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    Key West Shipwreck Museum

    3.8 (111 reviews)
    Open • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Mojdeh S.

    While it takes only about 30 minutes to get through, the Treasure Museum is cozy, sweet and well maintained. Many amazing artifacts for viewing, learning, and some you can touch/life. The climb up the tower is fun and the views wonderfully amazing!

    View of the Gulf from the tower.
    Nancy G.

    We did a combo ticket with Key West Aquarium, and visited here after our visit there. It was ok. It was a fairly small building on 3 floors and although a lot of stuff was on display, I felt like there wasn't much that held my interest. Honestly, I'm not much of a ship wreck enthusiast, so this is just MY interpretation. If shipwrecks are your thing, I'm sure you'll really enjoy it. There were 3 things I did like about our visit here: 1) we got the opportunity to lift a real 64lb silver bar from an actual shipwreck 2) we got to climb a lookout tower and get an overall view of Key West 3) we learned that the great-great-grandfather of the Baldwin Brothers (Alec, Billy, Stephen, and Daniel) was the captain of a ship that wrecked off Key West in 1856 as a result of a hurricane When you enter the museum, you go downstairs to a theater room. It turns out that you are below sea level at this point. There a few artifacts here, and a short movie, but the majority of items are on the 3 floors above. Except for the stairwells leading into and out of the lowest level, the other stairwells are partitioned into left and right sides to make traffic flow between floors a lot easier. There is everything from crockery and dinnerware to navigational instruments. Weapons and actual treasure. Ship parts and antique diving suits. As others have said, it was something to do to kill time. I did learn an interesting fact or two, but for me, I see no real need to go back; there is a lot more to see in Key West! 131/2025

    View from lookout tower
    Jozsi N.

    Was back and forth on 4 or 5 stars for this. I wouldnt make a trip down just for this as it is a relatively small museum, maybe about 30min to go through the whole thing, but its also pretty cheap and in a great location to go from this to the aquarium and then the mall so take that for what it is. At the end you also get to climb to the top of the lookout tower and get an amazing view of key west. They do have some cool artifacts and the staff are all super friendly and knowledgeable.

    CJ M.

    We have walked by here a few times on our past trips but this was our first visit. We didn't find the subject matter very exciting but the museum is packed with lots of artifacts and stories about them which I guess would be cool to the right person. It was an ok way to kill 30 minutes. The lookout tower was the best part. Amazing views!

    Andrea H.

    If you need to get your steps in for the day, climbing the stairs here will allow you to accomplish your goal along with taking in a lovely 360 degree view of Key West, Florida. There doesn't appear to be an elevator here, so you need to be fit enough to climb the stairs. They do have landing platforms along the way up where you can stop, catch your breath, enjoy the view, and even ring a ship's bell to alert everyone around that you have made it up another flight of stairs. Be aware that the viewing tower is outside. You will be exposed to the elements, so bring a hat that you can secure on your head to protect you from the rays. If it is too windy, they will close the tower. The museum was inside in the first few floors. It was dark. I actually had trouble viewing the items and reading the text because of this. Also, it wasn't presented in a memorable, organized, and meaningful way. Having said that, I did manage to view a few artifacts from various shipwrecks that I was initially unfamiliar with, but I ended up learning the name and exactly how the item was used. Our admission ticket was included because we bought a multi-museum pass from the aquarium across the plaza. Was it worth it? It's a toss up. We really wanted to get the bird's eye view of the city and see the surrounding ocean. I wouldn't do it again. The climbing tower is a good way to burn off energy if you have kids that you need to wear out. I actually preferred the Ficher Museum because they did a much better job of presenting an intriguing shipwreck story.

    Tank G.

    This museum is located in Key West's Mallory Square, a popular tourist area. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance. If you plan on going to the aquarium you can get a combo ticket and save a few bucks. This museum is about Wreckers, people who goods from ships that sank along the continental United States' only living coral barrier reef, which runs parallel to the Keys. I guess they get their name from shipwrecks. The staff there is very friendly, energetic and helpful. You start you tour in a dark theater with wooden benches, and a movie about shipwrecks and treasure that runs about 20 minutes on loop. I bypassed the movie and went up stairs to the exhibit area. On the level. in the center of the room was the friendliest guy, who was very knowledgable about the museum and explained many of the exhibits to visitors. He did work for tips, but was worth it. The first level has recovered items from sunk ships, featuring artifacts from the shipwrecked Isaac Allerton. the richest shipwreck in Key West's history. You will see dishes, ammunition, medicine bottles, navigation tools and There is.another level of the museum that has a few more artifacts and exhibits on the divers and the impact that the railroad had on ships and wreckers. This level is also where you exhibit on to a deck to take a flight of stairs up to the 65 foot observation tower. The stairs are no joke, but the view from up there is awesome. You can see for miles and miles. It is also a great photo/selfie spot. You are supposed to ring a bell up there if you see a ship wreck. There was another movie that was playing on a loop just before I exited and I skipped that one too. I took me about 40 minutes to go through this museum. It was interesting and entertaining enough. For me, there was something missing, I just could not put my finger on it though. This is still something to see while in Key West. I would probably couple it with a few other stops on the itinerary. There is a bunch of nearby attractions, including the aquarium, tours, and gift shops.

    They need a new building so permanently disabled or temporarily disabled people can actually enter the building
    Dave O.

    The Key West Shipwreck Museum was part of a combination tour purchased on the Norwegian Pearl. When my family was going through the door I was stopped and told they needed to take my walker before I entered because there were too many stairs inside. I had recent surgeries that I'm still recovering from and still need a walker to get around. Because I am temporarily handicapped I couldn't enter this establishment. My family said it was okay but the whole exhibition is climbing stairs and it would be too difficult for me to see the contents without more physical therapy. I DO NOT recommend this establishment.

    Hali E.

    Great visit! A lot of information and history about the coast of Key West and ships from the past. A lot of things to see and a great climb to the top of the tower to see from above. A must see when you go to Key West!

    Old shipwreck movies
    Aidan B.

    A wonderful place for kids and adults. The view from the top of the tower is wonderful

    Courtney G.

    An exciting history lesson and great views from the top of the tower! Ishmael gave a lot of great insight on each item.

    Brian F.

    Definitely a tourist trap. The family did this and the aquarium package. It killed an hour and was good for the kids. It's something to do, just temper your expectations. The lookout tower was cool but there was a big cruise ship docked that day so the views were not great. It's a one and done activity.

    Chris W.

    Definitely a cool spot to visit for multiple reasons. Great place to take in a little local history, see some great artifacts & have a bird's eye view of Key West from their tower. The outdoor market nearby was a bonus.

    Jonathan H.

    The crown jewel of this is the view from the tower. The museum has some interesting artifacts, but is not organized in a way that is super engaging. The stuff is neat, but not super captivating. Again, maybe a little expensive for the value of what you get. Some of the videos that play in there are pretty dated as well.

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    12 days ago

    I've come here my whole life, they just added newly found local treasures. it's the coolest museum in Key West. As a local I 100% approve

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    6 months ago

    Fun lil spot. The staff is knowledgeable and you can tell they enjoy their job. It's a nice stop to take a break from the sun. I liked it!

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    Very interesting. Great view at the top. The "Captain" inside was full of interesting facts and fun stories.

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    Key West Shipwreck Museum Reviews in Other Languages

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    Review Highlights - Key West Shipwreck Museum

    “If your feeling adventurous and really want a birds eye view of Key West and her surrounding waters climb the tower.”

    Mentioned in 44 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Ernest Hemingway Home  - His writing room

    Ernest Hemingway Home

    4.3(987 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    **if you have a cat allergies SKIP THIS you will be miserable. All other people this is one of the…read morebest experiences on key west. Full stop When visiting Key West this is a MUST DO. The staff are all so friendly. they keep it infomral so it's not stuffly or rehersed. In our tour group there about 15 people. 4 of whuch were kids and our guide tailored it to them which both sweet and adorable. He also mentioned multiple times that if we wnated a different experance to stick aorund for the next tour. So from tour to tour you'll get a completely different experiace and infomation which is not typical and definatly a more interesting experiance (I do a lot of antique and historically signifaicnt home tours lol) The cats are amazon. Most are very used to people and are happy for some gental and respictful attention. Please if you are visiting, be respectful of the rules and don't pick htem up. If one jumps in your laslp thats fine but don't pick them up on your own. Pets and belly rubs and photos and ear scratches al welcome. We saw margarita glasses being used a water bowls an have implented this at our house now. I could have spent all day here and if we ever return to Key West we'll be back as I;m sure the experience will be different.

    When we planned to come to Key West, this was the first item on my bucket list. And it did not…read moredisappoint. After paying to get in, we did a little tour on our own. Mostly my wife looking at the cats and trying to get their attention. We had a cat, they do whatever they want when they want to. At a given time, we came back to the front for the house and garden tour. It was very informative and it lasted about 30 minutes. It does include some very steep stair climbing but well worth the visit. I was not aware of the whole cat thing but it was an interesting story on why and how they got there. But to see where Hemingway, certainly one of America's best writers, lived was a very cool thing to do.... in this heat and humidity :)

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    Ernest Hemingway Home  - Kinda of hard to tell from this pic, but the planter in the middle of the walkway is shaped like a boat.

    Kinda of hard to tell from this pic, but the planter in the middle of the walkway is shaped like a boat.

    Ernest Hemingway Home  - Hemingway Cat

    Hemingway Cat

    Ernest Hemingway Home  - Cat Cemetery

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    Cat Cemetery

    Mel Fisher Maritime Museum - Wall of silver!

    Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

    3.7(106 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    The cool thing about this museum is that Mel Fisher displays artifacts from two ship wrecks that he…read morediscovered in the keys. There is scuba video of the discoveries that gives the viewer a realistic feel. One discovery, in 1972, was the slave ship Henrietta Marie which sailed in the 1690s and later. In the ship ruins were found several items like shackles and elephant tusks. It wrecked in the western keys. The other discovery was in the 1980s of a Spanish wreck that contained half a billion in gold and silver treasure. Lots of silver coins and gold bars are on display. Both Florida and the Federal Government tried to own the riches but Mel Fisher won in court. The Supreme Court said "finders keepers".

    Happy International Museum Day! Here's a brief review of one of the museums I visited on my cruise…read morein March 2026. Although a bit overpriced ($17.50 for adults) for the size and scope of this museum, Mel Fisher's Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida is an important stop for those interested in maritime archaeology and shipwrecks. This museum, which opened in 2000 in a historic building, focuses on the artifacts from a few 17th-century shipwrecks, especially on the historic find of the Spanish galleon ship, the Nuestra Senora de Atocha which sunk off the Florida Keys in 1622. The history behind the ship, the wreck, and its discovery are all incredible so do a deep dive on your own. As for the museum part of it, the exhibits are pretty permanent - this isn't the kind of place with rotating exhibits - and they could use a dusting/refresh. The gift shop up front is decent, the staff were nice, and the section that focused on the slave ship, Henrietta Marie was a sobering at the cruel treatment and conditions human beings subjected to other human beings. I had a good visit, spending about an hour here in all, and was pleased to have crossed it off my very long list of museums I want to visit!

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    Mel Fisher Maritime Museum - Mel Fisher

    Mel Fisher

    Mel Fisher Maritime Museum - Emerald jewelry piece of the Pope

    Emerald jewelry piece of the Pope

    Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

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    Tennessee Williams Museum - Wonderful Museum about Tennessee Williams' Life and Work. Opened 2021.

    Tennessee Williams Museum

    3.5(2 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    This self-guided museum may be of interest to a die-hard Williams fan, but for the casual visitor,…read moreit was a bit lackluster. Mostly old playbills and reviews. I was also interested to know that the paintings displayed of Williams' were just prints. The originals are in the Custom House Museum.

    "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers", one of Tennessee Williams' more famous lines,…read moremay be relevant to the Yelp experience as well. Useful reviews and kind compliments sent by complete strangers? I'll take that any day! OK now more about the museum itself: The Tennessee Williams Museum is a bright modern (circa 2021) space dedicated to the life and literary works of the famous playwright. The small building houses an impressive collection of material ranging from prints of TW's paintings, first edition books, playbills, videos of his interviews and a model of his home in Key West. Admittedly I'm a major fan, but the place would probably appeal to just about anyone with some interest in Key West's colorful history. Admission is reasonable ($7 for adults and $5 for seniors), with discounts available for pre-booking on the museum website. Friendly helpful staff member allowed me to linger a good long while with no hassle. The gift shop has some great finds as well. A unique and wonderful place all around.

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    Tennessee Williams Museum - Many Plays Made Into Classic Movies

    Many Plays Made Into Classic Movies

    Tennessee Williams Museum - Signage

    Signage

    Tennessee Williams Museum - Prodigious Work Despite Tragic Life. My Favorite Author.

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    Prodigious Work Despite Tragic Life. My Favorite Author.

    Key West Shipwreck Museum - museums - Updated September 2026

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