16 Great Museums and Galleries in Orlando

The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens occupies the historic home of Czech sculptor, Albin Polasek. While the property is small, it provides the chance to be close to the artwork and take great photographs. Join the museum's tour, which includes a short video which explains the history of the property. It also gives a better understanding of the sculptures and why Polasek created them. Each sculpture tells the story of Polasek and represents different times in his life. 

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a Catholic place of worship, featuring a majestic 2,000-seat main church.  Mosaics, paintings, and stained glass adorn the walls of the church, and a professional in-residence chorus makes up the Basilica Choir. You're welcome to attend mass, which takes place throughout the week, as well as experience the lush Rosary Garden and Basilica’s beautiful outdoor chapel, the Museum of Christian Art. 

Chocolate Kingdom Orlando lets you discover how chocolate is created, from the bean to the bar and from the bar to your tummy. A visit to this interactive centre takes you through a Cacao Tree Greenhouse, onto the Mystical River of Chocolate and finally on the Micro Batch Bean-to-the-Bar tour to find out more about the machinery involved in making chocolate. The unique tour lasts about 45 minutes, and lets you buy your own customised chocolate bar to keep at the end.

Charles Hosmer Morse Museum displays the world's largest collection of pieces by Louis Comfort Tiffany, as well as perfectly-preserved American decorative arts from the 19th and 20th centuries. A striking exhibit is the reconstructed remains of Louis Comfort Tiffany's 1893 chapel, made for the World's Columbian Exposition. The chapel measures 39 feet long and 23 feet wide, featuring mosaics, colourful windows, and Byzantine-Romanesque architecture.

Cornell Fine Arts Museum Orlando has over 5,000 exceptional exhibits on display, from antique art to contemporary art. Located in Rollin's College, it's right in the heart of Winter Park and overlooks the stunning Lake Virginia. The museum's collections include the only European Old Masters collection in the Orlando area, along with contemporary American pieces. You'll see over 500 paintings, 1,600 prints, drawings, photographs, and archaeological artefacts from the 14th to the 20th centuries. 

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is an arts complex in Downtown Orlando, hosting numerous shows and events. The venue features a 2,700-seat theatre hall for the Broadway plays that take place several times a month. There's also a 1,700-seat venue for smaller events such as ballet recitals, orchestral performances and award ceremonies. The Dr. Phillips Center offers free ‘Curiosity Tours’ on Saturday mornings, though it's best to reserve your spot online as only 20 people can take part in each session.

The Holy Land Experience offers interactive exhibits and shows set in ancient Jerusalem. The museum aims to educate visitors about Christianity in a fun yet respectful manner – its daily productions recount the events that transpired during the life of Jesus Christ. You get to explore a replica of the Garden Tomb and walk through golden arches framing the impressive Great Temple. 

The Kennedy Space Center is a fully operational NASA launch centre, as well as a popular family attraction in Orlando. Its visitor centre has plenty to keep the whole family occupied for the entire day, with highlights including the original Atlantis Space Shuttle, a Saturn V moon rocket, a 3D IMAX theatre, a launch simulator and the Astronaut Hall of Fame. If you're in Orlando at the right time, you'll have an opportunity to see actual launches – a full schedule is available on their website.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Orlando displays life-like wax figures of celebrities, sports stars and historical figures. There are 6 sections for you to explore and find your favourite celeb to pose with and photograph.

Get up-close and personal with Albert Einstein, the President of the United States, Michael Jackson, Shrek and even Angelina Jolie. There are true-life wax representations of pretty much all of the most popular and influential people.

The Mennello Museum of American Art is a rotating exhibition featuring American art of all genres and periods. A must-see at this prestigious Orlando art gallery is the permanent collection of paintings by self-taught artist Earl Cunningham. You can also explore the Sculpture Garden, which merges into the Orlando Urban Trail bicycle and pedestrian path.

Visit the Orange County Regional History Center for an insight into Florida's rich heritage. Located in the city's old courthouse, exhibits are spread across 4 floors of the non-profit museum. It details around 12,000 years of Florida's history, including some interactive displays about Walt Disney.

The Orange County Regional History Center is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, which means several unique exhibitions and events also take place throughout the year.

The Orlando Museum of Art is one of the oldest and most renowned in the Central Florida area, featuring nationally recognised exhibits. Every first Thursday of the month (6pm to 9pm), you can discover new local artists, listen to live music and check out the museum's featured exhibition. The Orlando Museum of Art is located on Mills Avenue, just 5 minutes from the Orlando Science Center.

Orlando Science Center displays an array of exhibits and hands-on activities just outside of Downtown Orlando. A must-see is Nature Works, a huge space on the ground floor that details much of the surrounding Central Florida wildlife and ecosystems. A popular area for younger children is Kids Town, a miniature town full of fun and interactive games. The 4th floor of Orlando Science Center has a Dino Digs area, where you can uncover fossilised dinosaurs and inspect huge dinosaur eggs.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium contains so many items, photographs and interactive exhibits that you won't believe are real, from shrunken human heads to bizarre animal oddities. Located on International Drive, you definitely won't miss this crazy building, which looks like it's sinking into the ground… believe it or not!

Skeletons: Animals Unveiled Orlando is one of the largest skeleton museums in the world. This family-owned centre has over 40 exhibits, with nearly 500 real skeletons from around the world. You’ll also see large skeletons of elephants, as well as tiny birds and mice – don't worry, as all animals in the exhibit died of natural causes. Some of the skeletons in the museum took up to 500 hours to collect, clean, and display.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition in Orlando is where you can see genuine artefacts of the iconic ship, which were recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. You can learn more about the fateful events which led to its tragic sinking at this interactive centre.  

Join a fully-guided tour of the 20,000-sq-ft museum, where you can see trained actors playing crucial characters of the time. The exhibition also displays over 400 pieces from the original ship, including the second largest piece of Titanic that has been recovered so far.