Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens — Attraction in Winter Park

Small exhibit. Only 2 indoor rooms. Other house and chapel only able to be seen if no private event and if you catch a docent led tour. We did not catch one. Was told at door that we could see 'entire gardens' even though a wedding was in the house. We were on the dock and were walking back up a pathway and a Polasek staff person woman with a sun umbrella that was working FOR Polasek for the wedding came and yelled at us for crossing the barricade sign (private party). We never crossed a barricade sign. The sign was put up after we already were further down the path and on the dock. We would not have been able to cross the sign with our in laws as they would not be able to climb around it. We told her the sign was not up when we entered that area and she insisted we crossed it and was mad at us. I apologized even though it was not our fault and she continued to act accusatory (so much for getting to see all the gardens like they promised when we paid our $23 to get in.) We walked away and then heard her yelling at another couple who were behind us for the same thing. They told here the sign was not there when they entered the path to the dock either and she did not believe them and was very very rude to them. They were visually very upset by her treatment. Our visit ended abruptly and was no more than 15 minutes long. I would have given the tiny 2 room museum and pretty garden 3 stars if it were not for the staff person ruining our visit. (only 3 stars because of such limitations during weddings, special events and overall size of exhibit.) I also would have appreciated an honest answer about whether we would get to see the entire garden BEFORE I paid the admission for 5 people. I would have come back another day instead of paying for a partial visit. I am a retired museum curator/director and would be appalled if I knew a representative of the museum was treating guests like this. She should be relieved of working with people. First and last visit for us on...

As soon as we pulled in, one of the employees very rudely directed us toward a grassy area, in direct contradiction to the signage. Once we were in, and paid the ten dollars per person to see the VERY sparce indoor museum with subpar art, we stepped outside into the "gardens" which were essentially a backyard. The statues are in terrible condition, lots of corrosion on the bronze, and are unimpressive to begin with. Any catholic church has better sculptures, and you are indoors and you don't have to pay ten dollars. We saw signage indicating a private event, but it was confusing to know which parts were blocked off. We headed toward the house on the right side of the grounds, only to be yelled at by yet another employee, being rudely informed that this was where the private event took place. Overall, a couple tips: if half of your grounds are closed off, your prices should reflect that. I paid $10 for half an attraction. Also, hire less condescending staff members. This is Winter Park, not the louvre. And finally, for people considering going, pull up another tab, Google "sculptures", and walk outside to your backyard. It's free, feels basically the same, and there are no rude employees...

I have driven by this place countless times and always thought, "I need to go check that place out one day." I finally did. Fortunately my family and I got in free with our Leu Gardens membership. We did not do a tour of the home. In the gallery there was a display of paintings, carvings, basket weaving and beadwork from Micronesia. There are restrooms in this main gallery building. We were interested in seeing the sculptures of Albin Polasek in the garden. The garden is very nice, overlooking Lake Osceola with sculptures dotted around the property. There is a dock you can walk out on. Be careful if you have young children with you, because they could easily fall in the lake from this dock. The sculptures in the garden are beautiful. There are picnic tables, so plan ahead and bring your lunch on a nice weather day. The only complaint I have and the reason I didn't give 5 stars is that you can see everything here in 30 minutes or less, without doing the home tour. We will have to return one day to go on the home tour. If you have a membership to Leu Gardens, you can get in free here, so take...