Daytona Beach's version of the "Rocky" statue, representing the late NASCAR driver who won the 1998 Daytona 500 Race. Earnhardt died while racing here in 2001.
The museum hosts traveling exhibitions and has galleries in its permanent collection featuring Chinese, African and Cuban art, and the most complete fossil record discovered in Florida, highlighted by a 13-foot skeleton of a Giant Ground Sloth. A planetarium is also on-site featuring laser concerts and educational shows. The museum also hosts a very active line-up of programs and events for every interest and age group.
Located downtown in the former Merchants Bank building, the museum highlights the history of the Daytona Beach area with exhibits on local lifestyle and influential people. Some exhibits include a portrait of Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University, and a look at the resort hotels that once graced the beachfront.