At 200 Greene St in Key West, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum tells the story of treasure hunter Mel Fisher and the shipwrecks found off the Florida coast. Its displays include gold, silver, jewelry and other objects recovered from Spanish ships, with the Nuestra Señora de Atocha at the center of the story. You can also explore exhibits on the Henrietta Marie and the history of the slave trade. A conservation lab tour adds a closer look at how recovered objects are preserved.
Fisher’s search and the Atocha
The museum traces Mel Fisher’s search for the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank in 1622 along with the Santa Margarita. Fisher and his team spent years looking for the wreck off Key West, and the museum displays objects recovered from the ships.
Gold and silver coins, bars, jewelry and other finds give the search a physical record. Among the objects on view are a 77-karat emerald and pieces from the ships themselves. The collection also includes navigational tools and items that show what people carried and used at sea.
More than treasure
The shipwreck exhibits provide a way into the wider history of Spanish colonial trade and maritime life. Other displays cover piracy and the Henrietta Marie, an English slave ship that wrecked off the Florida coast. The second-floor exhibits address the slave trade, adding the lives and histories connected to these voyages to the museum’s account of recovered treasure.
The museum also holds artifacts from the St. John’s Wreck and other vessels. Together, the objects connect individual shipwrecks with the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.
Conservation and the collection
Some of the museum’s work takes place in its conservation lab, where salvaged objects are processed and preserved. A lab tour gives visitors a closer look at that work alongside the exhibits; weekday visits are recommended for behind-the-scenes tours.
The collection includes more than precious metals and jewelry. Glassware, tools, pottery, cannons and other objects help show the range of material recovered from wrecks. Give yourself time to look through both floors, especially if you want to spend time with the exhibits on the Henrietta Marie and the slave trade as well as the Spanish ships.
Häufige Fragen
How long do you need at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum?
Allow about 1 to 2 hours to explore both floors. Add time if you plan to take a conservation lab tour.
Can you tour the conservation lab?
Yes. The museum offers behind-the-scenes lab tours, with weekday visits recommended.
What can you see at the museum?
Exhibits include objects recovered from the Atocha and other shipwrecks, plus displays on the Henrietta Marie, piracy and the slave trade.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
The entrance and a ramp are wheelchair accessible. An accessibility chair is available to help visitors reach the second floor.
