Programs & Events
The Museum offers a number of recurring programs throughout the year
Monthly Programs
History at High Noon Programs
The Museum features casual monthly lunchtime talks by local experts on a variety of topics. Please note the location of each lecture as the presentation site may change from month to month. Below you can find our upcoming topics. These programs are free and open to the public.
State Archives Historian Matthew Storey will guide attendees through the common challenges faced when conducting archival research. Along with sharing practical tips and tricks, he will explain how to locate and utilize both primary and secondary sources. Finally, he will highlight some of the key research resources available through the State Archive of Florida and the local library system. This talk will be held at the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library.
LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library
200 W. Park Ave
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
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Annual Programs
20th of May — Emancipation in Florida
The Knott House Museum and the John G. Riley Museum host an annual celebration of the 20th of May. Learn more about this event and other community activities here.
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people in the rebelling Southern states. More than two years later, on May 10, 1865, Union General Edward McCook arrived in Tallahassee to take possession of the city from Southern forces. General McCook established his headquarters at the Hagner House, now known as the Knott House. On May 20, he declared the Emancipation Proclamation in effect. Formerly enslaved people celebrated this announcement with a picnic at Bull Pond, today's Lake Ella. Annually since 1865, communities in Tallahassee have celebrated May 20th as Emancipation Day.
Florida History Day
Sponsored by the Museum of Florida History, Florida History Day is an annual, statewide activity that enhances the teaching and learning of history in middle and high schools. Florida joins 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and international schools in East and South Asia as an affiliate of National History Day® (NHD). NHD promotes history in the classroom by offering students the resources and support to do original research about people, ideas, and events of the past. Learn more about Florida History Day here.
