Calusa Coast Family Fun Day

Young and “not so young”  visited the Marco Island Historical Museum last weekend to take advantage of the Calusa Coast Family Fun Day. The event was hosted by the volunteers and staff of the Marco Island Historical Museum to give attendees a glimpse of the history of the earliest settlers here on the island.

Many who took advantage of the self-guided tours were visitors to the island and their children. They were thoroughly impressed with the detail surrounding the Indigenous Calusa Exhibit. Parents complemented the educational value of the information and the quality of the displays. The realistic recreations of Calusa natives within the exhibits were especially impressive.

Children were mesmerized by the information being conveyed by their parents as they wandered through the expansive interior of the museum. The new museum was first opened in 2011. It includes the Rose History Auditorium, hosts numerous programs and exhibits, has over 8,100 square feet that attracts over 20,000 visitors annually, and will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year.

Young parents were especially drawn to exhibits showing the Deltona Corporation’s advertising displays from the early 60s, which highlight the selling prices of their model homes in the early years of the Deltona development on the island. It was an interesting comparison against today’s island prices and home sizes.

Nadia Glutting’s daughter, Sofia, was one of those youngsters who took advantage of the open house and showed off her artistic talents as she colored in one of the Calusa paintings and displayed it for all to see.

Visiting relatives on the island from their Carmel, Indiana home, brothers Troy and Cole took advantage of the open house at the museum while their dad and grandmother looked on.

The Marco Island Historical Museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Visit www.themihs.org for more information or call 239-389-6447. More information regarding all Collier County Museums and their programing may be found at www.colliercountymuseums.com.