Henry B. Plant Museum

The Henry B. Plant Museum (Plant Museum) is housed in the south wing of Plant Hall on the University of Tampa's campus, located at 401 West Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa Florida. Plant Hall was originally built by Henry B. Plant as the Tampa Bay Hotel; a 511-room resort-style hotel that opened on February 5, 1891 near the terminus of the Plant System rail line, also forged and owned by Plant. The Plant Museum's exhibits focus on historical Gilded Age tourism in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, the elite lifestyle of the hotel's guests, and the Tampa Bay Hotel's use during the Spanish–American War. As such, the Plant Museum is set up in the Historic House Museum style. Exhibits display artifacts in a manner that reflects the original placement and usage within the related historic building.
The Tampa Bay Hotel was designed by architect J.A. Wood, who also designed the Old Hillsborough County Courthouse in 1892 in Tampa, Florida, as well as the Oglethorpe Hotel and the Mahoney-McGarvey House in Brunswick, Georgia.
Accreditation, Awards, Registrations.
The Plant Museum is listed as an Accredited Museum and a Core Documents Verified Museum by the American Alliance of Museums.
On April 18, 2012, the American Institute of Architects' Florida Chapter placed University of Tampa's Plant Hall on its list of "Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places".
The Henry B. Plant Museum through University of Tampa's Plant Hall was placed on the as a U.S. National Historic Landmark, designated as such on December 5, 1972 under the name of the Tampa Bay Hotel.
Visiting.
The Henry B. Plant Museum is open six days a week except for major holidays. Tuesday through Saturday the museum is open 10:00am – 5:00pm, and on Sundays 12:00pm – 5:00pm. Henry B. Plant Museums is closed on Mondays. On open days, visitors are granted admission up until 4:30pm. Cost for admission is $10.00 for adults, $7.00 for Seniors, $7.00 for Students (with ID), and $5.00 for children ages 5–12. Children under 4 are admitted free with a parent or guardian. Minimal parking is available directly in front of the museum's entrance and if these are full there is also free parking located at the Thomas Parking Garage, which is a five minute walk from the University of Tampa campus. The Plant Museum also provides self-guided audio tours in English and Spanish, as well as large-print transcripts upon request. Informational brochures and orientation DVDs are also available in English, Spanish, French, and German.
For those with disabilities there are designated parking spots by ramps at the north end of Plant Hall where the museums is located and the museum is wheelchair accessible. White glove tours are available upon request to blind and partially sighted visitors. Service animals are welcome, while emotional support animals are not. For any inquiries related to accessibility for those with disabilities it is advised to contact the museums accessibility coordinator whose information can be found on the museum's website.
History.
Tampa Bay Hotel.
The Tampa Bay Hotel was built by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant between 1888 and 1891. The construction cost over $3 million. The Tampa Bay Hotel was considered the premier hotel of the eight that Plant built to anchor his rail line. The hotel itself covers and is a quarter-mile long. The Tampa Bay Hotel was equipped with the first elevator ever installed in Florida, and the elevator is still functional today, making it one of the oldest continually operational elevators in the nation. The 511 rooms and suites were the first in Florida to have electric lighting and telephones. Most rooms also included private bathrooms, complete with a full-size tub. Room Pricing ranged from $5.00 to $15.00 a night at a time when the average hotel in Tampa charged $1.25 to $2.00. The poured-concrete, steel-reinforced structure of the building was advertised as fireproof.
The grounds of the hotel spanned and included a golf course, bowling alley, racetrack, casino and an indoor heated swimming pool. In all, 21 buildings could be found on the hotel's grounds. The Moorish Revival architectural theme was selected by Plant for its exotic European appeal to the widely traveled Victorians who would be his primary customers. The hotel has six minarets, four cupolas, and three domes spanning five stories all trimmed in ornate Victorian Gingerbread. In the early 1990s, all were restored to their original stainless steel state.
From 1889 to 1891 Plant scoured Europe collecting lavish objects to decorate the hotel in grandeur. Art arrived "by the trainload". Despite the immense size of the hotel, the purchases Plant made overflowed the space and the surplus had to be disposed of at auction. Much of the original art and furnishings have been removed, but the wing in Plant Hall conserved as the Henry B. Plant Museum contains "a bewildering assortment of rococo bronzes, furniture, clocks, tapestries, paintings, and vases, one vase being a gift from the Emperor of Japan."
During the Tampa Bay Hotel's operating period from 1891 to 1930, it housed thousands of guests, including hundreds of celebrities and political figures. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Plant convinced the United States military to use his hotel as a base of operations. Generals and high-ranking officers stayed in the hotel to plan invasion strategies, while enlisted men encamped on the hotel's acreage. Colonel Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were also stationed at the hotel during this time. Roosevelt retained a suite and during the day led his men in battle exercises on the grounds. Other notable visitors of the Tampa Bay Hotel included Sarah Bernhardt, Clara Barton, Stephen Crane, the Queen of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales, Winston Churchill, and Ignacy Paderewski. Babe Ruth was also a guest of the hotel during its latter days and signed his first baseball contract in the Grand Dining Room. In 1919, Ruth hit his longest home run during a spring training game at Plant Field, adjacent to the hotel.
Closing and Renewal.
The Tampa Bay Hotel officially closed its doors in 1930 as the Great Depression severely curtailed tourism. The hotel remained empty and unused for three years. On August 2, 1933, the Tampa Bay Junior College was granted permission to move into the hotel, using the rooms that were once suites as classrooms, laboratories, and administration offices, and due to the large amount of space afforded by the hotel, the scope of the junior college was expanded, becoming the University of Tampa. The Tampa Municipal Museum was established by the city to preserve the hotel in its original form and co-exist with the newly established University. In 1941, the city of Tampa signed a 99-year lease with the University of Tampa for $1.00 a year. The lease excluded the southeast wing of the building to allow for the housing of the museum. In 1974, the Tampa Municipal Museum was renamed the Henry B. Plant Museum.
Recent.
Today, besides serving as offices, laboratories, and classrooms for the University of Tampa, the entire south wing of Plant Hall is dedicated to preserving the opulence of the historic Tampa Bay Hotel. Various rooms in the wing display authentic artifacts from the old hotel, many of which were purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Plant themselves on various European shopping trips. These displays utilize the Historic House Museum method and depict suites, dining, war-life, Victorian activities, and more with exhibits displaying artifacts laid out awaiting their Victorian users return. The Plant Museum offers the option to book guided tours with a docent, as well as self-guided audio tours and a video entitled "The Tampa Bay Hotel: Florida's First Magic Kingdom", all to showcase a life of leisure in historic Florida.
Programs for Lifelong Learning.
"First Friday" (canceled presently due to COVID-19) occurs every first Friday of the month between January and November. From 5pm - 7pm the museum opens with free admission and a treat tasting table. Live music is also played during this event on the front veranda by Matt Weihmuller’s Jazz Trio. Docent-led tours begin at 5:15pm.
"Music in the Museum" is a live classical music performance of violin, harp, or guitar that takes place on the third Thursday of every month at 11am (included in admission fee) to memorialize the live music that was so much a part of the Tampa Bay Hotel.
"Fourth Friday" (canceled presently due to COVID-19). The Henry B. Plant Museum participates in Tampa's Fourth Friday celebration for promoting cultural venues by offering freed admission from 4pm-5pm.
"Sunday Tour" (canceled presently due to COVID-19) guided tours offered by docents followed by the Upstairs/Downstairs theatre performance - September - May (excluding December).
"Upstairs/Downstairs at the Tampa Bay Hotel" occurs every Sunday at 2pm where single-character performances take place to transport visitors back in time through discussing their experiences in the hotel. Characters are based either wholly or in part on actual guests or staff of the hotel. Performances include: Arthur Schleman - Hunting and Fishing Guide - 1895, Pauline Smith - Telegraph Operator - 1913, Otis Freedman - "The Bishop" Head Waiter - 1905, Maggie Stroud - Laundress - 1920, Edith Roosevelt - Guest and First Lady - 1901, Henry A. Dobson - Spanish-American War Soldier - 1898, Theodore Roosevelt - former Lieutenant Colonel of the Rough Riders - 1900, & Henry Bradley Plant - Plant System President and Tampa Bay Hotel Founder - 1899. (Due to COVID this event is livestreamed on Facebook or Zoom).
"Picnic in the Park" is a program where adults and families can relax in the garden or try their hand at Victorian games, such as horseshoes, badminton, and croquet. Models are present in traditional Victorian costumes and there is live entertainment on the Center Stage. This is a part of the "Upstairs/Downstairs" live theatre program that teaches visitors about the early years of the Tampa Bay Hotel.
"Victorian Christmas Stroll" on November 21 through December 31 from 10:00am – 5:00pm visitors can witness Victorian Christmas through a walk in the museum and gardens.
"The Great Gatsby Party" is hosted annually in the Fletcher Lounge as a 1920's speakeasy featuring live period music, open bar, food, games of chance, and vintage 1929 Bentley photo-ops.
"An Eerie Evening at the Tampa Bay Hotel" is held in October where visitors can tour the museum by moonlight and hear spooky stories from a bygone era.
The Henry B. Plant Museum is a "Blue Star Museum" member providing free admission to active duty U.S. military and up to 5 of their family members from Memorial Day through Labor Day in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and over 2,000 museums nationwide.
The Plant Museum occasionally holds antiques evaluations, similar to those done on Antiques Roadshow.
Special exhibitions.
The museum also hosts special exhibitions outside of their permanent collection. Recent past exhibits included "The Sportin' Life" from March 21, 2020 - February 21, 2021 where sporting and activities during the Gilded Age were displayed, including Babe Ruth signed baseballs, assorted swimming suits, golf equipment, and racing paraphernalia. Other notable exhibits included "Imperial Designs: From the Habsburg’s Herend to the Romanov’s Fabergé" and "Red Cross Nursing and the War of 1898". In 2015, the Plant Museum hosted "Passionate Design: The American Arts & Crafts Movement", a special exhibition of material from the collection of the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, now complete as of 2020 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Partnerships.
The Plant Museum is a part of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, which serves the downtown community through initiatives such as developing greater transportation to make downtown more accessible and keeping downtown clean. The Plant Museum also partners with United Way Suncoast for providing volunteer service hours as well as The Children’s Board for outreach and education. Other key partnerships include Mosaic, Arts Council of Hillsborough County, and Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
Plant Park and Hotel Grounds.
The hotel once featured many attractions, most located in what is now known as Plant Park. Today, as part of both the University of Tampa's campus and the museum's grounds, several of these attractions can still be seen. At the entrance to the park is the "Henry Bradley Plant Memorial Fountain," commissioned by Margaret Plant in 1899 after her husband's death. The fountain title is "Transportation", and reflects Mr. Plant's system of trains and ships with carved representations of each on the sculpture. The fountain was carved from solid stone by George Grey Barnard and is the oldest public art in the city of Tampa. Conservation of this fountain was completed in 1995.
Facing the Hillsborough River near the University of Tampa's library are two historic cannons from Fort Brooke, the early 19th century military post (established 1824) around which Tampa was developed. These are model 1819 iron 24-pounder seacoast guns and were originally part of a three-gun Confederate battery guarding Tampa Bay during the Civil War. On May 6, 1864, a Union naval raiding party captured Fort Brooke and, before withdrawing the next day, disabled the three heavy cannons by blowing one trunnion off of each (trunnions are the side projections on which cannons pivot to elevate or depress). This damage is still evident on the two Plant Park guns today.
In the 1890s, Henry Plant moved two of the long-abandoned cannons from the site of Fort Brooke to the grounds of Tampa Bay Hotel, placing them in a small earthwork revetment as a curiosity for the hotel's guests. Later the guns were placed on plinths made of coquina blocks. Recently, Tampa's Rough Riders civic group remounted the Fort Brooke cannons on replica gun carriages in a new stone revetment in Plant Park. For many years the lost third Fort Brooke cannon was a lawn decoration at 901 Bayshore Boulevard, but was donated to a World War II scrap metal drive on October 9, 1942.
Facing Kennedy Boulevard in Plant Park is another historic weapon, an impressive turn-of-the-century coast defense gun. This gun memorializes the important part Tampa played in the 1898 Spanish–American War and symbolically points south towards Cuba. The inscription on the monument base describes it as an eight-inch (203 mm) gun on a "disappearing carriage" taken from Fort Dade, an old coastal defense fort located on Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The true story is a bit more complicated.
The original Fort Dade gun described on the base was placed in Plant Park in November 1927, but was donated to a steel scrap drive during World War II. Following the war, an eight-inch (203 mm) gun of similar vintage (both were M1888 weapons) was obtained from Fort Morgan, Alabama and installed on the 1927 memorial's vacant plinth. The new gun is mounted on the top portion of a 1918 railway gun carriage dating from World War I rather than the "disappearing carriage" of the original Fort Dade weapon.
Plant Park once housed a small zoo located along Biology Creek, a stream that runs through part of the park. The creek is fed from an underground spring that comes up beneath the hotel and empties a few hundred yards away into the Hillsborough River. While in operation, the zoo contained a bear, an alligator, plus many smaller animals. The zoo was famous for its hundreds of squirrels and small lizards, which are still on campus. The bear and alligator were eventually moved upriver and became the core attractions for what became Lowry Park Zoo. The creek's name derives from a later period in its history, when students from the university used its water to conduct various biology experiments.
Finally, a statue called "Au Coup de Fusil", meaning "The Shot" (as in gunshot or rifle shot), can be found right outside the hotel. These two bronze hounds represent two pointers being alerted by the sound of a gunshot. These statues were sculpted by famed canine sculptor Eglantine Lemaître (French, 1852–1920) and were cast in France by Maurice Denonvilliers in 1890. Originally, they faced south rather than north and their rapt attention was focused on a small bronze squirrel placed on a low hanging oak limb. However, this was a misinterpretation of the piece, as evidenced by the hounds' attention being diverted in different directions. The squirrel was eventually stolen and the dogs were moved to their current location. Supposedly, the two dogs represent Mr. Plant's personal favorite hunting dogs and the hotel itself had kennels stocked with hunting dogs for guests use on hunting expeditions.
The Friends of Plant Park (FoPP) is a Florida non-profit corporation with the mission to (a) assist with the restoration, preservation and maintenance of The Henry B. Plant Park, Tampa, Florida, as a botanical garden open to the general public, (b) research and publicize the Victorian history of The Henry B. Plant Park, and (c) educate the public and cultivate community interest in and support for the foregoing activities. This group was formed in 1993.
Since 1997 the FoPP has hosted the annual "GreenFest" activities in Henry B. Plant Park to raise money. To date those funds, along with contributions from individuals, organizations, the City of Tampa, and Hillsborough County, have allowed for the restoration of and new exhibit of the cannons, the Victorian star-shaped garden bed, and a replica of the 112 foot flagpole with a 12X18-foot replica of the 45-star American flag (1891). The original flagpole was probably a ship's mast and a Florida state flag and a University of Tampa flag fly from the replica's crossbars.