The historic winter home of Thomas Edison in Fort Myers, Florida.  Photo courtesy of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates

Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the internationally renowned winter home site of Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford, is now accredited by the the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums.

Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.

More than 200,000 visitors from all around the globe walk through the historic waterfront campus in Fort Myers each year.

The estates, at 2350 McGregor Blvd, contain an historical museum and 17-acre botanical garden on the adjacent sites of the winter homes of Edison and Ford along the Caloosahatchee.

McGregor Boulevard itself is both historic and scenic, highlighting Fort Myers’ reputation as the City of Palms.

The homes are open daily and include optional guided tours.

The site dates from 1885, when Edison first visited Florida and purchased the property to build a vacation home. His home, completed in 1887 and dubbed “Seminole Lodge,” served as a winter retreat and place of relaxation until Edison’s death in 1931. Edison’s good friend Henry Ford purchased the adjoining property in 1916 where he purchased “The Mangoes” from Robert Smith of New York. Ford’s craftsman style bungalow was built in 1911 by Smith. In 1947, Mrs. Mina Edison deeded the property to the city of Fort Myers in memory of her husband for the enjoyment of the public. It was opened for public tours in 1950. By 1988, the adjacent Henry Ford winter estate was purchased and opened for public tours in 1990. The $10 million restoration of the grounds was completed in 2006.

Edison and Ford Winter Estates achieved accreditation on July 17, 2025.

The site has received the National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Garden Clubs’ Historic Preservation Award. The property is an official project of “Save America’s Treasures,” a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. The Edison Botanic Laboratory is a National Historic Chemical Landmark.

The site is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and until 9 p.m. during Holiday Nights.

Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for more than 50 years, the Alliance’s museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability.

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, approximately 1,100 are currently accredited. EFWE is now one of only 60 museums accredited in Florida. This achievement honors the hard work that the organization’s executive team and staff completed and fulfills an early obligation mandated by the City of Fort Myers.

“Earning accreditation through the American Alliance of Museums is a significant honor that places Edison and Ford Winter Estates among the nation’s top museums and highlights the organization’s dedication and vision,” said Cole Peacock, EFWE Board of Trustees chair. “This achievement has a truly positive impact on our community and strengthens our shared commitment to excellence and education.”

“Accreditation is a very rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations,” officials said. “To earn accreditation, a museum must first conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. The Alliance’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

“Accreditation is a monumental achievement,” said Marilyn Jackson, AAM President & CEO. “The process demonstrates an institution’s commitment to best practice and is flexible enough to be accomplished by museums of any size.”

For further information on touring the estates, call 239-334-7419, or visit http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org .

A separate fundraising arm, Edison-Ford Winter Estates Foundation, Inc., was created to assist the restoration project with no function in governance, programming or development but rather to assist the governing board with the initial restoration. Donations are always welcome.