Florida Conversations will be presented in-person, in TECO Hall at the History Center, and virtually through Zoom. A recording will be posted on YouTube after the event. 

Ybor City began as a cigar-manufacturing town and grew into one of Tampa’s most distinctive historic districts. On this guided walking tour, guests will hear how cigar makers, factory workers, immigrant families, business owners, and social clubs helped shape the neighborhood that became known around the world for hand-rolled cigars.

Led by a History Center-trained docent, the 90-minute tour explores Ybor City’s brick streets, landmark buildings, and 7th Avenue corridor while connecting the neighborhood’s cigar industry to the people and places that shaped daily life in Ybor City. Along the way, guests will learn why Ybor City developed its own identity within Tampa and why so many of its historic buildings remain important today.

The tour begins at a new location: Parque Amigos de José Martí, or Friends of José Martí Park, 1303 E. Eighth Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. Participants will walk approximately one mile along public sidewalks and brick streets. Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Guests may also want to bring bottled water.

Advance tickets are required, and space is limited to 25 guests. History Center members save 20% on walking tour tickets by signing in before checkout.

Learn about Tampa’s compelling history as you stroll past City Hall, Sacred Heart Church, the Floridan Palace Hotel and even Tampa’s oldest bar, The Hub, on this guided trek!

Each walking tour lasts 90-min. beginning at 10 a.m. Limited to 25 people, participants will walk approximately one mile along public sidewalks and brick streets. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire for walking outside. Guests are also advised to bring a bottle of water.

Meeting Place: Join the tour at center of Lykes Gaslight Park (400 N. Franklin St, Tampa, Fla. 33602). 

Parking: Street parking is available in downtown Tampa.

Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by calling (813) 228-0097.

Click the Other Dates and Other Times links above to select the best weekend for your Chinsegut Hill adventure.

Home tours are free for History Center members. Sign in to your account using the link above. 

Tampa's Black History Museum is a partnership between the Tampa Housing Authority and the Tampa Bay History Center. For more information call 813.228.0097 or visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.

The next installment of the Black History Book Club at Tampa's Black History Museum will be on Monday, February 23, 2026.

The club’s sessions will be held from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. at the charming Tampa's Black History Museum at 1213 Central Ave.. These enriching discussions will occur on the last Monday of February, April, June, August, and October, and the second Monday in December 2025.

Explore the vibrant Encore housing neighborhood and delve into the rich history of Tampa's historic Black community, known as Central Avenue or "the scrub." Discover tales of the area's musical references which offer insights into African-American life in Tampa from the 1890' to the 1960s. 

Each walking tour lasts 90-min. beginning at 10 a.m. Tours are limited to 25 people; participants will walk less than a mile along public sidewalks, brick streets, and through the Perry Harvey Sr. park. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire for walking outside. 

Meeting Place: Join the tour at Tampa's Black History Museum, 1213 N. Central Avenue.

Tickets: Advance tickets are required. 

Experience the West Tampa Black History Walking Tour, a captivating 90-minute exploration of significant historical sites in Tampa’s Black community.

Throughout the tour, participants will delve into the rich Black history of West Tampa, visiting key locations such as the former sites of J. W. Roberts City (West Tampa's inaugural brick cigar factory), University of Tampa's I. W. Phillips Field (football stadium), Clara Frye Memorial Hospital for Negro patients, Tampa's initial public housing development, and the childhood homes of notable figures in Hillsborough County's Black community.

Limited to 25 people, participants will walk approximately half to one mile along public sidewalks. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire to walk outside.

Meeting Place: This tour meets inside Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Look for the Bob Buckhorn River Center (402 Laurel St, Tampa, FL 33607) and meet your tour guide at the flag pole. 

Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by called (813) 228-0097.

Experience the College Hill Black History Walking Tour, a captivating 90-minute exploration of significant historical sites in Tampa’s Black community.

The College Hill Black History Walking Tour celebrates the rich heritage of East Tampa's College Hill neighborhood. In the late 1800s, Black families began purchasing lots in anticipation of a college being built—a promise that ultimately went unfulfilled. By the 1920s, the area had become home to over 5,000 residents. Key landmarks on the tour include Middleton High School, the Lee Davis Community Resource Center, the Florida Sentinel Bulletin newspaper, the Cyrus Greene Recreation Center, and two historic African American cemeteries: College Hill and Memorial Park.

Limited to 25 people. Please wear comfortable shoes and attire to walk outside.

Meeting Place: Guests will gather at the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library, 2607 E. Dr. MLK Blvd, Tampa, Florida 33610,

Tickets: Advance tickets are required and private tours are available by called (813) 228-0097.

Grab a cup of coffee and join us monthly for an informal discussion about the best in Florida literature. Topics range from fiction to food, poetry to politics. Free with registration, the History Center’s book group meets in person and via Zoom from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Everyone is welcome!