- Most Popular Tour
- 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m.
- All Ages
- 1 Hour
Educated and experienced docents lead you through the museum to share the story of the house, the founding family, and the City of Fort Lauderdale.
The Historic Stranahan House Museum is open for scheduled tours only at this time. Book your tour today by clicking the “Book Online” button above!
We are currently trying to stay open for at least 1 tour per day, Tuesday through Friday, at either 1:00pm, 2:00pm, or 3:00pm. We highly suggest booking tickets in advance. Please click the “Book Online” button or call the house to confirm your tour time, as our availability changes week to week. Thank you for your understanding!***
The Historic Stranahan House Museum is Fort Lauderdale’s oldest and most historically significant surviving structure. This is where it all began. The Stranahan House holds the story of a family, a house, and the birth of a city.
See an interview with our caretaker, John Della-Cerra, about Ivy Stranahan in honor of Women’s History Month!
Stranahan House was built in 1901 by Frank Stranahan, credited as Fort Lauderdale’s founding father, and his wife Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, the area’s first school teacher. It is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County and has served as a trading post, post office, town hall, and home to the Stranahans.
The house is a wood-frame vernacular structure with wide porches and a stunning view of the New River. It was lovingly restored by the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and the Fort Lauderdale Board of Realtors and opened to the public as a historic house museum in 1984.
Photos Courtesy of Fort Lauderdale Historical Society / Stranahan Collection
The Stranahan House was built in 1901 by Frank Stranahan, credited as Fort Lauderdale’s founding father, and his wife Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, the area’s first school teacher. It is the oldest surviving structure in Broward County and has served as a trading post, post office, town hall, and home to the Stranahans.
The house is a wood-frame vernacular structure with wide porches and a stunning view of the New River. It was lovingly restored by the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and the Fort Lauderdale Board of Realtors and opened to the public as a historic house museum in 1984.
Top-Rated Museum & Guided Tour in Fort Lauderdale
We frequently visit historical places in our travels throughout the globe. This tour is a must see if you find your way to beautiful Fort Lauderdale.
– Joel W. | TripAdvisor
Splendid little piece of history in downtown along The River Walk. Tour guide “Sophie” was very knowledgeable and quite impressive with details of the history!
– Richard H. | TripAdvisor
What a gem! This beautiful museum anchors the Ft Lauderdale downtown core -- and Florida history itself. The family and I learned so much. A beautiful setting as well - right on the river, in the middle of Las Olas.
– Natasha M. | TripAdvisor
We had a short time in Ft Lauderdale and chose the Stranahan House for a review. It was wonderful and highly recommend. The incredible woodwork is worth the tour.
– Tamaralgage1 | TripAdvisor
I had a wonderful tour with a guide that was personable and gave such wonderfully detailed information. I would definitely suggest this museum. It was wonderful to see history still vibrantly alive.
– Leslie B. | TripAdvisorMajor support for Stranahan House provided by the Broward County Cultural Division, the Cultural Council, and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. Educational programs are also funded in part by The State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, as well as, the Kiwanis Club of Fort Lauderdale.
