Key West Shipwreck Museum
24°33′33″N 81°48′25″W / 24.55908°N 81.806947°W / 24.55908; -81.806947
Front entrance of the museum | |
Location | 1 Whitehead Street Key West, Florida |
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Type | Shipwreck artifacts |
Website | Key West Shipwreck Museum |
The Key West Shipwreck Museum (formerly Shipwreck Historeum) is located in Key West, Florida, United States. It combines actors, films and actual artifacts to tell the story of 400 years of shipwreck salvage in the Florida Keys. The museum itself is a re-creation of a 19th-century warehouse built by wrecker tycoon Asa Tift. Many of the artifacts on display are from the 1985 rediscovery of the wrecked vessel Isaac Allerton, which sank in 1856 on the Florida Keys reef and turned out to be one the richest shipwrecks in Key West's history, having resulted in the Federal Wrecking Court's largest monetary award for the salvage of a single vessel.[1]
The museum guide portraying Tift tells the story from his point of view as he explains how this unusual industry provided for the livelihood for the entire island of Key West at a time when it had the largest population in the state.
Guests can climb the 65' lookout tower.
Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas
Also included are relics from Spanish galleons, including a silver bar salvaged from the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas that guests are encouraged to try to lift.[1]
After 350 years, a team of marine archaeologists has found the treasure that was aboard the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas in 1656. Pendants, gold chains and other artifacts from the remains of the wreck, have been found along a trail of more than 9 miles. Among the jewels that have been found, there is a gold pendant with the cross of Santiago and others with symbols of the pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago.[2]
Gallery
- Back of the Museum
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References
- ^ a b "Key West Shipwreck Museum brochure". Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
- ^ Alberge, Dalya (2022-07-31). "After 350 years, sea gives up lost jewels of Spanish shipwreck". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
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- Fleming Key
- Sigsbee Park (Dredgers Key)
- Stock Island (northern part is in the municipality of Key West)
- Sunset Key
- Trumbo Point
Neighborhoods |
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- Monroe County School District
- The College of the Florida Keys
- Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea
- The Armory
- Audubon House and Tropical Gardens
- Captain Tony's Saloon
- Duval Street
- Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
- Fogarty Mansion (Fogarty House)
- Eduardo H. Gato House
- Ernest Hemingway House
- Key West Aquarium
- Key West Bight
- Western Union
- Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
- Key West Cemetery
- Key West Heritage House Museum and Robert Frost Cottage
- Key West Lighthouse
- Key West Shipwreck Museum
- Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden
- Mallory Square
- Old Post Office and Customshouse
- Richard Peacon House (Octagon House)
- Port of Key West
- Dr. Joseph Y. Porter House
- Sloppy Joe's
- Solares Hill
- Southernmost House
- The Studios of Key West
- Thompson Fish House, Turtle Cannery and Kraals
- Harry S. Truman Little White House
- U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Key West Station
Note Naval Air Station Key West is nearby.