On the northeast end of Ivanhoe Village, Loch Haven Park has long served as one of Orlando’s centers for discovery, where science, history, and the natural world come together in spaces built for public learning.

When the Orlando Science Center was founded in 1955 as the Central Florida Museum, the facility included a planetarium among its early exhibits, allowing visitors to explore the night sky. In 1973, it was renamed the John Young Science Center in honor of John Young, an Orlando native who grew up in College Park and attended Orlando High School. John Young flew six missions across NASA’s Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs, walked on the Moon during Apollo 16, and commanded the first Space Shuttle flight, linking Orlando directly to some of the most significant milestones in space exploration. In 1984, the center was renamed the Orlando Science Center, with the current facility opening in 1997 as a hands-on science destination.

Nearby, the Orlando Fire Museum preserves another facet of Orlando history. Housed in Fire Station No. 3, built in 1926 at 1401 Hillcrest Street, it served a growing residential area during the city’s 1920s expansion. Decommissioned in the 1970s, the station was relocated to Loch Haven Park in 1989 and transformed into a museum showcasing restored engines and equipment, connecting visitors to Orlando’s early firefighting history.

A short walk away, the Orlando Garden Club highlights horticulture and civic education. Founded in 1927, the club promoted landscaping, conservation, and public beautification. Its current clubhouse, built in 1960, continues to host workshops, meetings, and events, carrying forward a tradition of environmental stewardship and community involvement.

Together, these spaces show where generations have come to gather, explore, learn, and engage with science, history, and nature.