[1] Wentworth opened his first museum as a roadside stand in the suburb of Ensley in 1957, and continued to collect items of interest.

The other two floors illustrate and interpret life in the Florida Panhandle over the centuries; some of the artifacts are from Wentworth's collection.

From September 2004 to March 2005, the museum was closed for renovations after Hurricane Ivan caused considerable damage to the property.

On July 14, 2020 the University of West Florida Historic Trust announced that it was looking into changing the museum's name in light of newly released documents showing that Wentworth was a leader of the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.

[2] On March 18, 2021, the University of West Florida Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the museum in a 5–4 decision.