Nestled along the tranquil shoreline of Little Sarasota Bay just seven miles north of Venice, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point invites visitors to explore more than 5,000 years of human history surrounded by native flora and timeless beauty. This 30-acre preserve in Osprey is one of two bayfront sanctuaries under the Selby Gardens umbrella and has quickly become a beloved destination for those seeking a deeper connection to Florida’s natural and cultural heritage.
Originally an independent site, Historic Spanish Point was officially adopted by Selby Gardens in May 2020—right in the middle of the pandemic. President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki, with her rich background in the visual, performing, and “living” arts from institutions like the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Opera, and the New York Botanical Garden, saw the opportunity as a bold and visionary step forward.
“I recognized how aligned we were, with similar missions, natural settings, and a shared commitment to education and preservation,” she explains. “Even though everything was shutting down, we took a leap of faith. It was the right thing to do to preserve this historic and ecological treasure.”
That leap paid off. As outdoor spaces became refuges for safe, socially distanced experiences, Historic Spanish Point saw visitation surge. “Almost overnight, visitation quadrupled,” Rominiecki recalls. “People from Venice and beyond started visiting regularly, and now our membership has grown to 24,000 households—the largest in the region.”
There’s much to explore as you traverse the grounds of Historic Spanish Point—from the lovingly restored 1901 Guptill House to Mary’s Chapel with its original stained-glass windows and bell, the lush Sunken Garden and Pergola, and the reconstructed citrus packinghouse that tells the story of early commerce. Serene walking trails wind through the landscape, offering peaceful paths for discovery. Visitors can also enjoy a regionally unique butterfly house beside a flourishing native butterfly garden, as well as a café in the White Cottage. Day-long excursions connecting the Osprey and Sarasota campuses by water—currently paused due to hurricane-related dock damage—are expected to resume this fall, launching from downtown Sarasota.
The campus also thrives as a “living museum,” a concept Selby Gardens embraces by integrating art into its natural settings. Two recent exhibitions have brought national attention and fresh creative energy to the campus. Clyde Butcher: Nature Through the Lens showcased large-scale prints of the Venice-based conservation photographer’s black-and-white images, dramatically displayed throughout the landscape. Butcher’s powerful portraits of Florida’s wilderness created a harmonious dialogue between art and environment.
Currently on view through August 31 is Patti Smith: A Book of Days, a captivating installation inspired by the iconic artist’s personal photo journal. Fifteen of Smith’s photographs, printed on aluminum and placed throughout the gardens, guide visitors on a chronological journey that explores nature, memory, and human connection. “An exhibition like this really opens people’s eyes to the connection found everywhere in nature,” says Rominiecki.
That connection is central to Selby Gardens’ mission: to provide bayfront sanctuaries that connect people with the air plants of the world, native nature, and regional history. While the downtown Sarasota campus specializes in epiphytes—like orchids, bromeliads, and ferns—Historic Spanish Point offers a distinctly Old Florida experience, celebrating both its ecology and its deep human past.
Looking ahead, Selby Gardens is committed to enhancing the visitor experience at Historic Spanish Point, with plans to renovate the Sunken Garden and continue improvements across the grounds. The site also plays a vital role in coastal resilience efforts, especially as climate concerns grow. Though privately owned, it is a National Register of Historic Places landmark and home to archaeological sites of great significance.
“At Selby Gardens, we’re deeply honored to steward Historic Spanish Point,” Rominiecki says. “This site has passed its 50th year on the National Register and its fifth year as part of our organization. And we’re just getting started.”
For those looking to explore a place where art, history, and nature converge, Historic Spanish Point offers a rich and rewarding experience that reflects the very best of Southwest Florida—past, present, and future. Whether you’re a lifelong local or a curious newcomer, it’s a place that invites you to return again and again.
At Selby Gardens, we’re deeply honored to steward Historic Spanish Point.