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You can fly to Europe for a history fix, or you can turn down a Jacksonville road you’ve driven a thousand times and realize the best stories have been sitting behind a garden gate all along. This episode we talk with Brittany Cohill, executive director of the Mandarin Museum, about why local history matters, how a small “boutique museum” can feel bigger than its square footage, and what it means to welcome people so they actually feel like they belong in the story. If you’ve ever said “I’m not a museum person,” Brittany has a gentle challenge for you.

We dig into what’s new and nationally significant at the museum, including the Maple Leaf Civil War shipwreck exhibit and how artifacts only become meaningful when you attach the human story. Brittany shares how volunteers and community partners help bring history off the wall and into real conversation, including opportunities to meet the divers connected to the shipwreck and learn why the St. Johns River is more than scenery, it’s a main character in Mandarin’s past and present.

Then we get practical for families looking for free things to do in Jacksonville, Florida. Mandarin Museum and Walter Jones Historical Park offer scavenger hunts, adventure backpacks for nature exploration and plein air painting, Reading Dragons with the Jacksonville Public Library, and space to picnic under the tree canopy, with manatees sometimes showing up as a bonus exhibit. We also talk about the Untold Story of Black Mandarin and why preserving Black history and community identity must be permanent, visible, and built with the people whose stories are being told.

If you care about Jacksonville history, Florida culture, museums, volunteering, or affordable family activities, hit play.

Mandarin Museum & Historical Society

Nestled along the banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville's historic Mandarin community, the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society is dedicated to preserving, sharing, and celebrating the rich history, culture, and natural heritage of one of Northeast Florida's most unique neighborhoods.

11964 Mandarin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32223
Phone: (904) 268-0784
Website: www.mandarinmuseum.org
Email: info@mandarinmuseum.org

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