Bonnet House, Fort Lauderdale

History buffs will enjoy exploring this 35-acre estate and the house-turned-museum, which is filled with a collection of art and personal items that once belonged to 19th-century settler Hugh Taylor Birch and, subsequently, his daughter Helen and her husband, artist Frederic Clay Bartlett. Helen died young; Frederic later remarried, and in 1983 his widow gave the house to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are temporary exhibits on an ongoing basis, orchid fairs and even music series; check the website for updates. The surrounding grounds of the estate feature a mangrove swamp and a desert garden, existing as a habitat for fish, monkeys and other assorted wildlife.

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