The Edison & Ford Winter Estates is an unusual sort of museum, consisting of the two homes, associated properties including their gardens, and Edison's laboratory. Associated with the laboratory is a huge collection of his various inventions and a truly first rate movie about his life. I was quite enthralled.
The property sits along the Caloosahatchee river. The original pier is still standing, but no longer usable. The many signs along the property explained the various uses. The pier made the property, everything built on the land was brought in by boat and carried ashore.
The gardens were in the process of being restored, with the lily pond and the Moonlight garden already completed. I'd heard lots about the orchid garden from my husband, but those were being redeveloped, proof-positive that your fees were being well-used to maintain the property.
The laboratory required about a five-minute wait to collect a crowd. The volunteer guide was quite informative and helpful, showing us through the various rooms and explaining Edison's work on an artificial rubber.
Both houses are models for life in the tropics with good porches and screened rooms. Overall, they looked cozy and pleasant and you could imagine swimming in the pool or taking a dip in the river, smelling orchids in bloom, while watching egrets walk along shore. It makes for a good four-hour visit that's well worth the price of admission.