Whether you want to learn about your home, research a topic for a book, explore information on the City’s founders, or just spend some time immersed in St. Pete History, our archival library is the place for you!
As the chief repository for the City of St. Petersburg, our archival library has an extensive collection of photographs, maps, historical documents, and ephemera highlighting St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Florida history. Our archives are currently open by appointment only.
The Museum also houses family and civic group collections including:
John C. Blocker
William L. Straub
Mary Wheeler Eaton
Lynn Freidt
Norman E. Jones
Scott Taylor Hartzel
Women’s Town Improvement Association
John Bethel
John Williams
The W.F. Smith Civil War Collection
Hubert Rutland
Kids and Kubs
The Margaret Blocker Bartlett Papers
Archives Research
Since 1922, the St. Petersburg Museum of History has been collecting both rare and common materials relating to life in Florida, specifically St. Petersburg and the Pinellas peninsula. Today, the Collections contain over 50,000 objects and the Archives comprises over 25,000 photographs, books, maps, and other ephemera. The following resources are just an example of those available to the general public:
Archives admission allows entry to the Archival Library, as well as limited direction/assistance from a staff member.
Staff-Performed Research
Research can be performed by a staff member for the fee of $35/hr for non-Museum members and $25/hr for Museum members and students. These fees apply to in-person research which requires the staff member’s dedicated attention.
To make a research request, please contact Jess Steere by email at jess@historystpete.org or by phone at (727) 894-1052 x202, or by completing the form by clicking the button below.
Archives admission allows entry to the Archival Library, as well as limited direction/assistance from a staff member.
The Museum of History provides research for Neighborhood Associations and can produce a digital or printed presentation on the history of the neighborhood. Aerial photos, plat maps, home images, and more can be compiled.
Donate to the Museum’s Collection & Archives
The Museum seeks to collect items relating the history of St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay region, and Florida. We are looking for photographs, maps, documents, objects, artifacts and family history documents.
The Museum seeks to be inclusive in its collecting practices, acquiring artifacts that represent all groups of people that have lived or worked in Florida, or had other connections to the region. Common, everyday items are collected, as well as rare, valuable items. While the Museum prefers items with a documented Florida connection, this is a guideline, not a restraint. The Museum will also consider the donation of an artifact that is typical of an item used within the state, especially if the artifact is in prime condition.
Donation Wish List
While all historic donations are desired and valued, the Museum is currently interested in any objects, photographs, or documents relating to everyday life, important figures and organizations, significant events, oral histories, and more relating to the following subjects:
Pre-Columbian History
Spanish Colonial Florida
Black History
Women’s History
General St. Pete History in the 1980s – 2010s
How to Donate
Any objects, photographs, and/or documents can be accepted at the Front Desk during the Museum’s operating hours. The Museum also accepts donations through the mail and can be picked up on certain occasions.
