History Center’s ‘Orlando Collected’ Exhibition wins Southeastern Museums Conference Award

Exhibition marking city’s 150th anniversary receives Silver Award for excellence.

The Orange County Regional History Center’s exhibition Orlando Collected, created to mark the city’s 150th anniversary, has received a Silver Award in the Over $25,000 budget category of the Southeastern Museums Conference’s 2026 Exhibition Competition.

The annual competition recognizes outstanding exhibitions at museums throughout the Southeast. Exhibitions are judged by museum professionals and are evaluated for qualities including educational value, innovation, and respectful treatment of objects.

“Orlando Collected showed how powerfully our community’s history can be told through the objects and stories preserved here,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “This recognition from the Southeastern Museums Conference is a well-deserved honor for the History Center team and the many community partners who helped create an exhibition worthy of Orlando’s 150th anniversary.”

Orlando Collected brought together 150 objects from the Historical Society of Central Florida’s collections, along with photographs and other materials illuminating Orlando’s past.

The objects ranged from reminders of familiar institutions to rarely seen items that brought lesser-known stories to light. The exhibition was shaped through collaboration between the History Center’s curatorial team, led by Katie Kelley, and individuals and organizations throughout Orlando, bringing a wide range of community perspectives to the selection and interpretation of objects. It was on display from April 12, 2025, through January 19, 2026.

The museum’s work on Orlando Collected has garnered two previous awards from the Florida Historical Society and the National Association of Counties

“Orlando Collected gave us an extraordinary opportunity not simply to look back at 150 years of Orlando history, but to invite the community to help tell that story,” said Azela Santana, the History Center’s executive director. “This award recognizes the power of museums to connect people with the history of the place they call home.”

The Southeastern Museums Conference received 27 entries from 24 institutions for this year’s Exhibition Competition. SEMC leaders described the awards as recognizing the creativity, thoughtfulness, and professional work involved in creating engaging and meaningful museum experiences. Honorees will be recognized at the SEMC Awards Luncheon on Sept. 30 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Orange County Regional History Center, housed in a historic courthouse at 65 E. Central Blvd. in downtown Orlando, features four floors of permanent and special exhibitions.

The museum is a Smithsonian Institution affiliate and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is funded in part by Orange County Government through the Community & Family Services Department under Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and the Board of County Commissioners.

The Historical Society of Central Florida Inc. is supported by United Arts of Central Florida and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

For more information, visit TheHistoryCenter.org.

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