Royalty…Triumphs and Tragedies   An exciting new exhibit, aptly named, “Royalty…Triumphs and Tragedies" opened February 9th 2008 at the St. Petersburg Museum of History.    This was a living exhibit, in that the vast collection of memorabilia is constantly rotated to ensure the visitor has something new and exciting to see each visit.   This spectacular exhibit will displayed artifacts from a variety of Royals including: Diana, Princess of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen Mother, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (King Edward VIII and Mrs. Wallace Simpson), Prince Charles, The Princess Royal and Royalty. The exhibit gave the “Diana fan” another chance to see a collection of her dresses from the Christies’ Auction.  “Pink Ribbons Crusade” a not for profit charity for breast cancer, owner of some of the dresses loaned this exhibit to the Museum free of charge to raise funds for breast cancer patients and their families in Pinellas County.  Also included in the exhibit were dresses never before seen on the public circuit. For the first time ever, the exhibit featured a collection of dresses from the “American Princess” her Serene Highness, Grace of Monaco, kindly loaned by Suzanne and Jess King of Austin, TX. To mark the 25th anniversary of her death, this stunning collection included gowns and dresses that punctuated her life before her untimely death in 1982. For more on this exciting event, please visit www.dianadresses.org. The St. Petersburg History museum was proud to host this magnificent exhibit and thanks all those that visited and helped support a great cause. Numerous fund raising events took place as the exhibit progressed such as  sumptuous “High Tea “ and a personal glimpse into the life of the royals by Princess Diana’s personal chef Darren McGrady, who has written a bestselling cook book “Eating Royally” of which all proceeds go to pediatric Aids and breast cancer. Limited edition royal memorabilia were on sale in the museum’s gift shop. The proceeds of this event went to the St. Petersburg Museum of History, owned and operated by the St. Petersburg Historical Society (a non for profit charity) funded by local donations and admission fees and Hospice of the Florida Suncoast (a nonprofit charity).  All proceeds will be used locally for breast cancer patients and their families. The exhibit curator Audrey Fournier is a long time volunteer with the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and the Pink Ribbons Crusade. Gloria Bussey, Margaret Rogers-Kline and other Pink Ribbons and Hospice volunteers assembled this exhibit. The St. Petersburg Museum of History and the patients and their families from The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast in St. Petersburg thank you for your support.

Diversity in Aviation Art Exhibit (August 10, 2008)   Celebrating Aviation History   National Aviation Day is celebrated on August 19th, the birth date of Orville Wright. He and his brother Wilbur are given credit for having built the world’s first successful airplane with aircraft controls which enabled them to steer the plane. As a tribute to Aviation History, the St. Petersburg Museum of History invited Florida families to attend the Diversity in Aviation Art Exhibit and program Sunday, from 10am-4pm. Florida Residents got in free with a Florida ID.   Lineup of Free Lectures and Activities in order were:  Enjoy WSJT, 94.1FM- Smooth Jazz broadcasting live from 10am till 2pm. NASA Engineer, Louise Kleba will speak about "Women in Aviation." LTJG Jackie Almeida, NOAA Corps Officer and Flight Meteorologist will share her experiences of being a NOAA Hurricane Hunter from MacDill Air Force Base. Bob Guckenberger will lecture on the Principles of Flight. Dr. Warren Brown will provide a presentation on the Red Baron. Diversity In Aviation Art Exhibit cash prizes will be awarded for middle school, high school and adult categories.  The Tampa Bay Rays-Street Team partnered with the Museum to give out Rays tickets, set up a batting cage for the children and offered interactive video games to be played throughout the day.   This family-oriented weekend was one of the many events lined up to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the maiden flight of the world’s first commercial airline from St. Petersburg to Tampa in 1914.   This exhibit and promotion were made possible in part by the Pinellas County Cultural Affairs Department and the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau through the Cultural Tourism Grant, Art Education and Outreach Grant. The St. Petersburg Museum of History celebrated Black History Month with three African American authors who lectured and signed their books on February 7th, 2008. The free event was a huge success! Thank you to all of our guests for celebrating Black History Month with the St.Petersburg Museum of History. Featured Authors: Colin Forde, "The Power of a Pregnant Man" Colin was born in London, England, and is well-known for his charismatic, confident, and well-credentialed medical business sales experience. Colin is known by many as a communication scholar. He is currently is completing his Ph.D. in Communication and holds a M.S. degree in Mental Health Counseling and Psychology, and a B.S. in Communicative Disorders. Although he did not appear on Donald Trump’s hit show "The Apprentice," Colin was a top 25 finalist nationwide out of over a million applicants. Other authors scheduled to lecture RV Brown, "Step Up to the Plate Dad" Michael Bryant, "Christians Are Made to Win" Free admission to the Black History Lectures on February 7th included the lectures, snacks, and book signings.  Sponsored in part by Reader’s Choice Book Store, Tangela Murph Bailey and the Tax Lady: Ann Taylor      "Link to the Next Generation"   Link to the Next Generation is an African American women’s exhibit the Museum will be hosting this fall.  Links Inc. is an organization of accomplished dedicated women, who are active in our community. Links members are newsmakers, role models, mentors, activists, and volunteers who work toward the realization of making the name “Links” not only a chain of friendship, but also a chain of purposeful service. Photographs, artifacts and thought provoking text panels will tell the compelling stories of the St. Petersburg Chapter of LINKS Inc. more...       “A Trip Down Memory Lane with Hello Dollies"    The oldest and one of the most popular toys in history, the doll, was celebrated at the “Hello Dollies” Exhibit held from October 2007 through January 2008 at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The exhibit was a treat to doll lovers of all ages. Visitors were able to see dolls on display from all different periods of time, from the old-time Raggedy Ann to the modern Donald Trump doll that says “You’re fired!” Other popular dolls were featured such as Barbie, Chatty Cathy, Tiny Tears, and the memorable Betsy Wetsy. Many celebrity, advertising, career, ethnic, and fashion dolls were on hand, as well as dolls and accessories made from a wide variety of materials such as Porcelain, Wood, Metal, Cloth, Wax, Rubber, and Paper. The exhibit was displayed in the Strum Gallery, at the Museum.    The world’s fascination with dolls dates back to ancient times, when wooden dolls were carved by prehistoric man. Throughout history dolls have been a reflection of the changing times. The Japanese made ornamental dolls in 3000 BC and dolls were found in Egyptian tombs dated 2000 BC. Dolls as toys became popular in the 1800’s and remain one of the best selling toys to this day. A childhood staple, they still are a source of learning and entertainment. They are used for advertising and to indicate current fashion trends.    Interest in dolls is not limited to children. Doll collecting is a worldwide phenomenon. Some adult’s collect for fun and others collect for profit. At any given time one can go to online auctions and bid on thousands of different types of dolls. The evolution of the doll to the action figure opened up doll collecting to the masses. There are doll museums and exhibits all over the world that are attended by people of all ages. Museums in New York, Philadelphia, Paris, London, Prague, Germany, and Japan exist as well as a United Federation of Doll Clubs, which holds national conventions. In Japan there is even an annual Japanese Doll Festival, Hinamatsuri, or “Girls Day” which is celebrated on March 3rd. Collectors conventions are held year round all across the country.    The “Hello Dollies” Exhibit provided a nostalgic journey for adults and a fun-filled history lesson for children.

Mission and Medicine: An Exhibit Exploring the History of St. Anthony's Hospital on Display at the St. Petersburg Museum of History  The St. Petersburg Museum of History is pleased to partner with St. Anthony’s Hospital to present Mission and Medicine an exhibition exploring the history of St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.   The exhibit, on display from March 14 – August 27, 2008 in the museum’s Neighborhood Gallery, spans the 76-year history of St. Anthony’s from its humble beginnings in 1931 and chronicles the progress of the hospital’s health care service to the community through today. Also on display is a photographic retrospective of St. Anthony’s Triathlon in celebration of its 25th anniversary.   When a group of nuns from the Order of St. Francis in Allegany, NY came to Depression-era St. Petersburg to take over a failing hospital they established the first Catholic hospital on the west coast of Florida. Through the Sister’s faith and dedication, they led St. Anthony’s to pioneer many medical “firsts” in the community - including the first blood bank, the first department of nuclear medicine and the first cardiac catheterization- which ensured St. Anthony’s grew and flourished into the modern hospital it is today .   The St. Petersburg Museum of History is located at 335 2nd Avenue North, on the approach to the St. Pete Pier, in downtown St. Petersburg. The museum is open Tuesday-Sat. 10AM-5PM and Sunday 1PM-5PM.  Closed on Mondays beginning March 17th through April 28th. Open on Sundays beginning March 16th through April 27th.  Admission is: $12 Adults, $9 Seniors, $9 College Students with ID, $7 ages 7 to 17 and free to kids age 6 & under, $24 Family of 4 (each additional child $2). Please call (727) 894-1052 or visit www.spmoh.org.     About St. Anthony’s Health Care: St. Anthony’s Health Care is a 395-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany and is the first and only faith-based hospital in Pinellas County. In 1997, St. Anthony’s Health Care became part of BayCare Health System, a joint operating agreement between the Tampa Bay area’s leading not-for-profit hospitals. St. Anthony’s Health Care has a rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care. St. Anthony’s Health Care is comprised of the following health care facilities: St. Anthony’s Hospital, Tyrone Imaging Center and the Carillon Outpatient Center.        “Queen of Hearts, 50 years of Volunteerism" Queen of Hearts, 50 years of Volunteerism is a commemorative exhibit celebrating the organization’s tireless service to the community through charity. Benoist Gallery March 1, 2008 the 50th Queen will be crowned at the 50th Queen of Hearts Ball . The crowns are on display at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, located at 335 Second Avenue NE-St. Petersburg. On January 12, 2008, the Queen of Hearts 50th Anniversary Exhibit  was unveiled to the public. The exhibit will includes royalty items, a history of the past royal courts and recipients of charitable organizations given donations by the Queen of Hearts. This group of dedicated women have donated their time to raise over $1 million dollars to various charities since the ball began. The core committee who initiate this project are : Judy Cunniff, Ginny Battaglia, Karol Bullard, Mary Allen Wyatt and Sparky Paradis.    The St. Petersburg Museum of History, along with the steering committee, is proud to have organized and hosted the Governor Charlie Crist Portrait Unveiling on Saturday, June 23rd at the Museum in front of over 300 patrons. The unveiling was very successful with Governor Crist implying that he was humbled by the Museum’s gesture to unveil his portrait at this point in his political career.   Rutland Bussey, President of the Board stated that “The Governor’s Portrait Unveiling kicked off the continuation of the Museum’s Oral History program which will now be a quarterly event featuring Pinellas County pioneer families.”   The second event, on the same day, was a fundraiser for the Museum. “Barbeque on the Bayou” was held at the Rutland-Farley Mansion and hosted by Phil and Michele Farley.   Thank You to Fast Party Rentals, Lee Roy Selmon and Lee Roy Selmon’s-All American Grill for donating the food for the barbeque, to Easywayit.com (Gino Laitano) for the beautiful memories captured in video and photographs, to Cheap Banners and Signs (Ken and Mary Ann Anderson) for the sponsor signs and to the volunteers, staff, and board members who helped the Museum’s Education and Operations Departments to net nearly $13,000 for ‘Barbeque on the Bayou.”   Special thanks to George Campbell, Ann Taylor, Rutland Bussey,Watson Haynes & Tim Watson (Co-chairs), Michelle Todd (the Governor’s Special Assistant) and the countless volunteers and steering committee members for their hard work on both events.   "Hubert Rutland, Chairman of the Board and President" Exhibit sponsored in part by Regions Morgan Keegan Trust, opened to the public on Saturday, March 17th and is housed in the Strum Gallery.  The VIP party for members and their guests (at the Museum) was held on Friday, March 16th to a sell out crowd.      Click here for more information.

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