The Henry B. Plant Museum
About The Henry B. Plant Museum
Located in the south wing of Plant Hall on the University of Tampa campus, the Henry B. Plant Museum is set up as a historic house museum that focuses on Gilded Age tourism in the Tampa Bay area, the luxurious lifestyle of its guests, and its usage during the Spanish–American War. Learn everything about Bush Gardens!
The museum showcases artifacts from its original placement within Plant Hall - formerly known as the Tampa Bay Hotel - built by Henry B. Plant and designed by architect J.A. Wood, also responsible for the Old Hillsborough County Courthouse (1892) in Tampa, Florida, and Oglethorpe Hotel and Mahoney-McGarvey House in Brunswick, Georgia.
The History of Henry B. Plant Museum
In 1888-1891, railroad magnate Henry B. Plant built the Tampa Bay Hotel with a staggering budget of $3 million - making it the premier hotel among the eight that anchored his rail line. At a quarter mile long and 6 acres wide, it boasted 511 rooms and suites complete with electric lighting, telephones and private bathrooms - features unseen by many other hotels at the time whose nightly pricing was notably less than Tampa Bay Hotel's range from $5-$15. The poured-concrete, steel-reinforced structure was advertised as fireproof while its Moorish Revival architecture flaunted six minarets, four cupolas and three domes spanning five stories all trimmed in ornate Victorian Gingerbread - later restored to stainless steel in the early 90s. Its grounds' 150 acres also included a golf course, bowling alley, racetrack, casino and an indoor heated swimming pool among 21 buildings scattered about.
Located in: Plant Hall-Academic and Administrative Building
Address: 401 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33606
Hours
Monday - Closed
Tuesday 10 AM–5 PM
Wednesday 10 AM–5 PM
Thursday 10 AM–5 PM
Friday 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday 10 AM–5 PM
Sunday 12–5 PM
Phone: (813) 254-1891
Architectural style: Moorish Revival architecture
Architect: J. A. Wood
Built: 1888–1891
Area: 4 acres
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