Czech-American sculptor Albin Polasek built this Winter Park lakeside studio in 1949 and opened it as a museum in 1961; staff say his presence has never left the sculptures
633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Adults $12; Seniors (60+) $10; College students $10; Children ages 4-17 $8; Under 4 free
Access
Wheelchair OK
Three-acre lakeside property; paved paths through sculpture gardens
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1949 · National Register of Historic Places (2000) · Czech-American Artistic Legacy · Winter Park Cultural Heritage · American Figurative Sculpture
Albin Polasek was born in 1879 in Frenštát, Moravia (present-day Czech Republic). He immigrated to the United States in 1901 to work as a wood carver, then studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the American Academy in Rome. He served as head of sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago for 27 years, building a substantial reputation in American figurative sculpture.
In 1950, Polasek relocated to Winter Park, Florida, and in 1949 had built a Mediterranean-style home and studio on three acres overlooking Lake Osceola. He created the permanent collection there, working in the studio until a stroke in 1953 partially limited his mobility. In 1961, at age 82, he opened the house and studio to the public as a museum, with the approximately 200-piece collection displayed in the galleries, house, and gardens. Works by his first wife, Ruth Sherwood, and pieces from his personal collection of antiquities are also on view.
Polasek died in 1965. The house retains its original furnishings and Mediterranean character. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2000 (reference number 99000767). In a 2022 article, Orlando Signal called the site one of Winter Park's most significant cultural destinations.
Sources
The paranormal association at the Albin Polasek Museum is grounded in a single, specific account that museum staff have cited in media coverage: a guest photographed the 'Stations of the Cross' sculpture and the image showed what appeared to be a tear suspended on the artwork's cheek. Orlando Weekly's listing of the 24 most haunted places in the Orlando area notes the image and quotes staff as having no explanation for how it appeared. No year for the photograph is specified in the published account.
Beyond this one image, the reported phenomenon is largely atmospheric — staff describe a persistent feeling that Polasek's spirit continues to inhabit the spaces he built and filled with his work. The Polasek Museum appears on multiple Central Florida haunted-location lists, though the evidence cited across sources traces back to the same photograph account and the same staff characterization of an enduring presence.
This category of haunted claim is distinct from most haunted venues in Central Florida: no named entities are invoked, no dramatic incidents are reported, and the accounts carry none of the menace associated with buildings tied to violent history. The case rests on a single unexplained image and the subjective sense of a creator's attachment to his creation.
Notable Entities
The three-acre property on Lake Osceola includes the sculptor's Mediterranean-style home, studio, and galleries displaying approximately 200 works. Polasek's personal collection of antiquities is also on display alongside works by his first wife, Ruth Sherwood. The house retains original furnishings. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 1pm to 4pm.
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