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Exhibits

Current Exhibits

Sunshine Cinema

Sunshine Cinema

Florida in Film

November 14, 2025 - May 30, 2026

Step into the spotlight with Sunshine Cinema: Florida in Film, a new, immersive exhibition exploring the state’s rich cinematic history.

The exhibition will feature original artifacts, interactive displays, and rare archival footage that highlight Florida’s unique role as both a setting and a character in film history. Visitors can explore iconic costumes, era-defining soundtracks, and evolving film technologies that brought these stories to life on screen.

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Artist in Residence: Helmut Koller

Historic Courtroom: Third Floor

November 14, 2025 - May 30, 2026

Each year, the Historical Society of Palm Beach County partners with a contemporary artist to shed fresh light on history through the Artist in Residence program.

Helmut Koller is an Austrian-born artist best known for his bold, colorful, and festive animal paintings, which have garnered collectors across America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Raised in the Austrian countryside, Koller trained as a photographer and began his career as the official photographer for the Vienna State Opera. During his seven-year tenure, he photographed legendary performers such as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Rudolf Nureyev, and published several books, including Women Over 30, Elektra, and Opera Live.

 
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Permanent Exhibits

People and Places Gallery

This gallery tells the story of Palm Beach County’s development, highlighting the transformation of its landscapes, the advancement of communication and transportation, and the growth of its diverse communities.
 
 
Stories of Rescue-hall sign

Stories of Rescue

This exhibition supports the School District of Palm Beach County’s Holocaust education aims while serving as a resource for the wider community, offering historical context, personal testimony, and interactive materials that encourage empathy and critical thinking.
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Past Exhibitions

Wish You Were Here: Tourism in Palm Beaches
Wish You Were Here: Tourism in Palm Beaches
Endless Summer: Palm Beach Resort Wear
Endless Summer: Palm Beach Resort Wear
Shipwreck: Discovering Lost Treasures
Shipwreck: Discovering Lost Treasures
Becoming West Palm Beach Celebrating 125 Years
Becoming Palm Beach: Celebrating 125 Years
In addition to its permanent People and Places Gallery, the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum presents temporary exhibits on a wide variety of topics to appeal to a diverse audience year-round.  
 
An in-depth Grand Exhibition runs each fall to spring. Short-term exhibits, on loan or created in-house, rotate year-round in the Courtroom Gallery on the 3rd floor of the 1916 Courthouse. 
 
Click the button below to see various temporary exhibits:
Experience Past Exhibits

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Photographs
Archives
Objects
Library
Women of Conchtown making hats and shell flowers. Photograph by Charles Foster in 1939 as part of the Federal Writers Project and the Federal Art Project. Foster Collection.
Women of Conchtown making hats and shell flowers. Photograph by Charles Foster in 1939 as part of the Federal Writers Project and the Federal Art Project. Foster Collection.
Quicksilver Messenger Service concert flier held at the West Palm Beach Auditorium, ca. 1970s. Anonymous collection.
Quicksilver Messenger Service concert flier held at the West Palm Beach Auditorium, ca. 1970s. Anonymous collection.
Laura "Dolly" Hylan O'Brien and Clark Gable on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, 1937. Morgan Collection.
Laura "Dolly" Hylan O'Brien and Clark Gable on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, 1937. Morgan Collection.
Matchbooks: One (1) 2"x2" from La Coquille Club, one (1) 2"x2" from The Colony Hotel on Palm Beach, one (1) 2"x2" from Taboo' Restaurant, one (1) 2"x2" La Caravella restaurant, two (2) 2"x2" from Atlantis Match Co. Chicago, one (1) 2"x2" from the Met Club on Tequesta, one (1) 2"x2" from the City of Palm Beach, one (1) 2"x2" from Bentley's restaurant on north Palm Beach, and one (1) 1.5"x2" from The Bath & Tennis Club on Palm Beach.
Matchbooks: One (1) 2"x2" from La Coquille Club, one (1) 2"x2" from The Colony Hotel on Palm Beach, one (1) 2"x2" from Taboo' Restaurant, one (1) 2"x2" La Caravella restaurant, two (2) 2"x2" from Atlantis Match Co. Chicago, one (1) 2"x2" from the Met Club on Tequesta, one (1) 2"x2" from the City of Palm Beach, one (1) 2"x2" from Bentley's restaurant on north Palm Beach, and one (1) 1.5"x2" from The Bath & Tennis Club on Palm Beach.
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