Beaches Museum

09/02/2026

Thank you to our Preservation Sponsors, Katie LeMaster and Family!

09/02/2026

Thank you to our Monument Sponsors at Jax Beach Bait & Tackle! Fishing fanatics, be sure to keep an eye out for their Jax Beach Bait and Tackle Gift Bucket in our silent auction this year 🎣😉

08/31/2026

Thank you to our Monument Sponsors Dianne and John Wagner! We are grateful for their support in making the Gala the best that it can be. Learn more about the Gala and our Beach Legends here: bit.ly/legends2026

08/28/2026

Join us TONIGHT for the opening reception of our latest exhibit--Aspects of Painting: Idea to Oil Canvas, featuring the art of the renowned Susanne Schuenke! Please register at bit.ly/schuenke

Immerse yourself in Susanne Schuenke’s imaginative worlds, where masterfully rendered oil paintings and watercolors invite emotional reflection and intellectual discovery. Using classic techniques and inventive surreal compositions, her work spins lyric narratives on the intersections of philosophy and the abstract. Drawing on a life and career that span the globe, Schuenke’s work connects the observer with the intrinsic beauty dwelling in colors and forms, inviting quiet contemplation of enduring social, cultural, and existential themes.

08/28/2026

Thank you to Proctor, both Preservation Sponsors and Legends at this year's Beach Legends Gala! Learn more about the Gala at bit.ly/legends2026

Founded in 1936, Proctor ACE Hardware is a fourth-generation, family-owned business with longstanding roots in Northeast Florida. Operating three Jacksonville-area locations, the company has earned a reputation for exceptional customer service, innovative retail practices, and steady growth over nearly 90 years.

Led by members of the Proctor family, including Steve, Joe, and Lizz Proctor, the business has remained deeply committed to community involvement alongside its commercial success. Proctor Ace Hardware supports numerous local initiatives, including Habitat for Humanity, community gardens, youth sports programs, and regional charitable campaigns. The company has also emphasized environmentally responsible business practices and neighborhood engagement.

08/27/2026

Thank you to for the coverage of our upcoming Beaches Book Day! Check out the article linked below to learn a bit about the featured authors and their work!

Whether you're a long-time resident, history enthusiast, educator, or simply curious about the area's past, the event offers a unique opportunity to connect with the people preserving and sharing the Beaches' history.

08/27/2026

On August 27, 1931 the DO-X made a 10 month trip around the world!

The DO-X was the largest plane to ever fly at that time. It could carry 150 passengers and a 10 man crew. It had 3 different levels and was nicknamed "The Flying Boat."
The DO-X had 12 engines and weighed 52 tons. The 12 engines were 600 horsepower Curtiss Conquerer V12 water cooled engines.

Unfortunately the plane had difficulty reaching altitudes above 1,600 feet and proved to be impractical because of constant engine trouble.

Two more DO-X's were built by Dornier for the Italian government in 1931- these had 12 550 horsepower Fiat engines. They proved unsuccessful and both planes were junked before ever being flown.

Photos showing the DO-X were taken by Orion P. Likins Jr. and William Elsner Sr in Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach.

08/26/2026

Thank you to Edna Dickinson, our Landmark Sponsor of this year's Beach Legends Gala. Her sponsorship is made in memory of the late Maxwell Dickinson.

08/26/2026

Our next featured author is Maggie Fitzroy, co-author of two Images of America titles in cooperation with the Beaches Museum! She will be presenting on Images of America: Ponte Vedra. The book will be available for sale and signings. Read the blurb below:

People from all walks of life have delighted in the natural beauty of Ponte Vedra. Miners who came to dig minerals out of the beach sand were the first to visually capture its history, and left behind a rich trove of photographs. Those who followed recorded their own history in photographs, and the charm and character of the land is evident in the images that fill this book.

Maggie FitzRoy is a former Florida Times-Union journalist and co-author with the Beaches Museum of two Images of America titles. Her website is www.maggiefitzroy.com.