I don’t know about you, but I love a museum trip. I also love budget-friendly options. That’s why this free mineral museum in Central Florida has become one of our favorite places to visit. It’s right in Historic Downtown DeLand, with shops, restaurants, the 1920s Athens Theatre, and Stetson Mansion. If you are familiar with the area, you might already have guessed that I’m talking about the Gillespie Museum.
I have been visiting the Gillespie Museum for more than 10 years and although this post is sponsored by the museum, the opinions here are my own based on my many, many visits with family and on my own.
Table of Contents
- My Connection with the Gillespie Museum
- What It’s Like to Visit the Gillespie Museum
- My Favorite Things to Explore in the Museum
- Who Would Enjoy the Gillespie Museum?
- Things to Know Before You Go
- Ready to Visit the Gillespie Museum?
- Related Content
My Connection with the Gillespie Museum
Something I learned during our full-time RV days and our homeschooling journey is that there are many small, free, and fantastic museums all over this country. They are often kid-friendly and still offer plenty of interesting information and events for adults.
One of these is the Gillespie Museum, located on the Stetson University DeLand campus. It was founded in 1958 and has a mineral collection with about a thousand specimens on display. There are also galleries about natural history, Florida ecosystems, volcanoes, and more.
Outside of the museum there is a native Florida plant landscape, the Hatter Harvest Garden, Stetson Beekeeping, and a Volusia Sandhill Ecosystem.
I’m a Stetson alum, but I don’t ever remember going to the museum while I was in college. Nor did I visit it while I was in the public school system, yep, I’m very local. My first memories of visiting the Gillespie Museum are with my husband and children. We were always looking for budget-friendly ways to help the kids learn, especially when we made the decision to homeschool. What started out as something to do with our little kids quickly became something we did with other homeschooling families, and we still go and revisit our favorite parts of the museum with our teenagers. They also enjoy the rotating exhibits.
What It’s Like to Visit the Gillespie Museum
The Gillespie Museum is small, with a figure eight layout that flows nicely. I recommend stopping at the front desk first, where knowledgeable staff will help you explore the museum based on your interests and the ages of your party.
There are plenty of hands-on activities for younger visitors. For teens, college students, and adults, there are many informational wall displays and specimen identifications. There are even information books to help you learn more about the specimens or take you to a new level of understanding.
Visitors can explore on their own at their own pace, but you can also make arrangements for guided tours that last around 30 minutes. Guided tours are $2.50 per person and should be scheduled ahead of time by calling 386-822-7330. If you’re visiting with a group larger than 10 people, the museum would appreciate a call ahead of time so they can be ready
Once a month, the museum is open from 10 am to noon for Science Saturday. The topics change but there are always hands-on activities for visitors of all ages. I have been with my family and the kids really enjoyed it.
One Thursday each month, the museum has the Science Café. From 5:30 to 7pm, the museum offers special presentations open to community members. Some previous presentations include Rescuing the River of Grass, Fantastic Fungi, and Florida Natural History Highlights. These evenings are more appropriate for older teens and adults.
Don’t forget to check out the museum shop with a variety of specimens, t-shirts, and gift items. Mercifully, it is small, fairly priced, and easy to avoid if you prefer to keep your museum visit free. But it is great to check out.
The museum is on a single floor, so wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers can navigate the exhibits. There is also one ADA parking spot near the Rinker Environmental Learning Center (230 E Michigan Ave, DeLand, FL 32724 (lot 36)). The front porch is elevated with steps on one side, but has a ramp on the other.
My Favorite Things to Explore in the Museum
When the kids were small
Back when my kids were little, we loved to mine for minerals. There’s a small area in the museum where visitors can do a little digging and take 3 pieces home. There are some tiny rakes and other tools. It’s a small elevated area with pebbles and then of course some small minerals. My kids always loved finding treasures.
After we did that, we would explore the cave area and look for rocks that fluoresce under black light.
With older kids, teens, and adults
Now that the kids are older, we love to check out the new exhibits. There are always rotating exhibits in the museum. We also love the area with birthstones and the microscopes. It’s fun to remember what everyone’s birthstones are, and sometimes we look for the birthstones of friends and favorite musicians. Looking at specimens under the microscope never gets old. Oh and…we still go and dig for minerals. It is still fun to do.
Who Would Enjoy the Gillespie Museum?
I think the best thing about the Gillespie Museum is that it is a great place for visitors of all ages.
The museum is very family-friendly, with displays that kids can touch and experience in a way that is exciting to them. Parents can relax knowing their kids can enjoy the exhibits.
Adults can take their time and read up on the specimens and find books in the museum to expand their knowledge. It’s a relaxing place that can be explored at whatever pace works for them.
Homeschool families can enjoy a close-to-home field trip that is open to kids coming in and spending time. There is even an area with a table and chairs inside the museum where homeschoolers can hold class in a different environment and can use the books maintained by the museum.
Even those who are not necessarily interested in geology or minerals can enjoy the Gillespie Museum. It‘s a beautiful museum that is very well laid out and free. There are places to sit and observe inside the building, plus a front porch with benches.
Things to Know Before You Go
Admission Fees
The Gillespie Museum is free for visitors. Donations are accepted and support educational programming.
Educational programming is low-cost and dependent on the activity.
Museum Address
234 E. Michigan Ave., DeLand, FL 32723
Museum Hours
The museum is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 4pm, with occasional weekday evenings and Saturdays for special events.
Since the museum is part of Stetson University, it is open from August to May except during academic holidays such as Fall Break, Veterans Day, Stetson University Days, Thanksgiving Holiday, Winter Break, Spring Holidays, Good Friday, and Stetson Showcase. You can get exact dates via the Gillespie Museum website.
Accessibility
The museum is one-story with flat wood floors, making it wheelchair-, stroller-, and walker-friendly.
ADA parking is available at 230 E Michigan Ave, DeLand, FL 32724 (lot 36).
Visitors with mobility needs and wheelchair, stroller, and walker users can be dropped off in front of the double gates of the museum where they can use a ramp to the sidewalk and front porch.
Parking
The main parking lot is gravel and located at 235 E Michigan Ave, DeLand, FL 32724 (lot 35). Visitors may use all spots in this lot including those designated “RESERVED ECHO Visitor Parking for Rinker Environmental Learning Center Only”.
One ADA and one EV parking spot are located in a paved lot right next to the Rinker Environmental Learning Center at 230 E Michigan Ave, DeLand, FL 32724 (lot 36).
Gravel lot 43 accessed via Ohio Ave (GPS 29.032755, -81.301149) is another parking option.
Lastly, there is a grassy, unmarked overflow parking lot at 347 N Amelia Ave, DeLand, FL 32724.
How Long Does it Take to Visit?
It can be hard to estimate how long a visit to the Gillespie Museum will take. My family and I can take up to 2 hours if we really take our time, especially if we stop to look at multiple specimens under the microscopes or study the books or take photos and videos to share with friends.
Ready to Visit the Gillespie Museum?
I hope this article helps you understand the Gillespie Museum a bit more and maybe even makes you want to visit. It really is a welcoming place that has enough going to support repeat visits.
Being on Stetson campus and in the heart of Historic Downtown DeLand only adds to the appeal of the Gillespie. Visit the museum, explore the university campus, and then stroll the downtown area and grab a bite to eat.
Related Content
If you are looking for more things to do in and around DeLand, here are some articles to help you get started:
- Summer Activities for Kids in the DeLand Area
- DeLand Cat Café – A Purrfect Day Trip Near Orlando for Cat Lovers
- Family-Friendly Goat Farm in DeLand – All about True Trail Farms
- Family Adventure: Experience Venom Extractions at the Reptile Discovery Center
- Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center a Unique Spot to Explore Florida Ecosystems
- Central Florida’s Best-Kept Secrets for Family Hikes