Matheson Museum Temporary Exhibits

Since its grand opening in 1994, the Matheson History Museum has been an integral part of our city’s cultural landscape, welcoming visitors from north central Florida and beyond. We strive to make the museum accessible and welcoming to all.

Located in the heart of downtown Gainesville, the Matheson History Museum is home to the 1867 Matheson House, permanent and temporary exhibits on Alachua County and Florida history, and a local history library and archives filled with resources for the researcher and the curious alike. Throughout the year we host a variety of programs on local and Florida history.

Weaving a Community: 30 Years of the Matheson History Museum. Mary Ann Cofrin Exhibit Hall
In the late 1980s, Gainesville had a well-documented and researched history, numerous nationally-recognized historical sites, and multiple civic organizations centered around the preservation and proliferation of local history. What it did not have was a centralized place dedicated to that rich local history, where the accumulated knowledge and artifacts of the last two centuries could be housed and protected. This year, the Matheson History Museum will commemorate its 30th Anniversary of meeting that need.

To celebrate, Weaving a Community will take an all-encompassing view of the Matheson’s history and its origins. The exhibition reveals the museum’s roots through the history of the Matheson family, the American Legion Hall, and the wider civil society. It presents our history in an unbroken tapestry, revealing interesting and intertwined threads that tie the museum, the history of Gainesville, and our community together.

Return to Forever: Gainesville’s Great Southern Music Hall
Main Exhibit Hall (LAST DAY: Saturday, June 8, 2024)
Between 1974 and 1978, the top concert venue in Gainesville was the Great Southern Music Hall, located inside the historic Florida Theatre at 233 West University Avenue. Jeffrey Meldon and Jim Forsman purchased the venue and transformed it into a state-of-the-art concert hall spotlighting national artists of legendary status, those who had cult followings – and others they just plain liked. The Great Southern played host to a who’s who of prestigious performers including Jimmy Buffett, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Bob Seger, Steve Martin, Ike and Tina Turner, John Prine, the Count Basie Orchestra, Weather Report, Randy Newman, Rush, Cheech & Chong and dozens more. This impactful exhibit showcases dozens of John Moran‘s performance photos from his two years as the Great Southern Music Hall house photographer.