When I first visited the Ybor City Museum in Tampa, what caught me off guard was the scale — or rather, the lack of it. This is a small operation, housed in a 1920s bakery with original brick ovens still visible behind glass. You can see everything in 20-30 minutes. The real value comes from the guided tour of La Casita, the restored cigar worker’s cottage out back, but here’s the frustrating bit: tour times are printed on a chalkboard tucked in a corner that’s easy to miss. Ask explicitly about the casita tour when you buy tickets, or you’ll likely walk out without experiencing the best part.
Quick overview
Ybor City Museum costs $4 per person, with children aged 5 and under entering free. The museum opens Wednesday through Sunday, 9am to 4pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays year-round, plus Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. The museum occupies the historic Ferlita Bakery building at the corner of 9th Avenue and 19th Street in Tampa’s National Historic Landmark District. Budget 45-60 minutes including the La Casita worker’s cottage tour.
At a glance
| Price | Opening hours | Address | Free for | Last entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4 adult | Wed-Sun 9am-4pm | 1818 9th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605 | Ages 5 and under | Not specified |
How much does the Ybor City Museum cost?
The pricing couldn’t be simpler — possibly the cheapest museum admission in Florida.
| Ticket type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | $4 | All visitors aged 6+ |
| Child | Free | Ages 5 and under |
No separate charges exist for the La Casita cottage tour, Mediterranean garden access, or the 20-minute introductory film. Your $4 covers everything. No advance booking required or available — simply pay at the entrance.
5 Tampa experiences worth booking
- 🐬 See dolphins playing in Tampa Bay on a relaxed dolphin sightseeing cruise.
- 🚶 Take a historic Ybor City walking tour and learn how Tampa was built on cigars.
- 🍽️ Combine history with food and drink tastings on an Ybor City food tour.
- 🚗 Tour Tampa’s main highlights in a fun, street-legal vehicle on a golf cart city tour.
- 🪂 Fly high over Tampa Bay on a zipline adventure with a twist.
Is the Ybor City Museum free to enter?
Only for children 5 and under. Everyone else pays the $4 admission. There are no free entry days, reciprocal programmes with other museums, or special discount cards accepted. The museum is part of the Florida State Parks system but doesn’t participate in any annual pass schemes. At $4, this represents exceptional value compared to Tampa’s other cultural attractions, particularly given what you can learn about the city’s fascinating immigrant history.
What time does the Ybor City Museum open?
The museum operates Wednesday through Sunday, 9am to 4pm. Closed every Monday and Tuesday year-round. Also shut on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day (25 December), and New Year’s Day (1 January). The La Casita worker’s cottage tours run between 10am and 3pm, though exact tour departure times aren’t published on the state park website — you need to check the chalkboard inside the museum entrance or ask staff when you arrive.
Do I need to book the Ybor City Museum tickets in advance?
No, and you can’t even if you wanted to. The museum doesn’t offer advance booking. Walk up, pay your $4, and enter. Queues are rare — this isn’t a high-volume tourist attraction. The only scheduling consideration is the La Casita tour, which runs on a set timetable between 10am and 3pm. Arrive mid-morning to mid-afternoon to catch a guided cottage tour without waiting long.
History
Vicente Martinez Ybor, a Spanish cigar manufacturer, founded Ybor City in 1886 on scrubland northeast of Tampa. He relocated his operations from Key West following labour disputes, building a new cigar empire that would make Tampa the “Cigar Capital of the World” by the early 1900s.
Cuban, Spanish, Italian, and German immigrants flooded into Ybor City to work in the cigar factories, creating a uniquely diverse Latin Quarter. At its peak in the 1920s, Ybor City’s 200 factories produced 700 million cigars annually.
The Ferlita Bakery, which houses today’s museum, was established in 1896 by Sicilian immigrant Francisco Ferlita. Originally called La Joven Francesca, it became famous for producing Cuban bread — the long, crusty loaves that accompanied every cigar worker’s meal. A 1922 fire destroyed everything except the brick ovens; Ferlita rebuilt even larger, adding a second oven and supplying bread throughout Tampa until closure in 1973.
The building was acquired by the state in 1976 and opened as a museum in September 1980. The museum earned National Register of Historic Places designation.
What you’ll see inside
The main exhibition hall occupies the former bakery, with Ferlita’s original brick ovens preserved behind protective glass. Self-guided exhibits cover Ybor City’s founding, the cigar-making process (including a reconstructed cigar worker’s station), the different ethnic communities (Cuban, Spanish, Italian, German, Jewish), and the labour movement that culminated in the devastating 1931 cigar workers’ strike. Vintage photographs line the walls showing Ybor’s heyday.
A 20-minute introductory video provides essential context — watching it before exploring makes everything else clearer.
The Mediterranean-style garden features tile work, a fountain, and surprisingly, resident outdoor cats that coexist peacefully with birds.
La Casita, the restored cigar worker’s cottage behind the museum, offers the most compelling experience. The small wooden structure demonstrates how entire families lived in cramped quarters, with period furnishings showing typical working-class life from the 1890s-1930s. Access requires joining a ranger-guided tour (included in admission). Audio information is available throughout the museum for those preferring self-paced exploration.
What’s included with your ticket?
- All permanent exhibitions in the former bakery
- 20-minute introductory video
- Self-guided audio information
- Mediterranean garden access
- La Casita cottage guided tour (10am-3pm)
- Original Ferlita Bakery oven viewing
- Free self-guided multimedia Ybor City walking tour information (accessible via any internet-connected device, covers 21 stops)
Not included: parking (street parking or paid lots nearby), additional cigar factory tours outside the museum, food and beverages.
Things to do near the Ybor City Museum
Columbia Restaurant (550m west, 7 minutes’ walk) — Florida’s oldest restaurant, established 1905 on 7th Avenue. Family-owned Spanish-Cuban restaurant spanning an entire city block with multiple ornate dining rooms. The 1905 Salad (prepared tableside) and Cuban sandwich are legendary. Live flamenco shows several nights weekly for a small cover charge. Reservations recommended.
J.C. Newman Cigar Company (850m north, 10 minutes’ walk) — The only surviving cigar factory still manufacturing in Ybor City, operating since 1954 in the historic El Reloj building (constructed 1910). Free three-floor museum and retail store open to the public. Watch cigars being hand-rolled by fifth-generation cigar makers. Located at 2701 N. 16th Street.
7th Avenue Historic District (600m west, 8 minutes’ walk) — Ybor City’s main commercial strip lined with brick-paved streets, wrought-iron balconies, cigar shops, vintage clothing stores, cafés, and nightlife venues. Free to wander during daylight hours. Becomes the centre of Tampa’s nightlife after dark. TECO Line Streetcar stops here, connecting to downtown Tampa.
Tampa Baseball Museum at Al Lopez House (adjacent, 1 minute’s walk) — Housed in childhood home of Tampa’s first MLB player, Al López. Chronicles 135 years of Tampa Bay baseball history, from early leagues through World Series-winning Little League teams. Run by Ybor City Historical Society.
Centennial Park (200m west, 3 minutes’ walk) — Small urban green space at the corner of 8th Avenue and 19th Street featuring open lawns, a gazebo, and frequent community events. Popular spot for picnics and outdoor gatherings.
If wildlife is more your thing, head for the Florida Aquarium or the Manatee Viewing Center at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach.
Practical tips
Location: Corner of 9th Avenue and 19th Street in Ybor City’s National Historic Landmark District. The museum sits one block south of the main 7th Avenue tourist strip.
Getting there: The free TECO Line Streetcar connects Ybor City to downtown Tampa and Channelside, stopping on 7th Avenue. From downtown Tampa, it’s a 10-minute ride. If driving, street parking exists throughout Ybor (metered) or use the Centro Ybor parking garage (8th Avenue). The museum is 3km northeast of downtown Tampa.
Time needed: The museum itself takes 20-30 minutes. Add the 20-minute video and the La Casita tour (15-20 minutes), and you’ll spend 60-75 minutes total. Most visitors combine this with exploring 7th Avenue or having lunch at Columbia Restaurant.
La Casita tour scheduling: This is the museum’s weak point. Tour times appear only on a folded chalkboard in a corner that’s easy to miss. Multiple visitors report the staff don’t proactively mention tour times. When buying tickets, explicitly ask when the next La Casita tour departs. Tours run between 10am and 3pm but aren’t scheduled at regular intervals.
Photography: Allowed throughout for personal use. The original brick ovens photograph well through the protective glass. The Mediterranean garden provides good lighting for photos.
Crowds: Rarely busy. School groups visit on weekday mornings, particularly during term time. Some reviewers mention screaming children disrupting the video presentation. Afternoon visits generally avoid school groups.
Accessibility: The main museum building is accessible. La Casita, being an authentic period structure, has steps and narrow doorways that may challenge wheelchair users.
What to wear: Indoor museum is climate-controlled. The garden and La Casita tour involve stepping outside briefly. Comfortable walking shoes recommended if you’re exploring 7th Avenue afterwards.
Combining attractions: The museum sits in the heart of Ybor City. After visiting, walk to 7th Avenue (8 minutes) to see the commercial district, stop at La Segunda Bakery (operating since 1915) for authentic Cuban bread, and consider lunch at Columbia Restaurant. Budget half a day to experience Ybor City properly.
Wild chickens: Ybor City’s streets are home to free-roaming chickens, protected by Tampa city ordinance designating it as a bird sanctuary. You’ll likely spot them around the museum grounds. They’re harmless but don’t feed them.
FAQs
Is the museum suitable for children?
Yes, particularly for children old enough to appreciate history (ages 8+). Younger children may find the exhibits less engaging. The garden provides space for them to move around. The La Casita cottage tour interests most children as it’s a real house they can enter.
How long is the La Casita tour?
15-20 minutes. A park ranger guides you through the small worker’s cottage, explaining how cigar worker families lived. The tour quality depends heavily on your ranger — some are excellent storytellers, others rush through.
Can I visit just the garden without paying?
No. The garden is part of the museum complex and requires paid admission. However, at $4, you’re not paying much for the entire experience.
Is there a gift shop?
Not a dedicated shop, but small selection of books and souvenirs available for purchase at the front desk.
What’s the difference between this and the J.C. Newman Cigar Company museum?
The Ybor City Museum covers the neighbourhood’s overall history and immigrant communities. J.C. Newman focuses specifically on cigar manufacturing and is a working factory. Both are free or very cheap and worth visiting if you’re interested in Ybor’s history.
Can I buy cigars at the museum?
No. For cigars, visit the numerous cigar shops on 7th Avenue (Tabanero Cigars, King Corona, Tampa Sweethearts) or J.C. Newman Cigar Company.
Is Ybor City safe to visit?
During the day, absolutely. The museum area and 7th Avenue are safe for tourists. Evening and late-night hours see Ybor transform into Tampa’s nightlife centre — stay alert as you would in any busy urban entertainment district.
Why is it called a State Park?
The museum is operated by Florida State Parks despite being in an urban setting. This explains the $4 admission fee (state park standard) and park ranger-led tours of La Casita.
More Florida travel
Other Florida travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Why the Ringling Museum in Sarasota is one of the best stops on the Punta Gorda to Tampa drive.
- 5 reasons to visit Miami on a round-the-world trip.
- Exploring the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
- Visitor guide to the Frost Science Museum in Miami.
- Plan your visit to the Museum of Illusions in Orlando.
