Bonnet House Blog

Bonnet House has an ultimate goal of ensuring our guests the “Ultimate Guest Experience.”  Like any business, our goal is to offer our guests an experience that they will remember and talk about while making wonderful memories which will put a smile on their faces long after they leave us when reflecting their visit at Bonnet House.

When calculating what will make Bonnet House fulfil this objective, it was simple, seize all five senses of the human configuration. Address each sense with a commitment of achieving total customer satisfaction. I would like to think we are there or extremely close.

There are five human senses that were needed to be addressed: Touch – Sight – Hearing – Smell – Taste. First, touch – running your hands over the railing of Welcome Center Bridge anticipating a pleasant experience that welcomes you to the second sense of sight, the beautiful Bonnet House complimented by its orchids and natural gardens. The tour through the home communicates the story and history of the home embracing the sense of hearing. After the tour, a tram ride that greets you to the sense of sight and also smell, enjoying the natural ambiance of the property.  These are four senses which leads us to the last, taste.

Bonnet House proudly presents The Little Café, sense number five, taste.  After many years of discussions and plans that were put aside due to lack of funds, The Little Café is now a reality thanks to so many generous supporters. 

Tuesday, January 15, 2019 was our official opening day. We listened to our guests’ request for food and now our guests can enjoy a diverse menu which will appeal to those very hungry or to those who just wish to enjoy something light.  Either way, we will deliver.  Our menu ranges from breakfast muffins to lunch sandwiches, wraps, tuna and chicken salad with crackers including fresh fruit to mention a few items.  Let us not forget our ice cream, Fruitique, which proved itself to be a success. Our guests convene on our new patio under our blue and yellow umbrellas enjoying the many fruit flavors we have to offer.  The ambience is so peaceful and relaxing, come join us for breakfast, snacks and/or lunch.

Bonnet House is very excited about this new venture.  Please join us for a bite, we welcome our guests, members and volunteers to come and enjoy a peaceful lunch surrounded by the splendor of Bonnet House.

Accompanying the café, an orchid sales area presenting potted orchids are for sale. Not only can you tour, shop and eat you can pick an orchid display to take home and enjoy.

Let us not forget the gift shop.  Every day we are welcoming new inventory. Stop by and take a look, you will be pleasantly surprised of the diverse inventory all complimenting Bonnet House’s history. We have been mentioned on Trip Advisor by our guests very favorably as being eclectic and affordable, something for everyone.

We at Bonnet House are so proud of the transformation of the gift shop and the new addition of our café and orchid shop. Thank you to everyone who supported both financially and emotionally to this success.

As the new year gets into full gear, Bonnet House is excited to begin our 2019 workshops! Join us for our watercolor, calligraphy, watercolor, basket weaving, and acrylic workshops, and expand your knowledge like you never thought possible.

Beginning on January 8th, Bonnet House will be hosting a workshop designed to help you perfect the art of calligraphy. This workshop will start with the basics, and become more complex as the weeks progress. These classes can be enjoyed by any skill-level, and are perfect for improving penmanship. To learn more and register, click here.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is also thrilled to have fine artist and watercolorist, Karen Eskesen, teach our six week watercolor workshop. By drawing inspiration from our beautiful estate and lush garden, you’ll learn how to master the traditional techniques of realism in watercolor and line drawing. To learn more and register for this workshop, visit this link.

On Wednesday, January 30th, Bonnet House will host a basket weaving workshop where guests will have the opportunity to create an artistic basket from natural minerals found locally. This fun-filled day will include an introduction to basketry and a walk around the property to identify the materials used. To learn more about this workshop and register, click here.

Also beginning in January, fine artist, Nia Nakis will be teaching a six-week acrylic workshop. This workshop includes basic principles of acrylic painting and time to paint in the gardens. This class is currently full, so if you have interest in any of our other 2019 workshops, be sure to sign up as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out!

Bonnet House is incredibly proud to host so many wonderful workshops. We are passionate about educating the local community, and ensuring that the beauty of Bonnet House is preserved and appreciated for generations to come. If you’d like to sign up for any of these events, but aren’t sure which one is right for you, check out our events calendar , and explore all the exciting classes and workshops we have to offer this year!

The new year is officially upon us, and that means Bonnet House will be hosting a new set of concert series to kick off 2019! Beginning in January, Bonnet House is proud to present “Concerts Under The Stars” and “Veranda Sessions.” Both concert series will be sure to bring joy and positivity to all as we start 2019.

The concerts will start on Thursday, January 17th with the first concert in our popular “Concerts Under The Stars” series on our beautiful veranda. Don’t miss out on the finest musicians in South Florida as they showcase their unique talents under the starry skies of South Florida. Initially conceived as a community outreach program, this concert series has blossomed into one of Bonnet House’s most anticipated, successful, and treasured programs over the last 23 years.

Our series will begin with a dazzling performance by the University of Miami Frost Opera Theater from 6:30-8:00pm. The season will continue through the winter and spring with presentations on February 21st by the Michael Masci Trio, followed by the Lynn University String Quartet on March 14th, and culminates with a performance by the Dillard Jazz Ensemble on April 4th. Individual tickets for the concerts start at $40 per performance for members and $45 for non-members. Wine and cheese will also be included in the price of admission.

On the evening of Thursday, February 7th, Bonnet house will begin hosting “The Veranda Sessions,” a raw, creative musical experience on the Bonnet House Veranda. In this first session, guests will enjoy the unique musical stylings of SOSOS . Displaying a diverse balance of talent and brewing up catchy tunes, SOSOS captivates audiences with their smart melodies and lush vocal harmonies. Basing most of their music around acoustic root instruments, SOSOS strays from the usual and generates their own brand of energy that our guests are sure to enjoy.

The Veranda Sessions continue on March 28th with the Daniel Bennett Group, New York’s avant garde jazz trio. World-renowned Saxophonist Daniel Bennett has been hailed as one of the most original and unpredictable musical voices of his generation, and has performed his
award-winning compositions across the globe. But it’s not just jazz that the Daniel Bennett Group has perfected. By attending Bonnet House’s Veranda Sessions, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of modern jazz, fused with elements of surf rock and avant-pop. Both sessions take place from 6:30-9:30pm and include complimentary wine and beer. Tickets are $30 per concert.

Bonnet House is incredibly proud to host such extraordinarily talented groups and individuals. We encourage any and all interested persons to attend these concert series, and experience what has been called “quite possibly the best entertainment deal in town.” To see our calendar of events and to purchase tickets to our concert series, click here .

Over the years, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens has been dedicated to preserving Evelyn and Frederic Bartlett’s unique historic estate. Through enjoyable and enriching cultural experiences, our aim has always been to connect today’s community with the Bartletts’ architectural, artistic, and environmental legacy. Part of preserving and propagating this legacy involves creating enjoyable learning opportunities for individuals of all ages.

While Bonnet House offers tours and classes geared towards the needs and interests of most adults, we also offer a variety of educational programs for children and young adults. At Bonnet House, we are committed to helping children and young adults learn and grow throughout the school year. Because of this passion, we have created 5 interdisciplinary community-based programs designed to enrich classroom curriculum, meet Florida core standards, reinforce character education and offer FCAT activities. All of the programs offered at Bonnet House are tailored to various grade levels and interests to ensure that students of all ages can benefit.

For arts and history, Bonnet House offers a variety of programs designed to acquaint students with the ecology, history, design and preservation of the Bonnet House estate. “Images And Impressions of The Bonnet House,” “An Old South Florida Portrait,” and “Time Travel At Bonnet House – A Multicultural Past” teach students about the various cultures and individuals that impacted Bonnet House and its grounds over the years. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about the ecology, math, and the importance of preserving the natural environment. To register for any of these classes, click here. 

To cover science and mathematics, Bonnet House offers plenty of hands-on activities that are designed to enhance students’ learning by applying math and science concepts to real-world situations. “Birch Bonnet Barrier Island Beat About,” “An Eco Here And An Eco There,” and “The Last Egret” will bring students’ textbooks to life through the observation of various native and exotic species, discussions of environmental issues and participation in hands-on activities and experiments. Each tour will also include important information about the historical and cultural importance of the estate. To register for any of these classes, click here.

Bonnet House allows a maximum of 60 students per day, but multiple days can be booked throughout the school year. Fees are due before or on the day of the program (in the form of a check or cash). Bonnet House requires the classroom teachers to be present, and we would prefer there to be one chaperone for every ten students. If you’re interested in scheduling a tour for your students, contact Linda Schaller with our education Department at (954) 703-2606 or [email protected] . We hope to see you and your students soon!