Who says that history belongs only to the state? The Orange County Regional History Center is a private and non-profit museum that faithfully preserves the story of Central Florida up to this very day. It is fittingly located in the historic Orange County Courthouse, which was famous for the trial of serial killer Ted Bundy.

Today, its more intense hours are over but there is still much to discover nonetheless. Spread out over a 5-storey area, the museum has taken on the staggering task of documenting over 12,000 years of history, including the region’s prehistoric era. For the first time, a little light is shed on the mysterious past of Florida’s indigenous people, who lived their way of life for centuries until Europeans discovered them in the 16th century. History speeds up a little after that, with the arrival of the proud Spanish influencing the growth of early Florida, the agrarian communities developing the land in the 19th century and finally the events of recent history all the way up to the present day. It’s a non-stop rollercoaster ride, and one that will transport you back in time with its sheer immersive experience.