SECRETS OF KEY WEST SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

Ahoy there! If you ever find yourself on the sun-drenched shores of Key West Florida looking for interesting and key places to visit then a really great place to explore is the Key West Shipwreck Museum.

It’s a living history museum and a recreation of a 19th-century wrecker’s warehouse now housing artifacts recovered from old shipwrecks, including the cursed treasure from Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de la Maravillas that was wrecked off Key West in 1656, and the notorious Isaac Allerton that sank with its cargo of riches in 1856.

The Key West Shipwreck Museum does more than just showcase maritime history, as the relics and artifacts on display offer you a fascinating and tangible connection to the past, and a fascinating insight into the world of shipwrecks and salvage.

The displays are carefully curated and offer a dynamic interactive experience, with costumed actors and multimedia presentations, to whisk you back in time to the thrilling world of daring 19th-century wrecking when the sea was both a perilous adversary and a lucrative treasure trove.

So, dive in with me as we explore together the secrets of the Key West Shipwreck Museum where we’ll uncover a fascinating history, hear brave and adventurous stories of wreckers, and see for ourselves all the fabulous salvaged treasures on display!

KEY WEST SHIPWRECK MUSEUM SIGN — *A really great place to explore is the Key West Shipwreck Museum*

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key West Shipwreck Museum is a fascinating insight into the world of shipwrecks and salvage — *A fascinating insight into the world of shipwrecks and salvage*

IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING

The museum’s storytelling approach is both educational and entertaining. Through reenactments and presentations, you’ll feel as though you’re living the history rather than just learning about it.

Young explorers will find themselves captivated by the interactive exhibits and engaging stories. It’s a perfect destination for families looking to blend education with adventure.

I found the replica of the wrecker’s warehouse excitingly atmospheric inside and I really enjoyed viewing all the old diving equipment and salvaged treasures on display. It certainly helped me to gain a deeper understanding of Key West’s unique maritime heritage and how the wrecker industry had shaped the island’s history and founded its swashbuckling reputation.

WHERE TO STAY IN KEY WEST

We’d arrived in Key West at the end of May and we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. So we decided to book in a very nice room at the historic boutique Lighthouse Hotel just a ‘mango throw’ away from the Historic District and Duval Street and a short walk to The Key West Shipwreck Museum (0.7 miles or 1.12 km).

Our accommodation was a small and beautifully appointed cottage with a patio out front and just across the street from The Hemingway House!

As there are so many places to stay in Key West and in the Florida Keys from big-name resort hotels, smaller motels and private guesthouses.

I would advise you to always book ahead – especially during the holidays – and I recommend the best way would be using an online booking site to immediately confirm your accommodation.

While organising your accomodation why not grab your tickets for The Key West Shipwreck Museum at the same time?

Our stay at The Lighthouse Hotel was wonderful.

FIND YOUR PERFECT PLACE TO STAY IN KEY WEST USING THIS INTERACTIVE MAP

HISTORY OF WRECKERS AND SHIPWRECKS IN KEY WEST

During the 19th century, the treacherous reefs surrounding the island claimed numerous ships. Back then, records show that at least one ship a week out of the hundred or so that would sail past Key West would find itself wrecked on the treacherous reef.

Notoriously, the waters off Key West were some of the most perilous waters in the world, due to bad weather, strong currents, and even hurricanes and while this was disastrous for the ships’ owners, it was a golden opportunity for Key West residents.

Wreckers were salvagers who braved the seas to rescue crews and recover cargo from shipwrecks. They weren’t pirates because it was a legal and highly profitable business. The wreckers operated under strict maritime laws, requiring them to save lives first and then salvage goods. This legal framework turned potential disasters into thriving business ventures.

The shipwreck salvaging industry had a profound impact on the economy and development of Key West, contributing to its prosperity and cultural richness.

Wrecking made Key West one of the richest cities in the United States by the mid-1800s.

The replica of the wrecker's warehouse is excitingly atmospheric inside the Key West Shipwreck Museum — *The replica of the wrecker’s warehouse is excitingly atmospheric inside*

THE LOOKOUT TOWER

One of the highlights of the museum is the 65-foot lookout tower. This is a replica of the towers used by 19th-century wreckers to scan the horizon for ships in distress.

A climb to the top will reward you with a breathtaking panoramic view of Key West and the wooden structure creaks as you climb, giving it an authentic, old-world feel.

A breathtaking panoramic view of Key West from the top of the observation tower — *A breathtaking panoramic view of Key West*

TREASURES AWAITS AT THE SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

What treasures can you expect to see when you step inside the Key West Shipwreck Museum?

Well, there’s lots of authentic artifacts from shipwrecks, including china, coins, and navigational instruments, plus fascinating documents and maps that chart the maritime history of the surrounding waters.

The museum places special emphasis on the Isaac Allerton, one of the most profitable wrecks in Key West history. You can view the relics and treasures recovered from this ship and learn about its dramatic demise.

I found the story of the Isaac Allerton particularly fascinating.

*The Isaac Allerton is one of the most profitable wrecks in Key West history*

THE FASCINATING TALE OF THE ISAAC ALLERTON

The story of the Isaac Allerton is one of the most famous shipwrecks in Key West history. The Isaac Allerton was a three-masted schooner, a type of ship known for its speed and agility. Built in 1878, this sturdy vessel was named after Isaac Allerton, a Pilgrim who sailed on the Mayflower.

The schooner was primarily used for transporting a valuable cargo goods between the Caribbean and the United States, carrying everything from sugar and tobacco and molasses to rum and other commodities.

The Isaac Allerton’s demise begins on August 28, 1888. On a seemingly ordinary day, the schooner set sail from Havana, Cuba, loaded with cargo and a small crew.

The journey to New York was expected to be routine. However, as the ship navigated the waters off Key West, it encountered a powerful hurricane and the Isaac Allerton was tossed onto the treacherous coral reefs off Saddlebunch Keys, 15 miles east-southeast of Key West, and sank in five fathoms of water.

In the wake of the shipwreck, the community of Key West sprang into action. They managed to save the crew of the Isaac Allerton, but the ship itself was beyond repair.

The wreckers salvaged what they could and their efforts yielded a pay out of over $50,000 which made it one of the most valuable salvage jobs of that period.

The Key West Shipwreck Museum: The wreckers efforts yielded a pay out of over $50,000 — *The wreckers efforts yielded a pay out of over $50,000*

But the story did not end there because the shipwreck became an integral part of Key West’s rich maritime history, serving as a reminder of the dangers faced by seafarers of the past.

Today, the wreck of the Isaac Allerton is one of the most well-preserved shipwreck sites in Florida’s waters. It offers a unique glimpse into the past with its coral-encrusted remains serving as a time capsule from the 19th century.

The wreck is accessible to divers and snorkelers and a visit to its underwater resting place is a must for those intrigued by the story of the Isaac Allerton. Before diving, however, it’s important to remember that shipwrecks are protected sites

Divers should respect the historical significance of these underwater museums and refrain from disturbing or removing any artifacts. By preserving these sites, we ensure that future generations can also experience the wonder of exploring a piece of history.

Shipwrecks and treasure - The Backpacking Husband works on a shipwreck salvage site — *The Backpacking Husband works on a shipwreck salvage site*

SHIPWRECKS AND SUNKEN TREASURE

I love a good treasure hunting story especially if it involves shipwrecks and sunken treasure. Quite recently, my backpacking husband, who is a highly qualified scuba diver, was involved with an exciting archaeological project to salvage an unknown 17^th century shipwreck discovered on the Meso-American Reef in the Caribbean.

He was one of the safety drivers on the salvage operation who monitored the conditions on the site and the divers – archaeologists and marine biologists – working on the dive site. Every evening I would press him to tell me all the exciting events of the day. To me it was all very adventurous and much like one of my favourite movies ‘Fool’s Gold’.

So, at Key West Shipwreck Museum, I was further captivated with the story of the cursed treasure from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de la Maravillas which sank carrying a vast amount of gold, silver, and emeralds, to Seville Spain in 1656!

Shipwrecks: Cob coins were cut from a silver bar and struck with a royal insignia — *Cob coins were cut from a silver bar and struck with a royal insignia*

THE CURSED TREASURE FROM THE NUESTRA SENORA DE LA MARAVILLAS

On the 4^thJanuary in 1656, the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de la Maravillas, which was two decks high and was armed with 36 bronze cannons and loaded with over five million pesos in gold, silver, and emeralds collided with another ship in her flotilla during a storm near Grand Bahama.

Having sustained serious damage to the ship’s hull, the captain attempted to ground the vessel on a reef near Little Bahama Bank. High winds and rough seas battered the disabled vessel against the rocks until it broke apart. Of the 650 men aboard only 45 survived the catastrophic wreck.

Salvage of the lost treasure was initiated almost immediately as six frigates were dispatched from nearby Havana. The salvage vessel Madama do Brasil sank carrying a huge load of recovered coins in June of 1657 when her hull broke as a storm drove her into the reef off Gordo Cay. The salvage effort went on for over four years, during which time four of the six frigates involved in the operation sank carrying the Nuestra Senora de la Maravillas ill-fated fortune.

Much of the treasure retrieved early in the salvage effort was lost again when an entire Spanish fleet transporting the recovered riches to Spain was destroyed by British privateers near the Canary Islands in late 1657. Legends of a curse surrounding the treasure grew, as much of the silver aboard Maravillas had originally been salvaged from the wreck of the Jesus Maria de la Limpia Concepcion which sank off the coast of present-day Ecuador in 1654.

The Spanish salvors were unable to locate the main portion of the Maravillas and retrieved only a fraction of the lost treasure. Operations were suspended for over a decade until 1677 when a new salvage yielded an additional two tons of silver. The wreck site was then abandoned for nearly three centuries until it was rediscovered by Robert Marx in 1972.

Marx, a seasoned treasure-hunting veteran who has researched the Maravillas for years, quickly located the ship and began to retrieve large quantities of coins and other artifacts. Unfortunately Marx soon found himself entangled in a lengthy and expensive court battle with the Bahamian government. After being forced to surrender much of his findings, he was forbidden to continue the salvage of the wreck.

In 1986 a new salvage expedition was launched by Herbert Humphreys Jr. and the Marex Corporation through an agreement with the Bahamian authorities. Over the next few years Humphreys and his crew retrieved treasure from the site ranging from gilded weapons and exquisite jewellery to gold bars and uncut emeralds. While their expedition was unquestionably successful, they were unable to locate the missing main portion of the ship and the mother-load of the Maravillas treasure.

Treasure hunters continue to search for the undiscovered cache to this day, though the Bahamian government has not officially granted salvage rights to the wreck since the early 1990’s.

Bahamas Maritime Museum was created to hold the salvaged treasure of the Maravillas in an exhibition to display and share these wonderful salvaged treasures and artifacts with the public.

Shipwrecks and treasure: The salvage vessel Madama do Brasil sank carrying a huge load of coins in June of 1657 — The salvage vessel *Madama do Brasil* sank carrying a huge load of coins in June of 1657

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The Key West Shipwreck Museum offers more than just a glimpse into the past; it provides an exhilarating journey through time. From the daring exploits of the wreckers to the treasures recovered from the deep, this museum is a treasure chest of history waiting to be unlocked.

Whether you’re a history buff, adventure seeker, or just looking for a unique experience in Key West, the Shipwreck Museum promises a voyage you won’t soon forget.

Check the museum’s operating hours and consider visiting during off-peak times to avoid crowds.

Find out more and how to get tickets for the Shipwreck Museum.

Don’t miss the interactive exhibits and live presentations as they’re an integral part of the museum experience.