Be a part of honoring the bravest of our past and our future, making our children and our community safer and healthier.

Welcome to the Tampa Firefighters Museum

The Tampa Firefighters Museum is an exciting venue for both Tampa Bay residents and visitors to the Tampa Bay area. Exhibits highlight the Tampa Fire Department's history and evolution from within our community. Exciting and fun educational opportunities await public and private school students, as well as our other visitors.

There will be opportunities to use our facilities for corporate workshops, parties and other catered events.

Our History

Truck

The Tampa Fire Department was founded in 1895, and is one of Florida's oldest professional fire departments. Old #1 was built in 1911, and has served continuously as the Tampa Fire Department's headquarters until 1978. The Tampa Firefighters Museum, Inc. (TRMI) was established in 1997, and it's primary goal is rehabilitating "Old #1" for use as a museum and life safety education center.

Active and retired firefighters, along with members of the business and historic preservation communities, serve as our Board of Directors. We welcome and encourage support and contributions from the local community, and state or national organizations, interested in honoring, preserving, teaching and promoting our history and life safety by Tampa Fire Rescue.

Accomplishments and Goals

Fundraising
More than $1.7 million has been raised in grant and matching funds, cash, pledges, property and in-kind materials and services.

Matching Contributions
The City of Tampa has contributed nearly $400,000 in matching funds, and has pledged another $100,000 for our next State Bureau of Historic Preservation grant. Duckwall Foundation has contributed more than $30,000 in matching funds. Tampa City Council has supported this project by offering us Old #1, which is valued at $273,000, to develop into a museum.

Community Support
Our local community has been generous in supplying start-up and operating funds. Verizon and another corporate neighbor has contributed land to TFMI for a building addition to meet modern infrastructure requirements.

Phase I of our capital improvements campaign is underway. Our immediate goal is to raise an additional $250,000 to open our preview center. Long term, $5 million is needed to design and build exhibits for the Children's Learning Center; the Firefighters Memorial to honor those who have given their lives; the Firefighters Theater; the archive collections; and other areas defining our rich history.