If only the real Juan Ponce de León had been able to ask directions!

Last week, to mark the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de León’s landing on Florida’s coast, Carlos Bicho, an actor, dressed in costume to portray the great explorer. Bicho as Ponce de León wandered the streets of Worth Avenue to drum up support for the Young Friends of the Historical Society of the Palm Beaches annual fundraiser which takes place Friday.

This year’s tony event follows last year’s successful Swing Time! The theme of the evening for 2013 is The Fountain of Youth, and it begins with cocktails poolside, followed by dining and dancing in the ballroom to a live Latin band. Dress is Florida tropical chic, and Ponce de León will attend.

Ponce De León’s Palm Beach arrival also highlights the exhibition, “Claiming La Florida: On Board with Juan Ponce de León,” on display through June 29 at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum in West Palm Beach.

Featuring hands-on and multimedia elements as well as archival documents, and maps and artifacts set in recreated portions of a Spanish ship, the exhibition illuminates the dangerous journey of the explorer. Learn what’s fact and what’s legend, the obstacles and challenges of such a voyage and what life must have been like aboard a sailing vessel in the 16th century. Visitors will also understand why it took Spain nearly 50 years to establish a permanent colony in Florida.

Admission to the museum is free.