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Florida Keys Museums & exhibitions

Our most recommended Florida Keys Museums & exhibitions

Key West Conch Train Tour

1. Key West Conch Train Tour

Climb aboard Key West’s conch train for a 75-minute sightseeing tour of the tropical paradise. The train departs from Front Street Depot and loops through the Old Town to end back behind the Depot at Mallory Square. Stock up on ice cream and homemade fudge at the Depot to eat on board during your tour. You can jump off at Truval Village to visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Key West Lighthouse, Southernmost Point, and Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Climb to the top of the observation tower at Key West Shipwreck and Treasures Museum. Travel back in time to the days of hand-rolled cigars at Mallory Square. And stroll through the Cayo Hueso y Habana Historeum. Back on the conch train, learn about Key West characters, such as Mel Fisher, whose lifelong search for 2 sunken Spanish galleons finally turned up treasure worth USD 450 million. Jump off to enjoy great shopping on Duval Street, and fine dining at restaurants such as Hog's Breath Saloon, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville or the Hard Rock Café.

Key West: Truman Little White House Guided Tour Ticket

2. Key West: Truman Little White House Guided Tour Ticket

Presidents, Prime Ministers and royalty have visited the Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West. You can be next by taking a tour of this stunning historic building. No trip to Key West is complete without seeing the Harry S. Truman Little White House. Built in 1890 as quarters for the Naval Base Commander and Paymaster, the Little White House has now taken its place in history. In 1912, President William Taft visited the house, and in 1918, Thomas Edison lived there for several months as he worked on inventing new weapons for the war effort. Always at work, the President met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, worked on the Marshall Plan and the Truman Doctrine, and continually attended to his duties while enjoying the magnificent setting in Key West. It's said that he was friendly with the locals and fit right into the island lifestyle. Today, visitors from all over the world are able to get a glimpse into Truman’s world, see where he and Bess entertained guests, where critical meetings were held, and how the business of our government was conducted in this lovely historic building.

Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Tickets

3. Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum Tickets

Since the first Spanish galleons began to traverse the Florida Straits in the 16th century, ships have wrecked along the treacherous reefs of Key West and the Florida Keys. Now, you can learn all about the area’s maritime past with a trip to the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum. Wrecking and salvaging – the recovery of wrecked ships and their cargo – was the foundation of Key West’s economy during the 1800s. The economic boom it created meant that by the mid-1850s, Key West had become the richest city per capita in all of the United States of America. Learn the history of the region’s shipwrecking past at the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum, with two floors of genuine recovered artifacts. See pieces of wrecked Spanish fleets dating back to the 1600s and 1700s, as well as pieces from the Isaac Allerton, wrecked way back in 1856. Guests can even lift a silver bar, which was salvaged from the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. The museum itself is a recreation of the 19th century wrecker tycoon Asa Tift’s warehouse, and includes a 65-foot look-out tower. At the Historeum, you can also expect storytellers in period costumes and an array of audio visual displays that brings the history of Key West to life.

Key West: Sails to Rails Museum Admission

4. Key West: Sails to Rails Museum Admission

Located in the historic Key West Bight, discover this state-of-the-art museum with hands-on exhibits, raw footage, unique artifacts, and the only scale model of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park. As you travel through this interactive timeline of Key West history, uncover the history of sponging, turtling, fishing, cigar making, and tourism that put Key West on the map. Touch a genuine silver bar from the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha that sank full of gold, silver, and emeralds during a hurricane off of Key West in 1522. Get to know Henry Flagler, John D. Rockefeller’s partner in Standard Oil, in the original paymaster’s railway car from the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway. Inside the Maggie Atwell House, see the only remaining wooden structure built by the FEC, learn about the backbreaking work of building the railroad over the open ocean and the mosquito infested mangrove swamps of the Florida Keys. For the younger set, the museum offers an area full of hands-on activities, picture-taking opportunities, and the National Park Services Junior Ranger Program.

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What people are saying about Florida Keys

Our guide, Greg, was a wonderful fount of knowledge about former President Truman. He has that special touch when telling stories. We enjoyed the tour and our guide and will go again if ever the opportunity arises.

The tour has 4 convenient stops, and was very informative about some if the island’s history. The guide was very entertaining. I would recommend this tour for anyone visiting Key West.

Extremely infoirmarive regarding the Truman presidency. The tour guide was knowledgeable about Truman and the history of how the Little White House creation.

Great tour, great service, and a wonderful guide/driver! Well worth the time and price for people new to Key West!

I loved the Conch Train tour. It was informative and beautiful ride with very knowledgeable drivers.