The Collection On Palmetto Foundation — Attraction in Clearwater

A labor of love for the family that owns this collection. I did not expect to arrive at a beautifully landscaped site. The building is airy and has huge overhangs to protect the machinery on display. Inside is a living history of the automobile from the beginning to the 1930's. I am a car guy and had found care new to me. The explanations are a bit light on info, but more details are smart phone accessible.

Steam is an important thread to this collection. There is a large steam automobile representation, brands I never knew about. Outside under the overhang is a collection of industrial engines. They all run and are often demonstrated. The steam is now compressed air so everything is clean, neat, and safety fenced. There is mechanical poetry watching these machines that powered mills and factories.

There is also, circling the property, a ride on miniature railroad. It is inspired by the Orange Belt RR. The first RR to St Pete.

They have a...

First of all, the landscape outside of the building is beautiful with a big pond on your left when you enter. The building is air conditioned, brightly lit, and feels so clean. The cars are in great condition and a lovely gentleman, a volunteer, periodically checked in with us and gave us so much information about the cars and the history of the companies, the engines, and so much more! He did not hover or rush and allowed us to enjoy the atmosphere. They have a small video playing with the bus system in California which was interesting to watch. We even got to honk one of the horns (definitely not what I thought it would sound like). The train runs on Tuesdays and we had arrived on Wednesday, which was fine, but they were slow and so hospitable that they even started up the train for us. It goes around the property and under the trees. You can also walk the property and enjoy their gazebo up front. It was a...

This museum has a fascinating collection of early automobiles from the late 1800s to about 1950. The emphasis is on the brass era of automobiles. However, it includes early electric cars and many versions of steam engines. The best part of the outing was the enthusiasm of Laura, the program director, who gave us a guided tour. A member of Laura's family owns the car collection, and learning about the provenance and technical aspects of the autos in the collection is more than a family hobby; it seems to be a vocation. I visited the Collection on Palmetto with a group of lifelong learners as part of a series of museum visits. Most of our group members are avid county museum-goers; some hadn't heard of this hidden gem, precisely as many members described it. As one participant commented: The Collection on Palmetto staff was amicable, accommodating, and...