Lake Wales History Museum

10/03/2026

🍊 Have you booked your hotel for Pioneer Days? 💤 🍊

We have some special offers for you! If you take advantage of our local accommodations at the Holiday Inn Express Lake Wales and Resort at Canopy Oaks, you can enjoy your Pioneer Days weekend for less!

See our newsletter:

Book Your Pioneer Days Hotels with our Special Rates! Valid at Holiday Inn Express and Resort at Canopy Oaks.

09/25/2026

Our very own Executive Director Tish at the 40th Anniversary of the Florida Association of Museums conference! Just in time for our 50th year anniversary of the museum!

Tish is bringing a fresh new spin to the spirit of the museum, given her three decades of leadership experience in cultural, fundraising, and community engagement. She was a champion for our organization at the conference 🏛️

09/04/2026

RSVP if you can but not required: [email protected].

09/02/2026

When you "flipped" your calendar yesterday to September did you get goose bumps? We did! Pioneer Days is NEXT MONTH! Gearing up for a great event.

08/23/2026

Haven't nominated your favorite "Pioneer" yet? No worries! There's still time - deadline is September 18.

08/14/2026

Looking forward to hearing from you!

07/22/2026

We're excited to welcome Tish Sheesley as the new Executive Director of the Lake Wales History Museum! With more than 30 years of experience leading museums and nonprofit organizations, Tish brings extensive expertise in fundraising, community engagement, strategic planning, and museum operations. Her passion for preserving local history and creating meaningful connections within the community makes her an excellent fit for the museum.

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary and look toward the future, we are excited for the opportunities ahead under Tish's leadership. We look forward to continuing to preserve, share, and celebrate the stories that make Lake Wales special while building on the strong foundation that has been established over the past five decades. Please join us in welcoming Tish to the Lake Wales History Museum family!

07/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for our 50th Anniversary Celebration! ❤️🤍💙

We are honored to share our birthday with the nation and are grateful that so many of you chose to celebrate this special milestone with us. Whether you're a longtime supporter or a first-time visitor, your presence helped make the day truly memorable.

Thank you to everyone who enjoyed the festivities, participated in the rededication ceremony, toured the Mimi Hardman Collections & Research Center, and helped us celebrate five decades of preserving and sharing the stories that make Lake Wales unique.

We are deeply thankful for the volunteers, donors, board members, staff, partners, and community members who have supported the museum over the past 50 years. Because of you, Lake Wales history continues to be preserved and shared for future generations.

As we celebrate the past 50 years, we look forward to continuing to preserve and share Lake Wales history while creating new memories for generations to come. Thank you for being part of our story.

Here's to the next 50 years and beyond!

Photos courtesy of the City of Lake Wales and the Lake Wales History Museum.

07/04/2026

Happy Birthday to us! 🎉

Lake Wales History Museum's 50th Anniversary Celebration!

🚧 Please note the museum parking lot will be closed during the celebration. Please park along the train tracks and in nearby public parking areas.

Join us from 12:00 to 3:00 pm for a patriotic afternoon featuring free hot dogs, birthday cake, music, games, a mayoral proclamation, and more as we celebrate 50 years of preserving Lake Wales history!

Thank you for helping us make this milestone celebration a success!

07/03/2026

Tomorrow’s the day… we're turning 50!

❤️🤍💙

Join us for an afternoon of history, hometown pride, patriotic fun, and a birthday celebration as we mark the Lake Wales History Museum's 50th Anniversary!

FREE hot dogs, punch, DJ, birthday cake (1 pm), games, and family fun!

⭐ 1:00 PM – Mayoral Proclamation & Rededication Ceremony
⭐ 2:00 PM – Tour of the Mimi Hardman Collections & Research Center

Saturday, July 4 | 12:00 – 3:00 pm

Bring your friends, bring your family, and help us celebrate 50 years of preserving and sharing Lake Wales history!