Venice Museum & Archives

06/01/2026

Progress on the Old Betsy Museum mural by artist Coleen Henry! ❤️🎨🖌️

A century of service. A century of history.

To celebrate both the Venice Nokomis Woman’s Club’s 100th Anniversary and Old Betsy’s 100th Birthday, VNWC proudly donated $15,000 toward the new Old Betsy mural.

We’re excited to watch this incredible project take shape and help honor one of Venice’s most beloved landmarks.

Here’s a look at the progress so far! 💗

06/01/2026

REMINDER! 🏠 The City of Venice, along with several partners, will hold a Local Register Forum this Thursday, June 4 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Venice Public Library, 300 Nokomis Ave. S.

Learn about having your property locally designated as a historic resource. This event will provide attendees with the information and answers they need about historic preservation in Venice.

Panelists will cover the process from application and review to the benefits and obligations of being designated. Attendees will also learn about the economic benefits of historic preservation. Staff from the Planning and Zoning Department and the Historical Resources Division, along with the City’s Historic and Architectural Preservation Board, will be on hand to answer your questions. Joy Builders will share their insights from the contractor’s perspective about doing work on historically designate properties. Stephen and Ellen Clouse will share the tax benefits they received for making improvements to their locally designated home.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the economic benefits of historic preservation from members of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and Venice MainStreet.

Bring your questions, fears, and assumptions about historic preservation and be prepared to feel better about listing your property in the local register. This is a great time to understand what historic preservation is all about.

Venice Heritage and the Venice Area Historical Society will also have tables about their organizations and answer your questions about Venice history.

05/29/2026

FLASHBACK FRIDAY! 📸 The Venice Beach Pavilion, with its iconic hyperbolic paraboloid roof, was constructed in 1963. The pavilion was recently listed as the 14th property in the Venice Register of Historical Resources. Photo circa 1965.

05/29/2026

❤️

For generations, the Venice Nokomis Woman’s Club has brought women together through friendship, service, and a shared commitment to our community. 💗

From supporting education and literacy programs to helping local organizations and families throughout the area, our members are proud to continue a tradition of connection and giving back.

Fun fact: Club members operated the area’s first lending library until 1965, when it later became part of the Venice Public Library system. 📚

As the City of Venice celebrates 100 years, we are proud to be celebrating our centennial year right alongside it.

Interested in learning more about the Venice Nokomis Woman’s Club? We’d love to connect with you.

https://www.venice-nokomiswomansclub.org/membership/

05/25/2026

Celebrating our history: Louis Suter served a two-year term as Venice’s mayor from 1948 to 1949. 🙌

He owned the Venezia Hotel and was a former government financial analyst and postmaster in Venice. 💰

Suter was involved in the Boy Scouts and the American Red Cross, serving as both scoutmaster and director of the Sarasota County American Red Cross for many years. 🚑

Learn more about our history by exploring the Venice Museum & Archives online collections: https://venicemuseum.org/collections

05/22/2026

🇺🇸Remember our past while celebrating our future! The City of Venice is bringing back a one-time daytime Independence Day parade and community picnic as part of America’s 250th Anniversary and the City’s Centennial Celebration.

🍉Throw on your red, white, and blue and join us Friday, July 4, for a true grassroots community celebration featuring a patriotic parade, watermelon eating contests, potato sack races, tug-of-war, face painting, music and dancing, food trucks, family activities, and more! Activities begin as early as 9 a.m. and continue through 1 p.m. at West Blalock Park and the Venice Community Center in partnership with Venice MainStreet. Don't forget to visit Old Betsy and the Venice Museum, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 4.

Then, join us later that evening for the annual fireworks display launched from the South Jetty, angled over the Gulf and visible from Venice area beaches. 🎆

This year’s celebration is inspired by the spirit of old-fashioned Americana and community traditions, including some of Venice’s historic Bicentennial festivities of the 1970s. 🪁

➡️ Apply for the parade: https://forms.office.com/r/6dha57dmYC
➡️ Learn more about the picnic: https://www.venicegov.com/things-to-do/july-4th-parade-picnic
➡️ Sign up to volunteer: https://forms.office.com/r/es5XG30NEt
➡️ Fireworks information: https://www.venicegov.com/things-to-do/events/july-4-fireworks

05/20/2026

The City of Venice, along with several partners, will hold a Local Register Forum on Thursday, June 4 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Venice Public Library, 300 Nokomis Ave. S.

Learn about having your property locally designated as a historic resource. This event will provide attendees with the information and answers they need about historic preservation in Venice.

Panelists will cover the process from application and review to the benefits and obligations of being designated. Attendees will also learn about the economic benefits of historic preservation. Staff from the Planning and Zoning Department and the Historical Resources Division, along with the City’s Historic and Architectural Preservation Board, will be on hand to answer your questions. Joy Builders will share their insights from the contractor’s perspective about doing work on historically designate properties. Stephen and Ellen Clouse will share the tax benefits they received for making improvements to their locally designated home. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the economic benefits of historic preservation from members of the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation and Venice MainStreet, Inc.

Bring your questions, fears, and assumptions about historic preservation and be prepared to feel better about listing your property in the local register. This is a great time to understand what historic preservation is all about. Venice Heritage Inc. and the Venice Area Historical Society will also have tables about their organizations and answer your questions about Venice history.

05/17/2026

🎨🖌 The incredible Coleen Henry hard at work on the Old Betsy Museum mural across from the Venice Museum

📷 Earl Midlam

05/15/2026

FLASHBACK FRIDAY 💥 Harbor Drive, circa 1927