MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES

Housed in the renovated, six-story Western Union Telegraph Building, MOCA displays exhibition and permanent collection contemporary. The museum also features a children's interactive center, museum shop and a popular lunch bistro called Café Nola.

The largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida, The Cummer houses more than 6,000 objects in its permanent collection, including a famous collection of early Meissen porcelain. Visitors are also encouraged to tour the museum's 2.5 acres of historic gardens, situated on the banks of the St. Johns River.

The most visited museum in Jacksonville, MOSH hosts a variety of interactive exhibits about nature, wildlife, prehistoric dinosaurs, underwater worlds and more. The museum also houses a planetarium.

Karpeles Manuscript Library houses historical manuscripts and documents from around the world.

The Jacksonville Maritime Museum contains a collection of artifacts, books and documents about Jacksonville's nautical history ranging from the early French to present day.

This privately funded, cozy museum focuses on the American Civil War and preserving southern history and heritage. Experts of that era will guide you through the materials on display, including Civil War paraphernalia, uniforms and clothing, weapons, maps and portraits. The jewel of the museum is the 4,000-volume library that guests can use to research and locate ancestors, battles, and important figures of that time. The museum also showcases details of The Battle of Olustee, Florida’s largest Civil War battle just outside of Jacksonville.

We’ve established a special program that allows Florida Proton patients to get a local library card. To apply, bring a piece of mail addressed to your Jacksonville address to the Main Library and let them know that you are a Florida Proton patient.

Located downtown near City Hall and Heming Plaza, Jacksonville’s Main Library is the largest public library in the state. Comfortable, spacious seating and perfect lighting make spending time there a pleasure. Along with traditional library reading materials, you’ll find 250 public computers, satellite and video conferencing rooms, movie showings, theatre presentations and a fantastic kid’s room and program. A bookstore and café are conveniently located inside. Guests may park curbside or in a large parking garage across from the library on Duval Street.

Although there are many public library branches around town, the below branches are located near homes and apartments in the Riverside, Avondale and San Marco areas of town. Visit www.jpl.coj.net/lib/branches/index.html for complete location listings.