The Historic Pensacola Village is a collection of 22 historical buildings and museums owned and operated by the University of West Florida (UWF). The museum complex is open for visitors Monday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission is purchased for a week, and includes access to the entire Village and the T.T. Wentworth Museum. It includes a guided tour of several historical buildings. These buildings can be entered by visitors only during the tour. Members receive free admission for one year.
The Village is located in downtown Pensacola, Florida, situated between Plaza Ferdinand VII and Seville Square. Parking is available behind the T.T. Wentworth Museum, based in the former City Hall.
The museum complex is largely run by a small UWF staff, some paid UWF students, and many volunteers. Due to funding issues, the Village was acquired by the University of West Florida in 2001. Before that, its funding came from the Florida’s Department of State. The complex is now technically owned by “West Florida Historical Preservation, Inc.,” a “support organization for the University of West Florida.”
The organization is largely based upon the donation of T.T. Wentworth’s large historical collection to the state of Florida, and the establishment of an organization dedicated to Historic Preservation that developed because of Wentworth’s generosity. 11
Certain buildings can be rented out for special occasions. In particular, Old Christ Church is popular for weddings, and the Museum of Commerce is popular for events and receptions.
The buildings in the complex include:
- T.T. Wentworth Jr. Florida State Museum
- Bowden Building (classrooms and administrative offices)
- Museum of Commerce
- Museum of Industry
- Historic Pensacola’s Tivoli High House (ticket and information center)
- Weaver’s Cottage
- Julee Cottage
- Lavalle House
- Lear-Rocheblave House
- Old Christ Church
- Dorr House (UWF President’s residence)
- Pensacola Children’s Museum – hands-on exploration of Pensacola’s colonial history on the first floor, local history exhibits for adults and children on the second floor
For more information visit: www.historicpensacola.org