Gulf Beaches Historical Museum

I wish I’d gone here first — then I would have paid more attention to my surroundings in this charming peaceful community. The museum was made possible by journalist Joan Haley who lived in this former church (1^st on the island) for many years after her spouse died. She bought it to save it from being torn down. Since she had no children, the building was to go to her friends if it was not to be used as a museum, so the local government snapped it up. Her story fascinated us.
As others stated, a ton is packed into this small museum, and I liked seeing where Joan Haley’s bedroom was as well as images of how it looked when she lived there. But you can read about the history of the entire area and take a lot of info along with you too. Grab the walking tour map! The docents are all volunteers and are incredibly nice and informed.
Another amazing character is the so-​called hermit with the long beard, Silas something. Hermit is not really the right word as he was quite social. He just rejected the usual trappings of modern life. I love to learn about people like this. Maybe I should be bucking the rules a little more. :-)
There is a tiny gift shop too and cute grounds.

Excellent little museum «on the beach» that chronicles the history of Pass-​a-​Grille and surrounding beaches. If you are curious about the history of the area, do plan to stop in. There are lots of picture and albums to look at. The docents are knowledgeable and helpful. There also plenty of current area information available inside. It’s also a perfect place to take break from the sun (or family members sunning on the beach). It’s walking distance from the beach, as well as the shops and restaurants on 8^th Ave.
Free admission, donations accepted. The museum also has a small gift shop with very reasonable prices. If donations aren’t you thing, a purchase from the gift shop helps too.
Free street parking is allowed if visiting the museum. Just be sure to park in the designated spaces.
FYI, the hours vary by season:
Mid-​May through Mid-​September
Friday and Saturday,
10 A.M. — 4 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. — 4 p.m.
Mid-​September through Mid-​May
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,
10 a.m. — 4 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. — 4 p.m.
Here’s the museum’s URL:

Here’s the URL via Pinellas County’s website: