ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Calling it “a celebration of the city’s ever-rotating dining scene,” the St. Petersburg History Museum opened its newest exhibit Tuesday, Every Restaurant That Used to Be Here.

The collection features more than 200 artifacts from beloved establishments that mysteriously closed just after locals got around to trying them. Among the highlights are a perfectly preserved booth from “Sloppy Pelican,” a painted sign and laminated menu from “Munch's Restaurant and Sundries," faintly smelling of frying oil.

“We wanted to capture the unique experience of telling someone ‘Oh, you’ve gotta try this place!’ and then watching it shutter two weeks later,” said exhibit curator Marlene Finnegan, gesturing toward a glass case containing a still-sticky ketchup bottle from 1994. “It’s part of the cultural fabric of St. Pete — just like pelicans, humidity, and parking tickets you didn’t know you got.”

Visitors can also listen to oral histories from residents explaining how they “swore they were gonna check it out next weekend,” as well as explore a “Where Are They Now?” interactive map showing what each building became (spoiler: a vape shop, a boutique, or another restaurant that’s now gone).

The museum plans to update the exhibit monthly, or “anytime something with good Cuban sandwiches disappears without explanation.”

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