Historic Pensacola Village
History buffs, as well as those who appreciate delightful architecture, will love this retro-fabulous old-school village, comparable to Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg. Bounded by Church, Zaragoza, Jefferson, Tarragona, and Adams streets, this original part of Pensacola resembles a shady English colonial town -- albeit with Spanish street names -- complete with town green and its own Christ Church, built in 1832. Some of Florida's oldest homes, now owned and preserved by the state, are here, and the village is in the heart of the broader historic district, home to charming boutiques and interesting restaurants.
Start your visit by buying tickets at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza St., just east of Tarragona Street and one street above the Port of Pensacola, where you can get free maps and brochures. Try to take one of the 90-minute guided walking tours, which will lead you through buildings not otherwise open to the public: the French Creole-style 1805 Charles Lavalle House, the Victorian 1871 Dorr House, Old Christ Church, and the 1890 Lear-Rocheblave House. Tours are given Tuesday through Saturday at 11am and 1:30pm. Among the landmarks you can self-guide through with your ticket are the Museum of Industry, the Museum of Commerce, and the Manuel Barrios Cottage, all interpreting Pensacola from the late 1800s through the Roaring Twenties. The 1805 Julee Cottage displays an African-American heritage exhibit, telling the story of the African-American experience in Pensacola from Spanish exploration to the reconstruction periods.
Don't miss the T. T. Wentworth, Jr., Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. (tel. 850/595-5985), a 1907 Renaissance Revival building originally built on Plaza Ferdinand as the city hall. It is open to the public for free as a local history museum, displaying exhibits of regional and Pensacola history.
General admission provides entrance to the Pensacola Museum of Art, the Pensacola Museum of History, the Pensacola Children's Museum, and the museums of Historic Pensacola Village for seven days from the date of use. The Pensacola Museum of History, the Pensacola Children's Museum, and the Pensacola Museum of Art are the only museums open on Sundays from noon to 4pm with two ticketing options: a full 7-day ticket or a Sunday only ticket, which is half priced.
History buffs, as well as those who appreciate delightful architecture, will love this retro-fabulous old-school village, comparable to Virginia's Colonial Williamsburg. Bounded by Church, Zaragoza, Jefferson, Tarragona, and Adams streets, this original part of Pensacola resembles a shady English colonial town -- albeit with Spanish street names -- complete with town green and its own Christ Church, built in 1832. Some of Florida's oldest homes, now owned and preserved by the state, are here, and the village is in the heart of the broader historic district, home to charming boutiques and interesting restaurants.
Start your visit by buying tickets at Tivoli High House, 205 E. Zaragoza St., just east of Tarragona Street and one street above the Port of Pensacola, where you can get free maps and brochures. Try to take one of the 90-minute guided walking tours, which will lead you through buildings not otherwise open to the public: the French Creole-style 1805 Charles Lavalle House, the Victorian 1871 Dorr House, Old Christ Church, and the 1890 Lear-Rocheblave House. Tours are given Tuesday through Saturday at 11am and 1:30pm. Among the landmarks you can self-guide through with your ticket are the Museum of Industry, the Museum of Commerce, and the Manuel Barrios Cottage, all interpreting Pensacola from the late 1800s through the Roaring Twenties. The 1805 Julee Cottage displays an African-American heritage exhibit, telling the story of the African-American experience in Pensacola from Spanish exploration to the reconstruction periods.
Don't miss the T. T. Wentworth, Jr., Florida State Museum, 330 S. Jefferson St. (tel. 850/595-5985), a 1907 Renaissance Revival building originally built on Plaza Ferdinand as the city hall. It is open to the public for free as a local history museum, displaying exhibits of regional and Pensacola history.
General admission provides entrance to the Pensacola Museum of Art, the Pensacola Museum of History, the Pensacola Children's Museum, and the museums of Historic Pensacola Village for seven days from the date of use. The Pensacola Museum of History, the Pensacola Children's Museum, and the Pensacola Museum of Art are the only museums open on Sundays from noon to 4pm with two ticketing options: a full 7-day ticket or a Sunday only ticket, which is half priced.
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