooden staircase and historical markers. The only problem was parking. One of the friends has difficulty walking and the public parking garage is quite a distance. So my husband drove us to the traffic circle in front of the main entrance and was able to sit inside the vehicle while we walked around. Not ideal, but no cost and for the 10-15 minutes we spent enjoying it all, very satisfactory. We didn't go in the museum itself, but may do that in the future.

This hotel/museum was a very interesting experience and a huge surprise . I had no idea it existed We highly recommend it

The museum is housed on the first floor of one wing of the former Tampa Bay Hotel, a late Victorian Moorish revival structure built by railroad baron Henry B. Plant. The remainder of the edifice houses administrative offices and classrooms of the University of Tampa. The museum was a bit of a disappointment. Rather than present carefully curated examples of Victorian furnishings and artifacts from its extensive collection many of the small former hotel rooms were crammed to overflowing with every item in the collection. However, it was a treat to see such grand, over-the-top Victorian architecture preserved and repurposed.

My favorite time of year to go to the Plant Museum is Christmas but it is a small but excellent museum at any time of the year. I would avoid it during the initial week of any given semester as the university campus generally gets busy. The architecture and historical exhibits are not to be missed. My husband is a Tampa native and I've been here since the 1970s and we still learn something new at nearly every visit.

We enjoyed the museum and the historic actor with presentation of a soldier during the Spanish-American War. It was well worth the drive on a Sunday, despite the traffic to visit.

Every year I look forward to visiting the Henry B Plant Museum to see how they decorated the historic hotel part. The florists and interior decorators pick a different theme every year. There is also a small gift shop with cute little items and they serve cookies and hot apple cider on the porch when you exit the museum.

My husband and I really enjoyed the audio tour, which is also available in Spanish. It is a beautiful collection of items from all over the world from a time long past. My 16-year-old son was not as thrilled. We didn't let that rush us. The park in front of the museum is worth walking through, as well. Parking is limited. We didn't realize there was a sign in front of the museum explaining where to park. We parked by The Tampa Museum of Art and visited both and walked. Be prepared for a nice long walk, if you go that route. Worth it on a beautiful day.

This museum is a terrific museum, with very interesting facts and history. Their docent led tours add impact and tons of knowledge to the visit. It is housed in what was the original Henry Plant Hotel, which is now the University of Tampa. Very authentic displays.

Great place to visit. It is America's only surviving Victorian railroad resort hotel museum. The furnishings are opulent. There is an audio tour of the many rooms.
Another plus is the use of the building. The Museum occupies a portion of the old Hotel and the University of Tampa the remainder of the building.

Now part of the University of Tampa, the Museum is a striking landmark. Architecturally and visually and historically.

Visit to learn about the development of Florida. And the social and culinary history of its well to do.

Not huge, but packed with things to see. The audio tour was disjointed (not in order) but interesting and well worth listening to. It's well curated with period objects; not expensive per se, but all appropriate and not junk. You really do get a sense of what it must have been like in Tampa's version of the grand hotel 100+ years ago. And you can wander around the campus portion of the building to get a sense of adaptive reuse. A good job of preserving some of the past while still making what might otherwise have been a white elephant (or worse tear down) pay for itself. Tight parallel parking in front of building under the watchful, dubious eye of some volunteer who looked like the whole thing was a burden ("I'll have to move the cones" - oh dear. Very pleasant people inside manning desk and gift shop.

My wife and I always enjoy historical buildings and the Plant Museum was exceptional. Much history here and to view the hotel rooms and hear the story of such a grand hotel was well worth the visit. Park in the University's free visitors parking lot. I went into the student/faculty lot by mistake, but eventually found the visitor lot.

We loved this museum. It was built in 1891 as a hotel to attract train passengers to Tampa. It is lavish with Moorish minarets and furnishings from around the world. You are given a recording that corresponds with numbers in each room. It really gives you a taste of how the rich lived during the Gilded Age. The building is now owned by the University of Tampa. On the other side of the museum is the original lobby, grand staircase, original elevator, dining room and more. It is not part of the tour but open to the public. The grounds are lovely and the building well maintained. If you like history you will love thus magnificent structure. Don’t miss It.

We spent two hours here, until closing, and I wish we had come earlier. I didn’t quite make it through listening to all the recorded information on the handset that comes with the price of admission ($7 for seniors). Excellent balance of facts and commentary. The building itself is fascinating, as well as the man who built it. We wish there had been more information about why Henry Plant’s empire fell apart so quickly after he died. In any case kudos to the city of Tampa for saving this amazing gem, and to the University of Tampa for making such good use of it. PS don’t miss the University side of the building, where you can go see the hotel Music Room and Dining Room, both in great condition.

It was an enjoyable day viewing sculptures and the eclectic architecture of the Plant Museum. What most interested me was the fact that Tampa was the stopping off point for soliders during the Cuban Campaign of the Spanish - American War. Due to rain we were unable to take the River Walk.

Learning the history of Henry Plant & his impact on Florida along with the furnishings & expensive art works that used to be in the garden made our visit pleasurable. Great for anyone interested in significant history & architecture.

We happened to visit the Museum during the Christmas holidays which made it even more festive. However this Museum can be enjoyed any time of year. Henry Plant is a recognized name from Florida history. He was involved in the railroad business in the late 1800's. The Museum can tell you much more than I. Learning about him in this setting is interesting. The Museum itself is on the campus of the University of Tampa and part of the building is used by the University. Plant built the building to be the most spectacular resort late in the 19th century. The outside architecture is amazing. The building has been left intact so there are many rooms to visit and much to be learned in each one. If you are in the Tampa area go see it. Our son lives in Winter Garden, Florida where the main street is named Plant St. He told us about it and now we're telling you.

The Henry B. Plant Museum is located at 401 West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa, Florida, in the south wing of Plant Hall on the University of Tampa's campus. Plant Hall was originally built by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant as the Tampa Bay Hotel, a 511-room resort-style hotel that opened in 1891 and attracted hundreds of celebrities and political figures until it closed in 1930 when the Great Depression severely curtailed tourism. Open from 10 to 5 Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 on Sunday, the museum's exhibits focus on historical Gilded Age tourism in the Tampa Bay area, the elite lifestyle of the hotel's guests and the Tampa Bay Hotel's use during the Spanish-American War. The museum, which opened in 1933, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In 2012, the American Institute of Architects' Florida Chapter placed Plant Hall on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 years, 100 places. The hotel covers six acres and is a quarter-mile long. It was equipped with the first elevator ever installed in Florida--and it is still functional today, making it one of the oldest continually operational elevators in the nation. In addition, the 511 rooms and suites were the first in Florida to have electric lighting and telephones. Most rooms also included private bathrooms with a full-size tub. The cost of rooms ranged from $5 to $15 a night. The grounds of the hotel spanned 150 acres and included a golf course, bowling alley, race track, casino and an indoor heated swimming pool. Architecturally, Plant chose a Moorish Revival theme that includes six minarets four cupolas and three domes spanning five stories all trimmed in ornate Victorian Gingerbread. Plant filled his hotel with trainloads of original art and furnishings. Some of it is conserved in Plant Hall, including an assortment of rococo bronzes, furniture, clocks, tapestries, paintings and vases, even a vase that was a gift from the Emperor of Japan. Today, visitors have the option to book guided tours with a docent or take a self-guided audio tour, as my wife and I did, and watch a video entitled The Tampa Bay Hotel: Florida's First Magic Kingdom. It's exhilarating to envision the hotel as a base of operations for the Spanish-American War, where Teddy Roosevelt retained a suite and his Rough Riders were stationed during the time, where notable guests included Sarah Bernhardt, Clara Barton, Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, Winston Churchill and Babe Ruth. In fact, Ruth signed his first baseball contract in the Grand Dining Room.

Nice little museum in a very cool building. If you are a history or architecture buff it’s worth a visit. The little museum is on the ground floor of one wing of the building and tells the story of this former hotel and includes many Victorian age pieces original to the hotel. Visit takes about an hour with the free audio tour from your cell phone.

The once one of the most famous hotels in the world is still left standing to give a glimpse of the 1890's. The Hotel was at the end of the railroad and must of been an amazing sight in the middle of nowhere. Mr. Plant spent a fortune on the opulent furniture and fixtures and what survives looks almost new and is still splendid. A self guided tour is provided for a very nominal amount and found my visit most interesting and enjoyable.

A unique look into the first Florida resort on the Gulf Coast. It is a short walk from one of the stops on the River Taxi and jsut across the bridge from the River walk.

It is very nice to see the musical instruments of that period. Finding a parking space is not difficult. I was excited to see the antiques, it helped me feel the period. I loved the feel of this place.

Because this museum has some rooms and areas set with the same furnishings used when it was a Luxury Railroad Resort, visiting it is an opportunity to travel as the most wealthy did during the Gilded Age. The audio tour is extensive and informative, as are the wall descriptions and the short film.
As a section of the University of Tampa Administration building, this important example of a Railroad Resort Hotel continues to evolve, even as it retains the original architecture and design.
Anyone interested in art, architecture, or history should visit this gem of a museum.

I was more interested in seeing the building than the collection but it was all wonderful. Very informative self guided handheld devices were great and taught me so much.

So many beautiful pieces and displays. There was a short movie on a loop that explained the Tampa area and why Henry Plant built the hotel.

So glad I ventured over to the museum. Park offers a beautiful area by the water to sit and relax.

If you are in downtown Tampa this is a must see. Plan probablyobably 2 hours to see everything and listen to most of the descriptions.

Nice museum that talks about the rich history of Plant Hall on the campus of the University of Tampa. It was much bigger than expected and was very educational. I would recommend going if you live in Tampa or are a tourist wanting to know some fun details about how Plant influenced the city!

What a wonderful hidden gem on the University of Tampa campus! It was fascinating to learn about Henry B. Plant and the beautiful resort he created as the Tampa Bay Hotel. Take a stroll back to the late 19th century and be immersed in the luxury of this remarkable palace and its surroundings. I loved the ambiance of the Writing and Reading Room the best. You can use your phone to download a self guided tour or just wander from room to room and feast your eyes on the lavish furnishings. We had to pay for parking on the street and didn’t see the sign in front of the museum, which said to park for free at the Thomas Parking Garage if needed. All in all, it was a wonderful museum and a Tampa treasure!

I visited when I moved to Tampa Bay and then came again with family. I love the Christmas display...so pretty! The museum building is well preserved. Learning about the history of the building is quite interesting. You may need to make reservations during Christmas for a tour, but worth it.

Want to learn a little bit of Tampa History and go back in time? This is a wonderful place to visit! They also have a wonderful Christmas themed event during December - The Victorian Christmas Stroll - definitely worth going to!

We have visited the Henry Plant Museum at the University of Tampa many times and enjoy it each time. We took our travel mates from the UK and spent several hours. It is inexpensive and highlights a time in Tampa's history most know nothing about. The icing on the cake is the building itself, the old Tampa Bay Hotel.

We had no idea what to expect on a recent visit to the Henry B. Plant Museum. I had never even heard of Henry B. Plant. However, we quickly learned that he was an industrialist who owned and operated a series of railroads and hotels in throughout south. The hotel in Tampa was the crown jewel of the properties and played a big role in the growth of Tampa as a city and tourism destination.

The museum occupies part of the lower level of the building, which is now used house a variety of functions for the University of Tampa. There are many rooms to visit, and the hotel has been nicely restored. We quickly discovered a rich and interesting history.

There is an audio tour available for free, which you can access using a smartphone by scanning QR codes in each of the rooms. I thought the audio tour was actually very nice and explained each of the displays nicely. It made the tour more enjoyable than just reading placards.

Parking at the Museum is a little bit limited and the lot was full when we stopped by.
Note that there is typically a staff member outside to direct visitor to available parking. We ended up parking at the university parking garage which is about a half-mile away. There was no cost to park, which is nice.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Henry B. Plant museum to anyone who's interested in the history of Tampa or Florida in general.

My wife and I spent about an hour walking around the museum, before lunch elsewhere. Not crowded here. We had no problem with social distancing from other visitors. Interesting exhibits. A trip into the past. Well worth seeing.

It is located In the University of Tampa campus, adjacent to the water. Close to downtown. Good place to visit.

The minaret towers make this grand Victorian building make it look like a mosque but it was originally a hotel. Only a small part of it is now the museum but well worth a visit. The place is packed with original furniture, quite amazing.

The museum is a must for history buffs. Enjoy visiting the campus so you can see the landmark hotel. Limited parking!

The museum gave a fascinating glimpse into the history of Tampa and the roll that Mr. Plant and the hotel played in that history. The European furnishings were elegant. I also really enjoyed seeing the musical instruments of that bygone era.

The museum features furniture and artifacts from the "Gilded Age", (late 19th century). It has been named a National Historic Landmark. At Christmas the museum is decorated for a "Victorian Stroll". The Henry B. Plant Museum is a site you can visit and revisit; there are always new items to spot. They offer tours from youth to adult, as well as self-guided tours. The docents do an excellent job and shopping at the gift shop is so rewarding.

The building is beautiful. It had a lot of interesting facts about the Tampa area. I really enjoyed my tour.

Thought twice about visiting here and decided to go for it and very happy that I did. Wonderful local history and decorated beautifully for the holidays. The docents were knowledgeable and very friendly. You do not have to be a history buff or a local to have fun but it does not hurt. I would recommend this to others. In reading their literature and speaking with staff it sounds as though they work hard all year to attract visitors. Give it a try.

If you love history you will like it so much , i love it and enjoyed, 10$ for Adult not so expensive, it’s big museum, the people who work there are very friendly

Don't miss a visit to the old Tampa Bay Hotel when you visit Tampa. It's now the University of Tampa (my alma mater), and an amazing architectural marvel. The Henry B. Plant Museum is worth a visit to see what the original hotel rooms looked like, as well as some of the treasures Henry B. Plant collected from around the world. Check out the museum first and then walk through the University of Tampa's Plant Hall to take a step back in time.

This place really stood out. It was like stepping into a time-machine. the furniture and everything inside is really nice.

Great museum with so much to see and enjoy. History well preserved and worth a stop in to view. Wish the bedrooms were available however tons of history.

The building is beautiful. They have some interesting artifacts. We thought the price was a bit expensive for such a small museum. We enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

Upon paying the reasonable entry fee, you are given a handheld electronic device that plays a 1 - 3 minute recording to explain each of the 30 numbered displays throughout the museum. It is a fascinating trip back to a bygone era of opulence and excess. The building is remarkably well preserved. Parking is free in a nearby garage or right out front (when the University is not in session.)

A snapshot of an age gone by. Lots of historic furnishings and a self guided audio tour. Much of the building is given over to the administration of the University of Tampa. The museum itself is a portion of a hallway on the main floor of the former hotel.

I did learn more about Henry Plant and a few things about privilege during the era that the hotel that this was. For some reason, I was mostly blasé about this museum. I see that many others are more enthusiastic about this attraction, I found my expectations varied from what I experienced.

Really interesting. Beautiful furniture and decor. Very cool museum. Found a Groupon-inexpensive visit. Had a great gift shop with hand-picked items. Very pleasant staff.

Beautiful architecture and if you have an interest in architecture this would be the building to see. Also very interesting Imperial Exhibit.

I had a wonderful time at their Christmas stroll. They had carolers singing and light refreshments outside. It was a special evening that was sponsored by AARP. It was lovely!

If you want to learn about the Russian czars through their Faberge and Hernd possessions this is a fabulous exhibition. The museum is in the beautiful former Tampa Bay Hotel on the campus of the University of Tampa and displays many of the original Victorian furnishings.

We went here based on reviews from Orlando. A pretty long drive but worth it. This is an amazing building, and the history is fascinating. The museum has a small part of the first floor of what was a 500 room 19th century hotel. The rest is the University of Tampa. The museum is fascinating, and has a free recorded tour with lots of stories and information. Just learning of Henry Plant, who was way bigger than Mr. Flagler in railroads in Florida was worth it. Tones of original furnishings. Make sure to go into the old reception which is not part of the hotel to see the oldest elevator in Florida, more sculpture and pictures and the old ballroom and music room and dining room.

We recently spent a few hours checking out the museum. The price is very reasonable and you can easily spend 2-3 hours exploring all of the rooms. There are so many exquisite pieces of art, furniture and vintage pieces to see. We learned a lot on our visit and highly recommend it to everyone. Kids and adults alike.

This one-of-a-kind museum documents the glory of the original Tampa Bay Hotel. If you are interested in beautiful buildings and authentic history, you should not miss it. The furniture, statues, mirrors, paintings, and other works of art that Henry B. Plant brought back from Europe to decorate his glorious Floridian palace are simply amazing. When you are finished admiring the museum, walk down the porch and enter the main lobby, now a part of the University of Tampa. To the left, you can find Florida's oldest elevator!

This is not the best museum I have ever been in, but that being said, it was a delightful experience going on First Friday. The entire event was very special. It starts at 5PM on the first Friday of every month. There is a live jazz band playing on the beautiful veranda while appetizers (cheese and pastries) are served with red or white wine. At 5:15 a docent led tour of the museum begins. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is a great way to hear the local history while seeing the museum pieces. We enjoyed our guide and highly recommend it for any adults that would be interested in the tour. I don’t recommend it for very young children (under 10) unless you want to do the museum on your own with them. The wonderful thing is - the entire event is FREE! Food, wine, music, tour, museum entry - can’t get much better on a lovely Friday evening in Tampa.

I get to come here often being an UT alumn. The museum is amazing and then to wlak around UT to see how they adapt is great!

We went on a Sunday and the senior price was $7 each. Parking was free and we were given a audio recorder. There is a short movie and tons of original items from the hotel. Many items are openly displayed for easy viewing so do not touch them or that will spoil it for everyone. The experience was priceless. Not good for small children.

love the Christmas time walk threw all decor nice, its just a sweet cool time of year , and everyones in the mood for a good walk and cool enough to dot it , an old building so cooler this time of year

Fantastic holiday outing right on the University of Tampa campus. Originally one of the grand Florida hotels built in the late 1800s. Part of the original hotel is now dedicated as a museum and during the holiday season each year it is turned into beautifully decorated Christmas Stroll. Each room display is filled with original furniture and accessories from the old Tampa Hotel. Well worth the trip to Tampa. During your visit enjoy free hot mulled cider and cookies on one the magnificent porches. Unlike many holiday historic tours you will see authentic items throughout the Mansion down to the China and silver.

Interesting collection of furnishings from the Victorian Era. I was pleasantly surprised that so much of the Plant Hotels were preserved. A knowledgeable volunteer staff on hand to answer any questions you may have.

The place looks large from the outside, and admission was ok, but in about an hour, I was done walking the one floor that is available for tourists.
I was hoping to explore more of the building.
Although glad to pretty much have the place to myself, I was looking for a more interactive experience.

Rich in history surrounded by the beautiful University of Tampa landscaping. From the grand porches to the exquisite architecture this stop was a gem. Gorgeous tapestries were displayed throughout amid many sculptures, antiques, treasures and memorabilia. The video of the history of the building and many famous guests is worth the time. I am looking forward to sharing the experience with our winter visitors. We had an added treat of seeing graduates being photographed along the porches and grounds.

Definitely worth a visit. Beautiful building and grounds right on the river. Museum small but informative on history of Plant and Florida. Great photo opportunities as well.

The old hotel converted into a museum is a must-visit if you're in Tampa. The museum is beautiful and a lot of fun to visit. We highly recommend.

It appears the University of Tampa hopes for some pedigree by labeling the remnants of a failed resort/hotel a museum. This is not a museum - it is a short history of a transit company, and a "yard sale" of loosely consolidated furnishings spread throughout old hotel rooms. UT should not charge the public to enter an area that at best might appeal to a few parents who are accompanying their children on an Admissions Department tour for prospective freshman.

Neat building, interesting history. Cool place to spend time, especially if you or family member is on the University of Tampa Campus.

Building alone is worth the trip to see one wing has some of the original furniture and many old pics.

Partner and I spent several hours here exploring the museum and the former Tampa Bay Hotel. What a history and what a beauty! Loved the special Christmas trees; the one decked with Florida fruit and flowers was my favorite. Audio tour is very good and allows you to wander at your own pace. Gift store is an easy place to make a generous donation. Not much devoted to Spanish American War, but the Hotel was part of that, too. Great historic site for families with older children.

We spent a few hours on campus - visiting the museum and touring the rest of the building and surrounding campus and found this historical landmark fascinating and educational. It is a wonderful thing that the City of Tampa was able to save it from the wrecking ball and put it to tremendous good use!

The history of Henry B Plant is something I had not heard before. I definitely learned some things. As a note, the museum is actually on the first floor of this building and occupies a section of the building. The rooms are very elegant as well.

A wonderful experience. They were decorating for Christmas. Very friendly staff. Remarkable rooms and public spaces. The turn of the century architecture and history ere captivating. Teddy Roosevelt history was especially interesting. One of Tampa’s true hidden treasures. Should be on anyone’s travel and sightseeing list

Don’t miss this jewel when in Tampa. Set in the Plant Hotel ( you can’t miss the iconic landmark) the museum is very well laid out, with information self guided tour. Fascinating history of Plant, Tampa and Florida. A bargain at $10 for adults! Plan to spend 2 hours. Then , sit in a rocking chair on the covered porch and enjoy the weather for free

The Henry Plant Museum is On the campus of Tampa University, housed in the former Tampa Hotel built by Henry Plant in the late eighteen hundreds. It was a hotel for the very rich and it is definitely worth a visit. The self guided tour tells you everything you would like to know about Mr. Plant and his masterpiece. Your will be viewing about 20 hotel rooms with their original furnishings. Allow about two hours for your visit.

We have gone a number of times. However, in this case I was doing research for a historical/time travel novel ... now published on Amazon ... "The Gatherers" ... The Tampa Bay Hotel ... the location of the internal museum was a setting for one of the chapters. This structure is the main thing to see in Tampa ... no matter your interests. It now house the University of Tampa.

I was there at Christmas time, so i visited a Christmas trees exibition. Staff was very nice and friendly, as well as the visitors.

We loved the history of the Plant hotel and all the beautiful treasures! The docent did not arrive but the manager gave us an hour long informative tour. There were audio tours available as well.

Located at the edge of Tampa University campus, this museum packs a lot of information into their convenient self-guide tours. The fanciful historic hotel built in the late 1800’s is filled with relics and colorful stories of the past. We spent two plus hours wandering through the rooms listening to the audio tours. There is also a film and a gift shop. Note - Parking is a challenge but you can use the North Parking garage. This was not clear to us at the time so we opted for street parking a ways away. You may have to walk a bit to get to the museum but it’s worth it!

The museum is defiantly cool too and has a lot to look at, but if you're looking for a beautiful location to take some pictures, look no further & enjoy.

This is a small museum in a former hotel, very grand in its day, that is now part of the University of Tampa. The collection is along a hallway on the first floor. It is not professionally curated, so don't have expetations that this is a "Smithsonian level" exhibit. Rather, it is a collection decorative arts and memorabilia from when the hotel was a showplace for the rich, during the Guilded Age.

Admission to the museum provides a audio tour which was quite helpful and interesting.

If you have an hour, this is well worth a visit.

The day we visited the Henry B. Plant Museum the entire university community was gone. It must have been spring break (mid-March). The place was deserted. We drove right in and parked in the President's reserved spot in front of the administration building, which is the other part of the museum; the original Hotel Tampa that Henry Plant built over 100 years ago.

It was not clear that the building serves as the administration facility for the University of Tampa until you wander the corridors and see the names on the doors; President, Chancellor, etc. The museum occupies one half of the main floor. When you use the electronic headsets they provide, you get to hear a narration for dozens of locations in the corridor and specific rooms. It's possible to spend over an hour just listening to the narration. If you also read and really observe items in each room the visit can be extended quite a bit. We walked around outside on the porches and we even went up some of the stairs in the administration side of the building to visit the minarets that are featured as part of the architecture.

This museum brought into focus that Plant was the west-coast version of Henry Flagler who brought tourists down the Atlantic coast of Florida. I knew a lot about Flagler but didn't realize how much impact Plant had as well on the development of Florida in his day.

You won't get to park in front as we did, but don't let that discourage you. Unless you time your visit to spring break.

This is a really exotic building featuring turreted roofs and beautifully detailed and highly decorative external woodwork.
Previously the Tampa hotel the building now houses a very good museum plus University of Tampa.The massive and well preserved former hotel lobby is redolent of a previous luxurious lifestyle.

The tour guides Ron and the gift shop person were friendly and held a well of information. Truly enjoyed visiting! A must
see for anyone that likes the gilded age mansions.

Old beautiful house with history of a-man that for his time travel all over the world .He bring home and tell his people how the world looks like .The same time he provide to the man possibility of recreating in a man company room for reading the journals or an other room to escape through a secret door
Now in the museum they have a privat collection of porcelain and a nice lady explain through the collection the family connection of Europe regal courts
I like small museums and collections because they speak to you and I can feel the beauty of the place so I highly recommend this place

The building the museum is located is nothing short of spectacular. Built in 1891 as a resort hotel by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, it is the only historical building in the USA to have minuets on top. The building has become the symbol of the City of Tampa and now a part of the University of Tampa. The museum has along the original main hallway of the hotel, numerous side rooms. Each room reviews a different area of Tampa's history. All rooms have original furnishings and art work that was used during the hotel's opening and later years collected by Henry Plant and his wife in Europe. There was a room dedicated to the Gasparilla Pirate Parade that started in 1904 - 115 years ago. A room about Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders who launched from Tampa the Spanish-American War in Cuba. Rooms that covered the hotels history as a resort and the period of time that the hotel was opened with photos, books, postcards and others displays. It would probably only take most people less than a hour to cover the museum, but we felt worth it to us to find out more about early Tampa where we now live.

A very pleasant surprise while visiting in Tampa. This museum was once the luxurious Tampa Bay Hotel. Beautiful architecture and lovely antique furnishing. A lot of interesting history. Don't miss this.

This place was a beautiful hotel and resort in its hey day and is now part of university of Tampa. We spent about 2 hours touring the museum and learning a little history about this part of Florida.

We discovered the Plant Museum on a day trip to Tampa. Built in 1891 by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant and a friendly competitor of Flagler, it was known as the Tampa Bay Hotel, now part of the University of Tampa campus. Plant was known as "the king of Florida" and the founder of the Plant System of railroad, steamship and hotels, kind of like a forerunner of the prepackaged tour concept. Justifiably, the hotel resort is known as "Florida's First Magic Kingdom."

After the Civil War, Plant bought small bankrupt railroad companies and connected them in southern states. He build an empire by including steamship service from Nova Scotia to Cuba and a chain of eight Florida hotels. The Tampa Bay Hotel (TBH) was one of them. The hotel was built in the style of a Moorish palace complete with minarets, costing $2.5 million of his personal fortune to build and another half million to furnish. Plant and his wife traveled to Europe to buy furnishings for the hotel that filled 41 train cars.

When Plant built the Gilded Age hotel, Tampa was a sleepy fishing village on the banks of the Hillsborough River. The architect designed a luxurious resort, the most modern of its day. Electric lighting, private baths, telephones and elevators were among the amenities. Steel rails embedded in poured concrete floors made it virtually fireproof and hurricane proof. The resort operated for 40 years and was visited by Babe Ruth, Edison, Churchill and many others.

The TBH is the nation's only Victorian railroad museum built as a winter resort. Electric lighting was rare in the 19th Century. Today, the museum recreates the original lighting with reproduction Edison carbon filament bulbs. Every room in the hotel features the "keyhole" window, patterned after a skeleton key which allowed natural light into the rooms. The hotel has withstood hurricanes but some of the windows have been blown out.

The hotel employed its own guide for hunting and fishing trips. Tennis, golf, horse racing, dancing, boating and swimming were available. The hotel gained international recognition in 1898 when it served as headquarters for the US Army during the Spanish-American War. The University of Tampa took it over in the 30s and houses offices and the Science Department in one of the wings.

We spent two hours touring the first floor museum in awe of both the building and furnishings. It is difficult to imagine the wealth of the Gilded Age and those privileged to visit such a resort. Be sure to take a picture of the QR code in the reception area to download an excellent audio guide. There are no object labels on the original furnishings so the guide along with informational signage outside each exhibit room brings the hotel to life. After our tour, we left the museum proper to explore other parts of the building which are part of the university. We climbed stairs to the second floor to see former hotel rooms converted to university offices. Every room had the signature keyhole window above the door.

A special exhibit: “When the Train Comes Along: Booker T. Washington at the Tampa Bay Casino” runs at the museum until December 23.

Another convenient, free attraction just across the street from the museum is the Henry B. Plant Park Phone Tour. Pick up a brochure at the desk. The park is Tampa's oldest and largest public botanical garden also established in 1891. There are nine sites on the tour accessible by calling a phone number printed on the brochure. Sites include: The Dogs; The Desoto Oak; The Creek; Sticks of Fire; Palm Walk; The Folly; The Flagpole; Star Shaped Bed; Transportation Sculpture. I listened to the 12-minute narration after we left since we didn't have time to visit the park.

IF YOU GO: The museum is closed on Monday and select holidays and open January-November: Tuesday-Saturday from 10-5 and Sunday from noon-5 with extended hours during the Victorian Christmas Stroll. We were lucky to find a (Saturday) parking spot right in front of the museum; free parking is available in the nearby garage on North Boulevard and North A. St. Admission: $10 for adults; $7 for seniors and students; $5 for children 4-12. Restrooms are available in the building but not the museum proper. A 14-minute historical video which introduces Plant and his system is a good way to start your self-guided tour.

Between the museum and the park tour, you could easily spend the day.

We visited Tampa for the first time this week and took in the historic Tampa Bay Hotel built by Henry Plant. Easy to find and even easier to park for free right on the road across from the hotel. The museum is in part of the building while the University of Tampa uses the rest of it. Admission was reasonable especially with the coupon,,,$5.00 each! The history is interesting and the artefacts even more so. We spent about 3 hours there including lunch on the grounds. Don’t miss this site!

Museum is housed in the old Tampa Hotel..also headquarters of Teddy Roosevelt in Spanish/American war. nice exhibits in the museum. Walking around the rest of the building and lobby is actually more exciting and quite a lovely experience. Stunningly kept in all it's greatness. some parking out front as well as in University garage a couple blocks away.

This is a beautifully maintained piece of history! Back to the luxurious days when the building was the Grand Bay Hotel. Rooms are decorated with original pieces and placed as they were when guests were in residence. Very interesting to learn about the impact this man (Henry Plant) had on the state of Florida. Lovely gift shop with unique items. Admission is free with a N.A.R.M. membership.

Truly enjoyed our time at the Henry B. Plant Museum.
Parking is a bit of a challenge, but there is a parking attendant who was very helpful.
We took our time and moved at our own pace using the audio phone that provides information based on numbers you key in as you move from room to room. The museum is actually small compared to the size of the building. But this did not diminish all the beautiful items from the past. Truly enjoyed each room and how well taken care of all items are. We learned a lot and got to appreciate the amazing architecture of the time period.
Took us about an hour and then we walked the grounds.
If you’re a history buff you’ll love this museum.

This is a very interesting museum, different exhibits throughout the year and in December the Victorian stroll shows how the hotel would have been at Christmas. You can see old photos of how tampa used to be in the university part of the building. Surrounded by a beautiful park by the river, looking at downtown tampa.

What an interesting place! Well worth $10 admission price. Massive turn of the century hotel with lots and lots of period pieces giving a peek into the Gilded Age way of life for the upper echelons of society at the time. Glad we took the time to see it! Plan on at least 1-1/2 hours.

What a lovely experience. We enjoyed each of the rooms, the Christmas decorations and the beauty of all of those antiques. The furniture is beautifully preserved. What fun to see the lovely china on loan from a single collector. The docents were most helpful and nice.

This was originally a hotel built back in the industrial era when railroads were expanding the U.S. The architecture is wonderful and a must see.This helped to put Tampa on the map and is now an integral part of the University of Tampa. It is located on the river with a beautifully landscaped campus.

Note: We found it best to park in the POE garage and walk the easy (and beautiful) .6 mile along the Riverwalk and through Henry Plant Park to get to the museum. Nearby parking is sparse.

That said, what a magnificent museum! Stunning to see the building and lovely furnishings. Imagining what it must have been like to enjoy an extended stay at the Tampa Bay Hotel in the late 1890s.

The individual audio tour units were easy to use and provided great narratives of about 35 different focal points. Several offered additional narratives, so be sure to listen to the complete narrative as these "bonus" items are mentioned at the end.

We spent about 2 hours and still didn't see everything as thoroughly as I would have liked. Fortunately, I live only an hour from Tampa and this has gone on the "what shall I do today" list of nearby adventures.

Its a beautiful building with that gives you a great view of the hotel era in the turn of the century. You can get a good look of how luxurious the hotel was, and with the help of the audio tour you get an even better idea of what the your stay in the Tampa Hotel might have been.

the only reason I give it 4 stars is because I would have wanted to see more of the building, but about 80% of it is used as part of the University of Tampa grounds, so that is kind of a bummer. But still is a must see place!

We saw the minarets atop a building from across the river and wondered what it was. So glad we checked it out. This historic Gilded Age Tampa Bay Hotel building was originally one of the first winter resorts built in Florida. It's been a museum and part of the University of Tampa since the 1930s. Having visited a similar museum/university building in St Augustine, we found this building and its history quite interesting. We enjoyed learning about Henry B Plant and how he and the Hotel were integral to travel in and out of Tampa as well as their role in the Spanish-American War. We watched the introductory video and then walked through the rooms, enjoying the furniture and decor, nearly all original to the Hotel, as well as the stories of the associated people and events.

We visited this Grand old Tampa Hotel now on the College Campus and is a museum . Visted durning off season so campus we quite pleanty free parking. Very impressed visit !!lots of great history for Tampa Well worth the visit , for $10 you do get a self guilded recorder for addition info on each room. We recommend this as Visi0t for Locals and Vistors !

Many people probably drive in downtown Tampa and see the famous Moorish Minarets and don't realize that this building was once part of the historic and grand Tampa Bay Hotel that has been visited by such famous guests as Colonel Teddy Roosevelt (with his Rough Riders), Clara Barton (founder of the American Red Cross), the Prince of Wales, Winston Churchill and Babe Ruth. The Hotel was built in 1891 by Henry Plant, a railroad, shipping and hotel tycoon. The hotel which sat on 4 acres, was 1/4 mile long and had 511 rooms with the most modern of conveniences: electricity, telephones, private baths, etc. Its casino theater could seat 2000 guests who came to listen to such famous stars as John Philip Sousa and Sarah Bernhardt. The grounds included a golf course, marina, tennis courts and even a racetrack. Today this facility is part of the University of Tampa and houses an extensive collection of opulent furnishings, porcelains, mirrors and exotic sculptures and vases. There is an extensive presentation showing the Hotel's association with the Spanish American War, having served as the Army Headquarters and staging area for troops going to Cuba, including the Rough Riders. The museum is open January-November from 10 AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 PM on Sunday. Museum is closed on Monday. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children 4-12. Street parking is available free of charge. During December there is a special presentation and pricing.

We really enjoyed this museum. I'm always interested in how people lived back in the day and how proper everything was. The museum isn't huge, just one floor but you get to walk through quite a few rooms. It is a self guided audio tour. You get a device to wear around your neck and hold it up to your ear. You press the button to the corresponding display and get to hear all about it. It goes in order and you'll start with a short video about Henry Plant and his story. Take your time and listen to everything. It's fascinating. There is also a gift shop and don't forget to take some pictures out front. The building is absolutely gorgeous.

Enjoyed our visit. They have guide devices which add a lot about local history. Parking a bit tricky though. Building is a beauty - crown jewel of old Plant resorts.

We are big Geeky fans of Gilded age stuff- the Plant did Not disappoint. The staff are super friendly, and the app info provides great commentary. Be sure to check out other Architectual wonders in the adjoining Student canter- the former music room and dining room are outside the museum's footprint, but in the same building.

This museum takes you back to the early days of the developing of Florida, Henry Plant owned the railroads and opulent hotels that started tourism in Florida. They have many of the original art, dishes, furniture, pictures, and vases of the 1891 era. This place is a treasure that was preserved.

First overlook the few negative reviews that have been posted. These individuals obviously don't appreciate the significance of the Tampa Bay Hotel and Henry Plant's contributions to the local economy as well as global one back then. It is time well spent and it is most certainly worth the $10 admission.

I recommend a Sunday visit for several reasons:

1. Parking is a lot easier. They have a few spots reserved in front for museum visitors but they were full. However, the faculty parking lot is a short walk away and is open to anyone to park on the weekends so it was easy to find a spot.

2. The museum is in just one end of the old Tampa Bay hotel. After leaving it, you are allowed to walk through other parts of the building and view the main dining hall. We did and noticed that all the rooms along the hall are being actively used for Admissions Office, Dean's Office, Registrar's Office etc. My guess is that it would be very busy and crowded weekdays with staff and students in the halls. Sunday was empty and the place quiet to be able to enjoy it.

3. This was a total surprise to us and was not why we went on a Sunday but is most definitely the reason to go then. Each week at 2pm they have a live single-character performance playing the role of actual hotel employees or guests of the hotel. This is included in the price of admission and is absolutely wonderful. It lasts about 20 minutes. Our character was Otis, the head waiter. His conversation with the audience was extremely educational, entertaining, and funny at times. It was fantastic! I don't know if these are paid individuals or volunteers. Regardless, Otis gave an outstanding performance. While we can't speak to the other characters, Otis is a definite must see. The performances run September through May and a schedule of when each character is performing is posted on their website under the category Upstairs / Downstairs.

Overall it was a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Don't miss it!!!!

I visited with a friend. Lovely. It would be of interest for out of town guests; lots of history about the area.

As a history buff and resident of St. Augustine, FL, exploring this museum about the old Tampa Bay Hotel was doubly interesting. Henry Plant, who built this hotel, was a contemporary of Henry Flagler, who built a similar hotel, the Ponce de Leon Hotel, in St. Augustine during the late 1800's. Both buildings now house universities, but only in Tampa was a portion retained to show what the original was like from actual facilities to activities, dress and decorations. The museum's various rooms are full of memorabilia and the audio guides provide background while allowing you to proceed at your own pace. The story of Plant's business empire and hotels gives one a deeper knowledge of Florida's growth and the men who drove it.

This Museum is actually in the old historical and beautiful Tampa Hotel built by Henry Plant. Today, it's also the home of the University of Tampa. It's a great place to spend a few hours touring the building and grounds.

We finally visited the Plant museum and we were NOT disappointed. It has been intriguing to visit museums around Southwest Florida to see how men with vision could see the undeveloped swamps and mosquito-ridden areas as great potentials for future development. Henry Plant was one of them. The original hotel that Plant built was restored and under the guidance of the University of Tampa. It is not a large museum but has a large footprint for history. The architecture of the building alone is worth the admission price. The rooms are packed with artifacts of the hotel days. An interesting picture of the early days of Tampa is intriguing. Non-history buffs may just see rooms filled with stuff but awakens those who love history and Florida history in particular. The gift shop is also UNIQUE.

Re-visit. Some things have changed in 8+ years since I was here last- there's an audio tour (included) now which I found interesting and a short video which I did not. Almost all done with Xmas decoration layout, these were nice to see, though not lavish in the way some places are that specialize in the season (a good thing too, because overdone, they would obscure too much). If you do the entire audio tour plus some reading you can spend 2 hours here, even more if take a wander through the university building itself (there is more to see than just the central hall) Most reasonably priced of all FL attractions on this trip too. If you're interested in history and/or high Victorian decoration you will not be disappointed. Even if not, you're likely to find it an engaging walk through, if spending a bit less time. Recommended.

The museum was shared by the university which made it unique. The architecture was quite artistic and rustic. Very nice museum.

The Henry B. Plant Museum is an 1890s historic hotel built by Henry Plant to bring people to Tampa. It was one of several that he built throughout Florida and only 1 of 2 that are still standing. I took my 7yo granddaughter there and we spent several hours touring the museum with the audio then enjoying sitting on the huge porch before walking the gardens to the Hillsboro River. She mentioned several times that it was soooo pretty she could just cry. I don't know if all 7yos would like it but she certainly did as well as myself. Get a Groupon and it's only $5.

Wait til you see the huge buildings and minarets and the treasures inside!! These have been lovingly saved and meticulously cared for. Allow at least 1-1/2 hour Shift!

Road trip! What a wonderful place to visit. So much Florida and Tampa history in this beautiful old structure. If you enjoy history, this is a must see. Unfortunately, effective yesterday, 8/17/21, they are now requiring masks to be worn inside the facility. No signs to that effect. An absolute disgrace to those of us who are fully vaccinated.

A great place to visit to experience some of Tampa's premier historical sites. Visit anytime of the year; however Christmas is amazing with its Victorian charm🎄 And many decorated trees!

The Plant Museum used to be the Tampa Bay Hotel. I wish it still were a hotel! It’s now part of The University of Tampa. The Museum gives you a good look at how the wealthy lived in Tampa years ago. The hotel went bust in the Depression so prior to that there was the southern wealthy who visited this place. Well with the trip.

If you like history, this is a MUST see. We googled top 10 attractions in Tampa and this came up. It's affordable, and you can do a self guided tour with a recording devise. We spent 2 1/2 hours there and wanted to see more, but had to leave because we had reservations elsewhere. I highly recommend checking this out!

We had a wonderful time visiting the museum. I was so happy to find this local favorite. I’ve been to Tampa many times and this was never on my radar until I found it listed on Trip Advisor. The architecture of the building is stunning! I enjoyed the free audio tour that really brought each room to life. What an amazing piece of history…everyone should visit while in Tampa.

WE went during the Christmas show last year. Every room was decorated in a Victorian Christmas fashion.

Nicely done musuem telling the history of this part of tampa, planty of things to read and beautiful antiwues.

The Tampa Bay hotel (now a museum and also part of the university) is a wonderful example of how the rich and famous used to enjoy life once the railways opened up the country. The tours are self guided and very informative. Visit here before venturing to Ybor city.

After visiting this unique museum, I know why so many places have Plant in their name. Henry Plant was a major factor in the growth of Tampa. The Tampa Bay Hotel is stunning and certainly unique in architecture. The furnishing in the museum are part of an original delivery of 47 train cars of furniture originally put into the hotel. The art objects are many and many are unique. The history of Tampa surrounding the museum and hotel is very interesting.

This historic home is open to the public for a small fee. Tours are self-guided with headsets to listen to the history. We thoroughly enjoyed it. My fav room was the exhibit of all the garden seats that had been in the gardens of the home. Unbelievable!!

A very worthwhile stop for a couple of hours. Your included an audio guide that was very well done. The campus architecture is a highlight too!

If you’re in Tampa you MUST visit this building. Well worth the small entrance fee to go inside and learn about the history of Henry B Plant and his hotels, of which, this was probably the most luxurious. He created Florida’s first magic kingdom long before Disney ever did.
Even if you don’t go inside you should still visit to marvel at the exotic oriental/moorish style of the building and take pics. It’s truly splendid.

It is a wonderful experience during the holidays!! You can view the museum and do tea and cookies on the veranda!! Great treat for visitors, or just to hang out.