10 History Museums in Florida Keys That You Shouldn't Miss

A museum dedicated to the history of fire fighting in the Florida Keys

Operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society, the Keys oldest cultural non-profit. The mission of the Key West Art & Historical Society is to preserve the culture of the Florida Keys through exhibiting and displaying regional art, architecture and history for the purpose of educating the community and visiting public.

As Florida’s only presidential museum, the Harry S. Truman Little White House was the winter White House for this country's 33rd president. Truman spent 175 days during 13 vacations in the home that is filled with original furnishing and memorabilia from Truman’s days. Presidents Taft, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter and Clinton also used the house. Guided tours offer guests a window into the world President Truman and life of a US president.

Towering over Mallory’s historic seaport, the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House is as stunning a sight to visitors today as it was when it opened in 1891. It has been faithfully restored and stands on the harbor as a national landmark, an award-winning museum and official headquarters of the Key West Art & Historical Society. Experience two floors of exhibitions that weave together two centuries of history, art, people, and events.

The Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, displaying, and interpreting artifacts, antiques, books, documents, photographs, and oral history relative to the History of Diving. We tell the international story of man's attempts to explore, understand, and venture under the sea. We also celebrate the special role that South Florida and the Florida Keys played in this story. The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution focused on the Story of Man's Quest to Explore Under the Sea. The majority of the Museum's artifacts have been provided through the generous support of its founders, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer, who hold one of the largest collection of historic diving equipment and research documents in the world.

327 Foot museum ship from WWII and Viet Nam. It is a National Historic Landmark. INGHAM served our country from 1936 to 1988 and in 1985 was the most decorated ship in United States Service as noted in a letter from President Ronald Reagan in the exhibit room. It is the last American Warship afloat to have sunk a German U-Boat (626) in WWII. It served as the Flagship for the seaside operation of General MacArthur's return to Corregidor in the Philippines. She served from 1936 to 1988. The ship is totally intact as if was on decommissioning day. Offering one of the best Sunset viewing venues in Key West on Friday and Saturday Evenings, serving wines and various Beers.

Discover the rich history of Key West’s shipwrecking past at the Key West Shipwreck Treasures Museum. Shipwreck artifacts, including a silver bar you can hold, fill the museum that is recreation of 19th century wrecker’s warehouse. A lookout tower and audio-visual displays share with guests the experiences of the dangerous world of ship wreckers. Storytellers, in period costume, bring history to life with tales ensuring a fun and fascinating experience for the entire family.

This Caribbean Colonial House dating from the 1830s features original furnishings, rare antiques and unusual marine artifacts collected by the Porters, a notable Key West family.

In 1950, the Key West Art & Historical Society, with its own army of volunteers, cleared away years of debris and dust to open Fort East Martello as its first museum. With continued community support, the Society restored this national landmark in accordance with its original 1860s design. Today, visitors can explore the preserved battlement’s collection of relics from the Civil War, learn about the wrecking and cigar-manufacturing industries which shaped the Florida Keys, view the imaginative metal sculptures of Stanley Papio, as well as meet the Ghosts of East Martello, including the infamous Robert the Doll.