Amid the sparkling bayfront, the pier, marina and the beautiful venues, restaurants and shops that adorn the Beach Drive area, the St. Petersburg Museum of History can get lost because the downtown area boasts so many places to see and things to do. Yet it is a budget-friendly venue where families can learn about the roots of the city.

For example, St. Petersburg is the birthplace of commercial aviation. Scheduled airline passenger service originated here in 1914 when a flying airboat called the Benoist carried one passenger from the city’s waterfront to Tampa while 34,000 spectators watched.

A replica of that plane is houses at the museum along with a permanent interactive exhibition of the chronology of St. Petersburg’s history that includes artifacts, documents and photographs.

The museum is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors and $6 for children while students under eight are free.

Estelia Mesimer and her team at Keller Williams Realty in St. Petersburg are proud of their city’s heritage. Their office is located across from the Museum of Fine Arts, and they have a myriad of listings of high-end homes that are in the St. Petersburg area and a short distance from the cultural attractions.

For more information on Estelia Mesimer and her team, and to learn more about the high-end homes she represents, visit www.estelia.com.

You can reach Estelia at (727) 686-2859 and at estelia@estelia.com. Her office is located in downtown St. Petersburg at 111 2nd Ave. NE, Suite 400.