239-472-4648
June 1, 2022 – The Sanibel Historical Village will offer free admission for all visitors on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is the first time the Village has been able to offer this event since prior to the pandemic. There will be no guided tours that day due to the number of guests and the smaller number of docents.
“We would love to offer our usual guided tours, but most of our docents have gone north for the summer, and with the crowds we expect to host, it would be impossible,” said Executive Director Emilie Alfino. “We will have docents stationed in some of the buildings, and an audio self-guided tour is available to all, as well as a written booklet.”
The Free Admission Day started as a way to draw locals to the village. Now the free day is not aimed at just locals but is open to all visitors.
The Sanibel Historical Museum & Village tells the story of Sanibel from the Calusa and Spanish eras to the early pioneer families who settled on the island in the 1800s. It tells of warriors, adventurers, fishermen, farmers and proprietors. The island’s way of life is recreated in a village of nine structures that have been relocated from their original sites, restored and preserved. Visitors trace the footsteps of the island’s past as they meander along a handicapped-accessible path lined with buildings that represent “old Sanibel,” as Sam Bailey used to say. Visitors can tour a pioneer home, fishing cottage, post office, schoolhouse, tea room, general store, and more.