Henry B. Plant Museum
If you’ve never been to the University of Tampa campus, here’s a good excuse to go. In addition to the school, the historic building is also home to The Henry B. Plant Museum, which has an interesting exhibit called Mementos from under the Minarets.
The Hotel was built in 1891 and covers six acres. H. B. Plant financed the entire cost of $2,500,000 in addition to the $500,000 to furnish it. That’s an amazing sum for the time. The grounds are also beautifully landscaped and make a nice destination for a picnic by the Hillsborough River.
From the museum site:
Mementos from under the Minarets showcases rare souvenirs, trinkets, remembrances and memorabilia featuring the Hotel and explores letters and collectibles from well-known quests such as Frederick Remington, Clara Barton and Richard Harding Davis. Museum quests hear excerpts from historic postcards and letters and view antique photographs of the Hotel from a stereoscope. The time period spans 1891 through 1932, when the Hotel closed its doors.
The exhibit opened March 16 and runs until December 31, 2008.
