Tour the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum

To schedule a guided tour led by a museum docent (tour guide), please contact the Historical Society of Palm Beach County at 561-832-4164 ext. 104 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays. You may also contact the Curator of Education at rmarconi@historicalsocietypbc.org or fax your request to (561) 832-7965.

Once the appointment has been scheduled, a confirmation letter will be sent scheduled groups. The museum can accommodate a total of forty-four (44) students at one time which will be divided into two groups of twenty-two (22) students each.

Tour days and times:

School Tours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm.

Adult Tours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00am-3:30pm.

Tour time is approximately one and a half hours.

In order to properly schedule a tour of the museum, please be sure to provide the following information: Name, school, address, phone number, email address, grade, number of students, number of teachers/chaperones, requested visit date (please provide two (2) alternate dates)

The Johnson History Museum is an approved SDPBC Field Experience Site.

For Public School Teachers: How to Schedule a Bus for a Field Experience with the School District of Palm Beach County, click here.

Please click here for the Educator's Resource Guide for The Museum Experience.

Courthouse Civics Exhibit

“and Justice for All”

The “and Justice for All” Civics Exhibit is presented by the Palm Beach County Bar Association. This permanent exhibit is located on the third and fourth floors of the historic 1916 Palm Beach County Courthouse. The two exhibits located in the third floor courtroom guide the visitor through the U.S. Constitution, democracy, branches of government at the federal and state levels, the election process, the judiciary, and other civics related topics. On the fourth floor balcony which overlooks the courtroom, the visitor will find a Florida Legal Time Line, original documents from 1884 lawsuit from Dade County (Palm Beach County was a part of Dade County until 1909), court documents related to the federal lawsuit filed by William Holland, Sr. in 1956 when his son was denied enrollment in an all white school in Palm Beach County, an artifacts case, and an interactive about William Holland, Sr.

Please click here for the Educator's Resource Guide for the “and Justice for All” Civics Exhibit.

Court House Architectural Tour

Architectural Tour of the Historic 1916 Palm Beach County Court House

One of the most distinctive buildings in downtown West Palm Beach is the historic Neo-classical Revival style 1916 Palm Beach County Court House. This court house is actually the second one, the first was an old schoolhouse located just two blocks south on Dixie Highway.

The 1916 County Court House was destined to be destroyed when the new courthouse across the street opened in 1995. Due to an increase in enthusiasm for preserving Palm Beach County’s history, the Board of County Commissioners voted to restore the courthouse in April 2002, and they allocated funding.

The restoration process began in January 2004 with the demolition of a wraparound structure that was added in 1970. Shortly after, the 1927 annex and 1955 addition were removed. The building was designated a historic site by Palm Beach County on September 27, 2005, and the project was completed in November 2007.

Now take the Architectural Tour and learn about the architecture elements that make up this Neo-classical Revival style building, the history of the founding of our county, why this court house was built along with its additions, and why court house is spelled with two words. As you tour the court house inside and out, you will learn about the restoration process to restore this building to a beautiful recognizable icon of Palm Beach County history.

Visitors will be walking around the inside and outside of the building. Tour will begin in the hallway of the Johnson History Museum and then move outside for a walk and talk around the building. Tour will then re-enter through the first floor door and tour each floor.

Tour days and times:

School Tours: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm.

Adult Tours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00am-3:30pm.

To schedule a tour: contact the Curator of Education at 561-832-4164 ext. 104 or email: rmarconi@historicalsocietypbc.org. You can also fax your tour request to 561-832-7965.

In order to properly schedule a tour of the museum, please be sure to provide the following information: Name, school or organization, address, phone number, email address, grade, number of students, number of teachers/chaperones, requested visit date (please provide two (2) alternate dates).