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By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 23, 2001
Time's short for souvenir exhibit
Longtime residents and visitors to this area recall the lovable kitsch of the old Sunken Gardens gift shop -- the coconut heads, the alligator ashtrays, the canned Florida sunshine. And remember those billboards that dotted the Florida landscape for decades, not just for Sunken Gardens, but also for attractions such as Miami's Monkey Jungle and Parrot Jungle, the East Coast's Marineland, Weeki Wachee Springs, Silver Springs and roadside attractions galore?
The St. Petersburg Museum of History's current exhibit, "Souvenirs of Florida -- From Tasteful to Tacky" chronicles the most popular souvenirs and tourism artifacts from the late 19th century up to the arrival of Disney in the early 1970s.
But time is running out to see the mementos. The exhibit closes Sept. 15. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The museum is at 335 Second Ave. NE, on the approach to the Pier. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 seniors and college students, $2 ages 7-17. For information, call (727) 894-1052 or check www.ij.net/spmh/.