07.25.2023

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77º | Light thunderstorms and rain | 90% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:20 a.m. | Sunset 5:49 p.m.

The story of us

Museums in Lakeland

The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art features both world-renowned artists and local students. | Photo by @agbmuseum

Museums are the cultural hubs of Lakeland. Whether you’re looking to learn something new about Swan City or plotting a way to spend your Saturday afternoon, here are nine museums to visit in and around Lakeland.

Arts and architecture

Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Free
See rotating and permanent exhibits featuring mediums from paintings and photography to quilts and pottery. You can also take gallery tours with docents, Florida Southern College students, or the museum’s curator.

Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, 840 Johnson Ave., Lakeland | $5-$125
Florida Southern College is the world’s largest single-site collection of works designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Take a self-guided or in-depth tour of his structures, or see photographs and drawings in the Sharp Family Tourism and Education Center.

History

Lakeland History & Culture Center, 100 Lake Morton Dr., Lakeland | Free
Visit this center inside the Lakeland Public Library’s Main Branch to learn about our city’s past through interactive displays. The current exhibit, “Ties That Bind,” covers the city’s beginning from 1880-1925.

Polk County History Center, 100 E. Main St., Bartow | Free
Our county’s history extends far past its creation in the 1800s. The History Center displays artifacts like a Paleoindian canoe from 1,500 years ago.

Blinky the alligator playground — Find this 100-ft Blinky playground at Florida Children’s Museum.
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Photo by @lkldlense

Kids

Florida Children’s Museum, 600 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | $15
Children of all ages can explore this 47,800-sqft facility packed with interactive exhibits. The daily schedule also includes activities like STEM challenges and storytimes.

Florida Air Museum, 4075 James C. Ray Dr., Lakeland | $10-$15
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the collection of airplanes from Florida’s long aviation history, and kids will love the family-friendly Discovery Zone.

3 more museums

Asked

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B. No

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Events

Tuesday, July 25

Story Time at the Florida Air Museum | Tuesday, July 25 | 10-11 a.m. | Florida Air Museum, 4175 Medulla Rd., Lakeland | Free | Junior ACEs ages 2-5 can hear a story and take part in an interactive learning experience.
Music Bingo, Fun Run & Bad Dog BBQ | Tuesday, July 25 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Join a fun run at 5:30 p.m., music bingo at 6:30 p.m., or just enjoy drinks and food on the patio.

Wednesday, July 26

Kids Class! — Wednesday on a Wednesday | Wednesday, July 26 | 1:30-3 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $29 | Young artists can create a painting inspired by Wednesday Addams.
Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, July 26 | 5-10 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Boot scoot boogie on down to Union Hall for free line dancing lessons followed by karaoke at 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 27

Yogadance | Thursday, July 27 | 4-5 p.m. | Lake Crago Outdoor Recreation Complex, 525 Lake Crago Dr., Lakeland | $5 | Dance to music from around the world in this uplifting exercise class for all levels.

Saturday, July 29

Curiouser and Curiouser | Saturday, July 29 | 9 p.m.-2 a.m. | Rec Room, 202 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland | $12-$20 | Fall down the rabbit hole at this “Alice in Wonderland"-themed speakeasy event featuring craft cocktails and performances by Moxie La Femme.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Drink

Upgrade your coffee routine with these brands

One of our favorites: Methodical Coffee, perfect for those looking for complex and original flavor profiles. | Photo via Methodical Coffee + Six & Main

Put down the chain coffee and cozy up to these thoughtfully crafted coffee brands. Plus, get 20% off your first purchase.

Stop and smell the roses: Methodical Coffee’s Pink Lady

Tastes bright and chocolatey

Fuel your creative fire: Blanchard’s Midnight Oil

Tastes dark and sweet

Revitalize your whole body: a|dash’s Ashwagandha-Infused Cold Brew

Tastes smooth and earthy

Invite quiet focus: Loveland Coffee’s Guatemala Decaf K-Cups

Tastes full-bodied and caramelly

Shop all Six & Main coffee

News Notes

Opening

The Polk County Clerk will reopen its Lakeland office (930 E. Parker St.) on Tuesday, Aug. 1. The office has been closed since May due to staffing shortages. Learn what services the Clerk offers. (The Ledger)

Edu

Dr. Randy K. Avent announced yesterday that he will retire as Florida Polytechnic University’s president in July 2024 after 10 years in the role. He plans to rejoin the school’s faculty after taking a sabbatical.

Development

Developers are eyeing a December opening date for Circuit Florida, a luxury resort with a private racetrack in Auburndale. The resort will include a 1.7-mile circuit racetrack, 75 townhome condos, and a clubhouse with a restaurant, cigar lounge, and more. It will be Florida’s third private racing facility. (The Ledger)

Number

130. That’s how many years it’s been since Little Flock Church was established. The church moved to its current location at 16891 Rockridge Rd., Polk City in 1906. Members will celebrate the church’s anniversary with a service and dinner on Saturday, July 29 at 5 p.m. (LkldNow)

Sports

Polk State College head basketball coach Brandon Giles recently traveled to the Bahamas to share his love of the game with students. Over 100 kids joined to learn new skills at his No Limits Basketball/Recruitment Camp. (The Ledger)

Film

Filmmakers will screen the documentary “Protect Our Paradise: Our Growth” at Grove Roots Brewing Co. (302 3rd St. SW, Winter Haven) on Friday, July 28 at 7 p.m. RSVP to the free event to meet the creative team and watch the series’ first episode about Polk County’s growth.

Learn

This fall, Catapult + Southeastern University are collaborating to launch a new, innovative course for hands-on learning. Students will use tools in Catapult’s Makerspace (think: 3D printing + CNC machines) and connect with local experts to grow their technical knowledge. Get a sneak peek of the class.*

Finance

A card so good, even The Ascent’s credit card experts couldn’t resist applying for it. It’s an absolute slam-dunk if you’re looking for a one-card wallet: Big sign-up bonus, up to 5% cash back, no annual fee… the list goes on.*

Community

What’s on your calendar?

How to navigate our community events page

Shoppers at vendor tents set up on downtown street

Whatever your event, we want to know about it. | Photo by @sarahmaephotography

August will begin one week from today. You can add your own events to our comprehensive events calendar for next month and beyond. Here’s how:

Click or tap the “Add Event” calendar button, create a login, and input your event information. We need the name, date(s), time(s), location, price, and a brief description for each event, plus a link to more information.

Bonus: You can always upload events for free, or choose a paid option to guarantee that it’s listed in our newsletter. Review our promotional offerings before clicking “submit.”

How to find your next event

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Connor

From the editor

Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday has begun and runs through Sunday, Aug. 6. If you don’t have students to shop for, don’t forget that there are several others happening now as well. Recreational items and experiences — including museum admission — are tax-free through Monday, Sept. 4.

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