Exhibits

Current Exhibits

Railroads at Work

January 14, 2026 – May 2, 2026
Naples Depot Museum

For more than a century, Americans young and old have been fascinated by the excitement and glamor that are part of the railroad tradition–the power of locomotives, the pleasant thrill and sense of adventure inspired by the sound of a train whistle in the distance, the sight of endless rails stretching in the horizon, the mystery of far-off places.

This romance of railroading and, in late years, an increased awareness of the essential nature of railroads, have stimulated a tremendous interest in railroad history, equipment, organization, services, operations, and so on.

This exhibit is adapted from a booklet for teachers published by the Association of American Railroads throughout the 1950s, that includes photographs and descriptions designed to engage students in the study of railroading.

Enjoy this journey back in time!

Connect and Protect 

January 20, 2026 – May 9, 2026
Collier Museum at Government Center

Celebrate the 200,000 acres approved for conservation since the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act. This Wildpath photography exhibit features properties secured through the Florida Forever and Rural and Family Lands protection programs. Wildpath tells the stories of wide-ranging wildlife and the habitats they connect, to help protect a planet in balance. The Wildpath team of storytellers, explorers, and conservationists leads us on an extraordinary photographic journey of discovery through the Florida Wildlife Corridor in the exhibition Connect & Protect. This exhibit celebrates the first forty Corridor landscapes approved for protection since the signing of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, with photographs by noted conservation photographers and a satellite map of Florida that marks the Corridor and identifies property locations around the state. This traveling exhibit was made possible by the Jacarlene Foundation.

Growing Obsession—the Enchanting Story of Orchids in the Everglades

February 24, 2026 – June 20, 2026
Museum of the Everglades

The Sunshine State is home to over one hundred different species of orchids. More than half of these are found is South Florida, with many of the rarest and most obscure specimens found only deep in the wild landscape of the Everglades. 

This exhibit explores the exotic beauty of these often-otherworldly florae as well as their role in some of the more significant and occasionally notorious chapters of our region’s history. The passion these unique plants inspire—sometimes bordering on mania—has been compared to the “gold fever” experienced by treasure hunters. Botanical researchers and horticultural enthusiasts from around the world make obligatory pilgrimages to the nearby Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park—known as the Orchid Capital of North America due to its rich concentration of almost fifty different flowering plants in the Orchidaceae family, including the ever-elusive Ghost Orchid. 

Combining breathtaking imagery, historical accounts, and the engaging stories of local personalities inextricably linked to these blossoming beauties and the madness they occasionally inspire, Growing Obsession gives each visitor a glimpse of the haunting beauty and elemental magic that can sometimes be found in the Everglades and its extraordinary flora.

America the Beautiful by Clyde Butcher

March 31, 2026 – July 11, 2026

Marco Island Historical Museum

As part of the America250 celebration, we are proud to exhibit Clyde Butcher’s America the Beautiful. Known for his powerful black-and-white, large-scale photography, Butcher captures the awe-inspiring landscapes of America’s National Parks—some of our nation’s greatest natural treasures. His work invites viewers to experience the majesty, serenity, and enduring significance of these iconic places.