Museum

The recently renovated Edison Ford Museum features 15,000 square feet of air conditioned exhibits, thousands of artifacts, and a wealth of opportunities for visitors to learn about the

innovative minds of
two American icons!

Orientation Gallery

Visitors begin their museum experience in the Orientation Gallery. Here, exhibits introduce:

Thomas Edison’s life and his most well-known project, electric lighting.
The legacy of Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company, as well as several Ford automobiles.
An overview of the evolution of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

Thomas Edison’s 1916 Model T is on display in this gallery. It was given to him by Ford for his birthday and represents their close friendship.

Into the Wild

Did you know that good friends Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs all enjoyed exploring the great outdoors? Find out more about their trips throughout the United States that helped popularize the idea of recreational camping in this exciting exhibit.

Their outings may have been a bit fancier than the average camping trip, involving dozens of staff members and even purpose-built camping vehicles, such as the “Chuckwagon” Ford had constructed to carry food and water for the campers, which is on display.

The original documentary film “Into the Wild: Edison, Ford & Friends” is also shown in this gallery.

Smithsonian Spark!lab

The Smithsonian Spark!Lab at Edison Ford is where museum visitors become inventors. The Spark!Lab invites children and adults to create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment, and invent.

Regularly changing activities incorporate traditional science, technology, engineering, and math with art (STEAM), history, and above all, creativity! In the Spark!Lab, we believe everyone is inventive. Every day, we provide opportunities for children and families to explore their inventive creativity—to create, innovate, collaborate, and problem-solve—because these experiences empower individuals to develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed today and in the future.

Spark!Lab activities are designed around common themes that connect to Museum collections and exhibits. These themes change on a regular basis, ensuring that visitors always have something new to explore!

Timeline of Innovation

When you think of Edison and Ford’s innovations, you may think of the light bulb or the assembly line. In reality, both innovators were involved in an impressively diverse array of ventures and projects.

The Timeline of Innovation uses artifacts, documents, and replica items to highlight on these many activities throughout the arc of their lives.

Music & Movies

Thomas Edison left a lasting impact on two of the major entertainment industries in the world – recorded music and movies. His phonograph was the first instance in history that sound could be recorded and played back, which gave him immediate worldwide recognition.

He was also involved, along with assistant W. K. L. Dickson, with the development of recorded images that could be played back, what he called his Kinetograph and Kinetoscope. Learn how Edison pioneered these industries that helped shape entertainment in the 20th century and beyond!

Phonographs are regularly demonstrated in this gallery, which also features interactive elements.

Family & Friends

Fort Myers offered the Edison and Ford families a place to relax, spend time with family, and connect with friends away from the intense spotlight of fame.

This gallery, scheduled to open in Fall 2018-Spring 2019, will showcase the relaxed side of Edison, Ford, and their families using a wealth of original family artifacts and archival items.

Also discussed are the many famous and interesting guests that visited the two famous Fort Myers residents.

Theater

This versatile space is used to screen movies and also for a variety of special presentations held throughout the day. Currently showing are PBS “American Experience: Thomas Edison” and PBS “American Experience: Henry Ford.”

Edison and Rubber

In 1927, America’s most accomplished inventor was 80 years old. Already celebrated for a lifetime of innovations, Thomas Edison began his final research project.

Together with his friends Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, he would attempt to solve a problem impacting America’s security and economy. Within a few short years, thousands of tests would be conducted in an international search for a plant that could be grown in the United States to produce a critical product – rubber.

This immersive gallery explores chemistry, botany, and beyond through interactives, original artifacts, and the original film
“Untold Stories: The Wizard’s Laboratory.”