The Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture (Facebook | Website) is looking to glow up a bit in 2022.
Plans include renovations for the Wells’Built Museum and the adjacent Wells House, which were built in the 1920s. The Heritage House will be converted into a gift shop with a built-in cafe and plans also include the construction of a new building where the former South Street Casino used to be located by the museum, that will house a new theater, exhibits, and conference rooms.
Both the City of Orlando and the non-profit behind the museum, the Association to Preserve African American Society, History and Tradition, have applied for a $1 million grant from the Florida Department of State, albeit separately, to renovate the property.
The museum just celebrated its 20th anniversary last February.
The museum was once home to the Wells’Built Hotel, built by Dr. William Wells, and it was visited by a number of famous Black musicians and performers during Segregation, including Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Robinson, and Count Basie, and is located at 511 W. South Street [GMap].
