Key West Shipwreck Museum

Really interesting place to learn some local history. Very knowledgeable staff and beautiful views if you make the climb up the tower.

In short, for the price, not worth it if you enjoy actual history.We were able to get two student tickets with our IDs and the ticket salesperson was extremely nice. However after paying $28 with our discount, you enter in to watch a 10 minute video from 1994 and considering how cheap videos like that are (especially if you hire film students), there is no reason to have a 30 year old video with the cost of ticket price. Even the city owned Custom House Museum had newer videos.Further, after you watch the video the actual museum is quite sparse. You have a ton of vintage stuff around, but it doesnt feel authentic. Maybe because we are from Orlando and know all the tourist trap tricks for attractions, it just did not feel like history. Yes, there were actual relics from the 1800s but the upkeep was poor. Low lighting made it really hard to see things and there are a ton of low budget ways to generally improve the experience.Lastly, we saw nothing to engage children and while we do not have any, it seems a shame to not teach children on vacation some interesting facts too!The lookout point is the best part, but overall not worth $35+ normally to go through a 30 minute museum.

We learned so much history and if you stop and read descriptions and really look instead of whizzing through there is so much fascinating information that makes you really think about Key West!

This museum was overall very forgettable. It is small with very little to look at or watch. The price of the tickets are a tad bit overpriced for what you receive. I’ve read reviews on the museum where it states it takes around 45 minutes to walk through if you take your time and read all of the information. I absolutely disagree. I went in very interested and read through most things shown off and displayed, and we walked through the entire museum in around 15-20 minutes.I found interest in the story of the main shipwreck that was recovered from the video that you watch when you first enter. I also thought some of the things recovered like the spoons or door knobs were very neat to see, too. But the only reason this review is not rated very low is because of the shipwreck tower you are able to climb at the top of the building. The view at the very top is very beautiful overlooking the island and the ocean. We were able to get some very pretty photos from the tower and it was also very interesting being able to look around and see the island from that perspective.The tickets are a bit pricey for what you receive. But the tower is a very redeeming part of it if you want to see a nice view. I highly suggest not going into the museum on a stormy day or if the tower of shut down for whatever reason. That is the highlight of the entire museum.

Interesting way to spend an hour. Be sure to watch both movies all the way through. The tower was closed due to lightning and we were given passes good for the next few days. Not much for kids who cant read, but the 12 yr old enjoyed it. Bundle with the aquarium, which is right next door, and enjoy a discount!

This was a really fun place to visit. We thought it would be tourist trap but it wasn’t. It is truly a museum of actual items from the ship wrecking days of old. The treasures and artifacts were amazing. This place was well worth the money

Not a super large museum. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly though which makes up for a lot of the lack of stuff. There is a short video (on a loop) that you can watch at the begining, and the pass is a come and Go all day thing. The crows nest up top does sport some spectacular views.

Really laid out place for the treasure hunter. Lots of fun

Learned some history!! Great view. This is the day after Hurricane Laura!!

This is a self-guided tour and if youre interested in old shipwreck things it is definitely worth a visit to the museum but if not it is definitely worth the price just to walk to the top of the overview it is an amazing view.

The Key West Shipwreck Museum is a walking self tour. I highly suggest not disregarding the short movies along the way about the history of Key West as they are very informative. Look around and read as you walk through this shipwreck/pirate museum. Near the end you will get the chance to climb the tower. I would say give it a try if youd like as it is well worth it when you reach the top. It offers a great view that reaches for miles in each direction. Overall, recommended.

Enjoy history of how shipping goods reached the United states this is a must see.

Fascinating history. Loved the views from the tower! Quick trip if you skip the introductory movie and the other short informational videos. 35/45 minutes if you watch every one from start to end.

Due to COVID19 these tours are mostly self-guided. Regardless, the video presentations and displays are rich in information and detail. You can even (try to) lift a bar of silver! The ghost tour that visits this place at night is even more thrilling.

It was interesting to learn a little bit about the wreckers, but it is not something I would choose to do again. It is a small museum. We probably spent 40 minutes there, including the short movie at the beginning. My kids liked the tower. It would be a nice place to visit for maybe 5 bucks a person but not 14.

Neat place to visit. On the small side, but enjoyed watching and seeing everything they had and the tower has a nice view.

Wanted to visit on 7/24 but the ticket lady was very discriminatory towards me and my service dog. Would not let us in unless we showed paperwork/certification which she is not legally allowed to ask for. I dont just casually carry around paperwork that isnt necessary and as a result we werent allowed entry. She can ask what the animal is trained for and if s/he is required for a disability. I realize a lot of people take advantage of the perks of having a service dog and that ruins it for those of us who actually need one. However, this does not excuse how we were treated that day. Disgusting behavior.Please educate your staff on how to handle individuals with service animals.

You may need to be some kind of history buff to enjoy this place. And we did enjoy it. You get a bit of history about the wreckers, the origins of key West West. For the modestly brave, go to the top to look out over the city of key West, the Atlantic and gulf of Mexico.

Neat place just wish it had a more displays

A lot of history, friendly and helpful staff. Worth visiting and climbing up tower for the great views

Lots of history and artifacts. Kinda small but full of information! The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable!

Was a good place to kill some time.

A great place to learn the history of Key West wreckers! Unbelievable view from the tower!

This place is really cool and has a wonderful history!

Very cool recreation of a wreckers auction house. Be sure to climb the tower and get the best aerial view of the island!

I think it needs to be cleaned. Its a great concept though.

The the history of wreckers in those times was very lucrative for the natives. They knew how to make money. LOL LOL

Really cool place to visit. Only takes a few minutes. Loved seeing the silver bar. Tour host was great. Would definitely recommend stopping in to look around. Its not very big at all but it is authentic which makes it very unique. You can even touch the silver bar. Its bolted to the floor to keep it safe. They explain how this was done and why....

Such a disappointment. Way to costly for the content

This was fun but I felt like it didnt really have much going on. We wantes to go for the tower because its supposed to have a better view than the lighthouse but it was closed at the time of our visit and they gave no indication of that from the outside where you have to purchase your tickets. If youre a going for that make sure to ask. If we could have seen the view it would have been worth the money

It was very informative and quite enjoyable. Though there wasnt very much AC, it was very warm on a hot summer day.

A little cheesy but actually interesting and informative. Miss Renata, who greeted us upstairs and put our minds in the right historical setting, was a lot of fun. We enjoyed the beautiful view from the tower. Were glad we went.

With COVID there are no guides. I really would enjoy this with someone guiding me along.

Toured this place on our own and during a ghost tour. We were the only ones in the building while on the ghost tour and heard someone or something trying to move what seemed to be a huge, heavy chest of some sort on the second floor...but yet no one else was on that floor. Then we heard heavy foot steps, almost like a peg leg. We went back the next day to tour and check it out.

If you want authentic KNOWLEDGE of Key West U have to go here, its good for all the FAMILY

Cool place to check out and hear the history of wrecked ships. There has been a LOT. Interesting artifacts. The observation tower has amazing views!

It was an interesting stop. We also climbed up the tower to enjoy the views . My legs hurt after but it was worth it.

Fun museum, but small for the cost

It was a kind of OK experience. The best thing is the view from the top deck.The inside looks cool and there are some interesting exhibits. There’s even an actor inside which will tell you something about the history of the things. I would have rated better if the price was more reasonable. But for the amount you pay, it is just to less of an experience. Just a bit too expensive. Things like the butterfly conservatory are at a way better price level.

Good, self guided tour with lots of salvaged items to explore .

Cool little museum, the best part is the watch tower you can climb and see most of key west. If you enjoy history and anything naval related you will enjoy the artifacts they have inside. Its one of the cheaper things to do in key west, its very affordable for a family, and its located right off Mallory square, easy to walk to. For the price it was a nice couple hours and a chance to get out of the heat, and see some amazing views.

Cute little meusem its a short tour self guided but the tower is sweet you will get a great veiw of Malory square

Its an interesting little museum focusing on a time in Key West history when people made a living diving to recover goods from wrecked ships. Save you strength to climb the tower and youll be rewarded with an amazing view of the island and waters around. Takes only about an hour to go through.

I had a lot of fun checking out all the cool stuff here. Climbing to the top of definitely a must with a great view!

Was a nice local museum, with a focus on the local history of Key West itself, and not just the treasure fleets. The tour guide was lots of fun, and I enjoyed talking with her afterwards. Highly recommend as something different from the normal run of tourist places.

Very interesting how Key West was started and the best view of the entire island.. Great pictures from way above..

A feel this was a bit overpriced for what it was, though the view from the top of the lookout tower was quite worth it (and your family can connect to the live Webcam and watch you wave at them, which is fun). There were also some neat antiques from shipwrecks and a lot of interesting historical information about wreckers.

Excellent place!If you are a former shirker or you are just walking around in Key West with your family, you must to visit this place.Isnt expensive and worth bring your family and beloved ones, but be ready, during summertime will be (as well the city) full packed.Recommended for sure.

Good place to visit and see and read about some of the stories behind the artifacts and also go up the tower and get a 360 degree view of Key West

Self guided tour. Roof was leaky

We got here 1 hour before closing. I was really excited to see the museum. Upon entering the museum there is a video to watch about the museum. We watched nearly all of it and went upstairs. I wish I could say this museum was fun... I thought there would be more shipwreck stuff... We went though in 30 min. To me the entry price it wasnt worth it. But if you happen to be in key West might as well check it out....

A really neat place to visit if youre a history fan & are interested in the treasures found.

We had a good time. The kids enjoyed seeing the history. Wish we could have been here when the tower was re-built.

Great place to bring the kids.

Okay museum but the tower is amazing.

Key West Shipwreck Museum is located in the heart of Key West showing a glimpse of the people who came before us and made it possible for the Keys to thrive! Shipmasters and Salvage crews that added to the rich history and economy of Key West ! My personal tour was very impressive and unique because of the kindness and expertise of the Maloney Family and Mr. Edwin Swift III and his fantastic company Historic Tours ! Dont forget to visit the Flagler Museum as well !!!We will come back!

Good information on the wrecking history of key west

Nice place to visit.

The attractions inside are full of facts about the shipwreckers but the real reason you are there is upstairs...waaaay upstairs (for Key West) An amazing view awaits you from the top of the tower. Its quite a climb if you are not used to stairs but the 360 degree view over the rooftops is worth it.

Very interesting and a fabulous 360 view of KW.

Good museum for value. Videos, lots of memorabilia. Also liked being able to go to lookout tower.

It was an interesting museum focused on the ship wreckers and salvagers that helped to put Key West on the map. There were some interesting artifacts from ship wrecks and the inside of the museum made it feel as if you were in a ship. The museum lacked in what there was to see. Even with stopping to read a lot of the information, we made it through in probably 30 minutes. For the cost we expected just a bit more. Had the price been lower we might not have left with the feeling of wanting more to see.

Surprisingly good visit here. I was interested to see some artifacts from the ocean and got to hear the whole history of key west. I would Absolutely recommend this place!

Great museum! Watch the video first before you go upstairs and you will get a lot more out of your visit.

While the concept seems intriguing, this museum was very dark making it difficult to read signs, etc. Steep stairs prevent accessibility and the tower which is most popular is closed for repairs. The best part of the museum was outside in the courtyard.

The tower is awesome..such a beautiful view

Pretty cool place, gives a glance into the history of Key West. The tower gives an amazing view of the key. Some pretty nifty artifacts.

It was good informative information

The staff was friendly and knowledgeable but it’s a tourist trap for sure. Super small for the price we paid. We were in and out in like 15 minutes. The tower climb was fun but not worth the price we paid.

Was interesting place with lots of things to see concerning the sea and the area. They are in a busy touristy area with gift shops,restaurants and such. Tour buses, trains are plentiful to give tours. They also have cruise ship docks close by.

The Key West shipwreck museum is a tourist attraction spot located right at the Mallory Square and adjacent to the Key West Aquarium.

Small but interesting. Go up the tower for a good view.

For what you pay for I was a little disappointed..Admission is steep. You sit through a 14 minute video on a loop then walk up some stairs to where you’re greeted by someone. They further explain some of the exhibits.Short of it is that admission is too steep for what get.

On a hot, humid day we entered the shipwreck museum after walking around Mallory Square around noon. Just after the entering and beyond the video is a small room of small chalkboards and basic games. This was a perfect way for our children to have some fun in the cool air. After a while we moved through the museum at a fairly quick pace seeing very few other humans. The steps to the top of the lookout tower is worth the climb. From the top of the tower you get a great view. The only better view is by aircraft or mega cruise ship. A nice breeze kept us cool at the top and on the way back down.

Decent Museum! Pretty small for the price you pay to get in...

Excellent interpretive guides. Interesting info on the ship wrecking industry. Includes a climb up a tower with great views of the water, cruise ship, etc.

Interesting history, great view from the top.

Not worth paying $17 for the pass. It has good collection from the ancient ships. But very expensive.

Nice self guided to so no need to rush and the view from the tower is awesome.

Interesting look at the local history, particularly of the wreckers (rescue & salvage crews). The living history actress on the second floor was particularly fun, be sure to ask for the pirate jokes. Youll get to see some recovered treasure and salvaged goods. On the top floor is a door leading out and up to the best view in Key West. Worth the visit, but be warned youll need to be able to climb steps!

A lot of information and items to look at, very interesting.

Ok, best thing to see is climb to the tower and look out over the water and city. Rest can be seen anywhere.

Very interesting. Great displays and video stories. Climb the tower for great views.

Interesting stories of how Key West came to be. The view from the top of the tower was beautiful. Came here earlier with the ghost tour and heard ghost footsteps.

Interesting, but ultimately not worth the cost. Best part was the tower.

This was a super awesome museum! Fascinating information about the wrecking industry in key west. Please please please let the awesome lady upstairs tell you her stories, she was FANTASTIC! the view from the top of the tower is amazing! You can see most of key west up there! Only disappointing thing is there wasnt a gift shop and I dont even like gift shops. It was one of the few Id have actually gone into if there had been one!

A bit pricey, was still a fun experience and got us out of the rain. Its recommended if your into some history about the island

The museum itself is pretty mediocre; however, there is a part of the museum that leads you to the top of the museum and the view there is beautiful. Definitely worth the 5 minute walk up a bunch of stairs.

GOOD BREAK FROM THE SUNMy friends and I needed a break from the sun so we got tickets here. Totally worth the money. The gentleman dressed up on the second floor (just above where you watch the entrance movie) was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. He answered all of our questions and was interesting. Lots of cool little trinkets and pieces of history. Definitely will recommend to any friends who plan on going to Key West.

Car buffs will especially enjoy this exhibit with some cars that are rarely seen even in museums

Very interesting and a great view from the top.

Great place to visit.

An interesting tourist spot in Key West. Lots of very cool artifacts to see and you can even touch a real Spanish 60lb silver bar.

My husband and I enjoyed the video at the beginning of the tour and we enjoyed our tour guide.A must see when visiting key West

Cool place and the view from the tower is amazing

Great historical telling of the Shipwrecks off of Keywest and artifacts from ships. The boys also enjoyed climbing to the top of the tower.

God attraction, but not for what you paid for

Very neat and full of information about key west

Very friendly, super interesting! We learned so much and had a great time learning about how far diving has come. I can’t believe how much stuff they had in one museum! Very interactive and fun for kids and adults alike! Thanks for a great afternoon!

Very interesting! Watch the videos.