Three organizations — Venice Historical Resources, Venice Heritage, and the Venice Area Historical Society — will celebrate Venice history on May 6 with the return of Venice Museums Day. This free event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Venice Museum, Lord-Higel House, and the Venice Historic Train Depot. Each organization will offer activities at each site.

A free trolley bus will shuttle between sites. 

At the Venice Museum, visitors can decorate and take with fans to keep cool. In honor of the city’s military aviation heritage, there will also be a chance to make your own balsa wood planes like the fighter planes from the Venice Army Air Base. A scavenger hunt will provide a fun way to tour the museum and Old Betsy will be on hand to show you where her new home is going.

Although the building is not yet open to the public, Venice Heritage will be at the Lord-Higel House. There, visitors can learn how to play many games that children played in early settler Florida. Some of these include puzzles, dominoes, corn hole toss, and badminton.

Finally, the Venice Area Historical Society will have many circus and train-themed activities. The new circus car will be open for tours along with the train depot. Model trains will be on display in the freight room. There will be music and circus-themed entertainment. 

Start at any site and use the free shuttle to visit all three. Water and snacks will be available at each location. Thanks to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for sponsoring this year’s Venice Museums Day.