Add the Lightner Museum as a stop when visiting St. Augustine! The museum is located in the heart…read moreof the city in what use to be the Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age Resort. The building architecture and the gardens are beautiful. There were many collections to peruse, which were housed on 3 levels. It took us about two hours to make our way through, but you could easily spend 3 if you take your time and read everything. The floors all have a front and rear. The best suggestion we were given is to start on the 3rd floor an make our way down. The staff on hand were friendly and readily available to answer any of your questions. You can make a reservation for lunch at the Cafe, which is located on the lower level of what was once a pool.

Love coming here! The history of the museum is fascinating and the exhibits are amazing! If you…read morelove art this is a place you'll not want to miss! You might even want to continue to support them by becoming a member. TIP: You can become a member of the museum for as little as $50. per year. Membership supports everything they do at the museum, from exciting new exhibitions and engaging programs, to the preservation of their historic building and collections. According to their website, every membership to the Lightner Museum includes: * Unlimited free admission to the museum's permanent galleries and exhibitions for a full year * Invitations to Members-only previews of special exhibitions * Discounts on select events and programs There are many more perks and additional levels of membership. For additional information and to purchase memberships online, go to lightnermuseum.org Support your local arts.

The gardens were amazing and so was all the art work. Free admission, donations appreciated. It's…read morevery small but still a ton to see! Would recommend to anyone with an hour or two to stop by and enjoy.

This is a small garden that we happened upon while we were out walking. We didn't explore any…read morebuildings...just walked the paths. There's a pond close to the entrance with a lot of turtles. Fun to watch.

Cafe is managed by The Chef's Garden catering and they serve a variety of different dishes - in a…read morevery small kitchen. Reservations are important - especially with any groups. My go to is tomato bisque soup and the gourmet grilled cheese. The Cobb salads are delicious too -- and a signature dish is Shrimp & Grits. When we were there, a server had called in sick and Tracy was running in and out trying to keep up - she did a great job! The museum is outstanding - the staff very welcoming and friendly. The exhibits are excellent and the displays highlight the work. Self-guided tours are no problem - as many placards provide insights. The grounds - simply beautiful. Definitely recommend a visit!

The museum was having a plant market right in front of the museum a few weeks ago and that's what…read moredrew me into coming here. The vendor I bought from told me that it was free that day to go into the museum and Gardens so my family and I decided to look at the beautiful garden to welcome spring. Sadly, we didn't have time to explore the inside of the museum, but that will be for next time. The garden is absolutely stunning and breathtaking with a plethora of colors and the river in the back it's just so pretty. I loved how you could just walk around and see the different parts of the garden and then stand by the river as well. They had super unique flowers. I especially loved the ones that looked like little red lanterns and I loved all the beautiful trees. I was so happy to come here and I loved that they had a little plant market that drew you in to come and actually check out the garden. I can't wait to go back and explore the museum and make a whole day out of it. You definitely need to add this to your list if you haven't gone yet.

Free to enter. Small amount of cars, but ones that you rarely see. Free to enter and I spent about…read morean hour here. The girl at the entrance was very nice and polite. They do have a gift shop, but unfortunately didn't have any shirts my size. Next time I am in the area, I will stop by again.

Small but interesting…read more This is a classic case of trying to fit TOO MUCH into TOO LITTLE space. Displays are awesome, so much Racing heritage and history. While cramped together, they're all clean and organized by era and type of item. Not bad in my opinion, just wish it was more spread out. The caretakers of the museum are very friendly and have a plethora of information to share. It's a free museum, donations are how this place survives, do make use of the donations jar. Definitely worth a look-see if you're race fan.

This museum focuses on torture, punishment, and execution methods from medieval times and other…read moreeras. Displays include the rack, iron maiden, torture chair, Spanish boot, pillory, barrel for drunkards, scales for determining witch status, and more. The 100+ items are replicas or recreations, but they're life-size and historically accurate. The museum is part of a chain with locations in Chicago and LA, and admission includes an audio guide for your phone. It was interesting, but definitely dark and not for everyone. They also use wax figures to show how the devices worked, which makes it feel even more intense. Only complaint: Price is a bit high and less worth it IMO...

I've always been curious about the Medieval Torture Museum and seeing that there was one in St…read more Augustine, I decided to use my one full day in the city there to visit the museum. The museum is quite pricey for what it was. It was over $50 for two people to walk through for about an hour. Though I did learn about some methods of torture, I had already known about 90% of what was shown, so I didn't feel like my money was well spent. However, if you're morbidly curious about some twisted history, this is an informative museum. You scan a QR code to listen to each display with stories of people's experiences. It's a heavy museum for sure. If the museum was cheaper, I'd definitely say it's worth a visit. However, it does come off that it looks like a cheap haunted house at times (without the jump scares, of course). It's fine for one visit and we did enjoy walking through. The staff here were very helpful, welcoming, and friendly.

This was a fun tourist experience. Very old jail that alcatraz even stole their design idea. The…read moretour was very informative and when it was over they let us just roam and take it all in and take pics. Such a wild part of history. They even do night tours with ghost hunting and such with the electronic devices. Didnt do that but they told us about it and would love to do it when able to next time

If you're in St. Augustine, The Old Jail should absolutely be on your list of things to see. It's a…read morefascinating little trip into Florida's history and conveniently located within walking distance of the Fountain of Youth. Of course, if you actually drank from the Fountain of Youth, then technically everything is within walking distance. The Old Jail itself is well maintained and gives you a real glimpse into what life was like behind bars back in the day. There's plenty of history here, and it's the kind of place that makes you appreciate modern conveniences like air conditioning, comfortable beds, and not being locked in a tiny cell. Our guide, unfortunately, tried a little too hard to get into character and crossed the line from entertaining into just plain creepy. I appreciate the effort, but there were moments when I wasn't sure if we were learning about the inmates or about to become them. Even with that, I'm still giving The Old Jail four stars. With a more relatable guide, this could easily have been a five-star experience.

Arrr, matey. If you're in St. Augustine and looking for something that's actually fun, educational,…read moreand blessedly air-conditioned, set your course for the Pirate & Treasure Museum. Our guide, Dianne the Dastardly, did an outstanding job bringing the history of piracy to life. She was interesting, patient, and interactive without making the whole experience feel like you were trapped on a pirate ship with someone who had just discovered the word "ARRR." The stories of Blackbeard and other infamous pirates were fascinating, and the museum has some genuinely impressive pieces. They have the only restored pirate treasure chest in the world and one of only three original Jolly Roger flags. That's the kind of thing that makes you stop and think, "Wait a minute... this is the actual stuff." The museum does a great job of making the experience interactive, which helps keep it interesting for both kids and adults. And here's a very practical St. Augustine travel tip: on a hot Florida day, this place has something almost as valuable as buried treasure. Air conditioning. After walking around the historic district in the heat, stepping into a cool museum filled with pirates, treasure, and stories of high-seas adventure felt like discovering the greatest treasure of all. Five stars. Great history, a fun guide, fascinating artifacts, and a perfect escape from the Florida heat.

First time here and it was a nice thing ToDo that was inside. Unfortunately it started to rain a…read morelittle but we were headed there anyway. There was actual pirate treasure in there along with replicated pieces and the pirate stories that go along with the pirates. Blackbeard, Captain Morgan, etc, it was fun and I was able to add to my magnet collection.