Cultural Arts and Historic Attractions in Pompano Beach

Pompano Beach, founded in 1908, has a rich agricultural and maritime heritage and a culturally diverse population of over 100,000 people.   Whether you love art, music, theater, dance, or history, guests who stay at Beach Vacation Rentals’ cottages and condos are in for a treat, because there’s plenty to keep you entertained here and throughout the area.

The City of Pompano Beach hosts a variety of art shows, concert series, musical performances and shows, including a Broadway theater series and one of the nation’s largest annual children’s piano competitions. Click here for the Calendar of Events. These all take place at the city’s amphitheater, civic center and four community centers. 

Closest to the beach is the Emma Lou Olson Civic Center, where you can take art classes, yoga, drama workshops, music and dance lessons, and attend ballroom dances. During the summer months, residents and visitors alike bring lawn chairs to the beach to enjoy music and movies under the stars. 

Also visit our Special Events page on this site.

Other Nearby Arts Venues:

For a guide to Arts and Entertainment throughout South Florida, click here.

Just minutes from the beach is the Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District in downtown Fort Lauderdale, home to cultural attractions, shops, parks and restaurants.  The free SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch is an ideal way to relax and enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s scenic Riverwalk. This live, outdoor concert series brings the area’s best local jazz artists to four different stages on the first Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Along Riverwalk, the brick-lined meandering promenade, discover Broadway shows, opera, ballet and concerts at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and at nearby Parker Playhouse, plus the hands-on Museum of Discovery and Science with its AutoNation 3D IMAX Theater, major exhibitions at the Museum of Art and  Florida Grand Opera. Catch top name talent like Barbra Streisand or Billy Joel at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, and concerts, comedy and sports at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. 

In Coral Springs, directly West of  Pompano Beach, check out the first class performing arts center and museum of art at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts.  For a more intimate and elegant theater, try Stage Door Theater.

Historic Sites in Pompano Beach:

Hillsboro Inlet Park offers outstanding views of the historic Hillsboro Lighthouse, considered the brightest lighthouse in the world. Built in 1907, this 142-foot tower offers a museum for maritime enthusiasts and public tours several times a year.  2700 N. Ocean Blvd. (A-1-A).

Historic downtown and GreenMarket Pompano Beach- Located in the city's historic downtown, at Flagler Avenue and NE First Street, the Market is open for business from November through April every Saturday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.  It features fresh fruits and vegetables, juices, baked goods, seafood, gourmet teas and coffees and other food items, as well as orchids, plants and health-related products and services.  Green Market Saturdays feature art shows, historical walking tours of Pompano Beach historic downtown, antique automobile shows, environmental exhibits and products, and other special themes. Live musical entertainment is presented every Saturday.

To find out what life was like in early Pompano days, visit Founders Park, 316 NE 3rd St.  This 1.6 acre park is the home of Pompano Historical Society and features two of the Kester Cottages.  One of the cottages houses a collection of artifacts that help tell the story of old Pompano Beach.  Also located here is the first Pompano Beach Firehouse.  Renovated and dedicated as the Miriam & Dick Hood Historical Society Museum, it houses the City's first fire truck, a 1926 American LaFrance and its second, a 1948 American LaFrance.  

The Sample-McDougald Housein Centennial Park reflects what life was like during South Florida’s pioneer days. It was built in 1916 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  450 NE 10th Street.  954-292-8040
The Ely Educational Museum (Blanche & Joseph Ely House), named after a local educator and civic pioneer, features a vast collection of items and artifacts relating to the black community in Pompano. 1500 NW 6th Avenue.  954-781-2256
If your interest lies further into the past, visit the Indian Mound Park, off A-1-A and SE 13th Street.  Overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, this Indian burial ground site’s marker describes the historical significance of the site and its buried artifacts.
SS Copenhagen State of Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve is a National historic Register  dive site located in 15 feet of water just outside the second reef on the Pmpano Ledge.  The steamship was launched in 1898 and was wrecked on the reef two years later.
 
Historic Sites in Nearby Fort Lauderdale:

Bonnet House Museum and Gardens
A 35-acre beach estate constructed by Frederic Clay Bartlett, a Chicago painter and art collector, this house and its beautiful grounds has become a historical site that features an extensive collection of furniture, artworks, and exotic tropical foliage and flowers.
Old Fort Lauderdale Village and Museum
Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum
Stranahan House
This 1913 restored Victorian-style mansion is located on the New River in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. You can go on a guided tour to take a journey back through time when this building has served as a trading post, town hall, post office, and bank.