Fantastic architecture throughout the building but also great collections presented throughout. I loved being able to learn the history of the hotel while also viewing collections of historical pieces. Very fun to explore the different installations. The staff is very friendly and informative as well! Be sure to check out the cute gift shop at the end as well. read more

A very nice museum with a lot to see. We headed in about two weeks before everything shut down for the virus. Our anniversary is in March so we were celebrating that in the area since this is the city we got married in. We took our daughter with us (she was almost two when we went) and I'd have to say there wasn't much for her, BUT it was free for her to come in, so it's fine. We enjoyed the crystal area a lot and looked through all the unique pieces they had in their collections. The staff was friendly throughout. The restaurant wasn't open yet, so we didn't try that out, but it seems to have good reviews, so maybe next time! It looked like a really fun location to sit and have a meal. Overall: A Solid museum with some fun collections. Don't recommend for 5 and under, but it's a fun place! read more

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It was a very interesting trip and we seen so many beautiful things and they change it so it's not always the same and they guide said took her around and told us different things about the things that were in there and it was neat eating down there too read more

When my and my Mother visited beautiful and historic Saint Augustine, we knew that we would have to stop here, as we have a love for history as well as excellent art museums and the Lightner definitely delivered, thanks to its rich history and beautiful exhibits! Located smack-dab in Saint Augustine's historical district, the Lightner has a rich history, thanks to being founded in 1948 by newspaper editor, publisher, and Victorian hobbyist Otto Lightner. In addition, what makes the Lightner special was its collection to oil magnate Henry Flagler, as he used to manage the Hotel Alcazar that once occupied this space. The Gilded Age exhibit that interested us the most, which was the reason that we wanted to visit. Needless to say, The Gilded Age exhibit was most impressive, thanks to its collection of stained glass lamps from that time period, various pieces of furniture, and of course, many different kinds of oil paintings. Speaking of oil paintings, they encompassed the multiple floors and although a bit dizzying at first, we loved checking out the nooks and crannies of different kinds of artwork. On the first floor, just in back of the ornate lobby, there are many different pieces including clam shells, knights, and even taxidermies of various animals. I must add that in addition to the museum's beauty and history, it is extremely well-kept. What's more? The docents and all of the employees who worked here were knowledgeable, friendly, and professional, enhancing our experience. Lastly, I must add that admission here is reasonable for what you get, being $19 for adults and discounts for seniors, military, and students. If you are in Saint Augustine and have a love of art and history, the Lightner Museum is a must visit! read more

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Being in town for our anniversary, my girlfriend and I wanted to visit some of the museums and sites in Old Town of St. Augustine. The Lightner Museum was a no-brainer for us where we love visiting museums and buildings with a tremendous amount of history. Given that the Lightner Museum was the site of the Alcazar Hotel, we wanted to explore the rooms that housed many 19th-century art and decorations. Entry fare was reasonable (I think $12 or $15 a person), as we toured the former hotel that we discovered housed guests during the winters and enjoyed such amenities as the pool -- the latter you can walk inside, which was cool. Mainly, I enjoyed visiting the sulfur bath and steam room, as well as the gymnasium. We explored all the floors, examining the artwork and paintings, imagining what it must have been like to stay there. The staff was friendly as we took our tour, asking us if we had any questions as we made the rounds. They had a little cafe where the pool used to be, but we weren't hungry and wanted to explore. We found out that they can host weddings and anniversary parties, which was evident based on the tables we saw set up with beautiful arrangements around the poorhouse. A beautiful building and relic of history, the Lightner Museum is a recommended spot if you enjoy museums and peruse through artwork from the 19th century. read more

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We parked at the Castillo de San Marcos and walked to the museum, but there was some (paid) street parking available much closer the museum. There are three floors of exhibits. It took us a little over 2 hours to go through, and we were moving a little quickly. There are docents available for questions. We felt this admission price was worth it. It was a good rainy day activity. The signage states that the last ticket is sold at 4:00, but you probably wouldn't be able to see the whole museum before it closes at 5. read more

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This review is only for the outside courtyard. We passed through on our foodie tour. Great photo ops for engagement and wedding shoots, family photos, etc. Bring your wife! Bring your kids! Bring your quarters! (You can purchase food to feed the ducks and koi fish in the pond.) Lovely! Just lovely! read more

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It is a nice collection of a very wide range of stuff. I really love history and museums, but I became bored quickly with all the stuff. I guess I was expecting more about the history of the building, which is beautiful and has a great history. You will actually learn more about the building on the trolley tours that go around the town. read more

Lightner Museum - Museums Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Lightner converted the hotel into a museum to contain his vast collection of decorative and fine arts. He bequeathed the building to a board of directors who then opened it to the public several years later. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and today is home to both the Lightner Museum and City government offices. Enjoyed looking at the music room, fine art ,furniture, glass art and everything else. Discounts for seniors hours 9-5pm read more

My friend and I decided to go down to St Augustine for the afternoon on Saturday! While visiting, we bought some tickets for the Lightner Musuem ($17 per person). The museum was pretty neat as it had a neat selection of different antiques/collectibles and some preserved layouts of the hotel. My favorite part of the museum was learning about Henry Flager, as he had a significant impact on Floridas infrastructure in the early days! Only thing I would've liked, is if the museum had contained more preserved hotel rooms (I.E. what were the guest rooms like in those days). Overall, I had a nice time, and would recommend checking it out if you need something to do! read more

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What can I say other than I can't believe how gorgeous this place was when I visited it! The museum is three stories with a ridiculous amount of art that they showcase on any given day, they have a tiny restaurant that they have open for lunch and it is located within the museum making it very pretty and a nice place to eat! You can easily spend a day there if you take your time and watch the demonstrations they offer throughout the day as well. They have a gift shop as well but it is a little on the pricy side for the items they sell, I recommend window shopping because most items you can also buy at any little gift shop around St. Augustine. Overall s gorgeous museum! read more

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A must stop if you are visiting Saint Augustine! Such an awesome place full of so much history and beauty! It cost $17 for each adult and has a wide variety of collections. The staff was so helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. My husband and I spent 2.5 hours here and cut our trip short due to the parking meter expiring - there's so much to see! Highly recommend checking this place out if you're in the area, so gorgeous!! read more

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This is an interesting place, to be sure. It is called the Lightner Museum and was founded by Otto Lightner, the publisher of Hobbies Magazine in the early 1900's. Obviously, one of his hobbies was collecting things. In fact, that's what this museum truly is, a Collection of Collections. There's a little bit of everything in here, from science and animals to art, music, glassware, furniture, beer labels and others. Lightner obviously didn't turn his nose up and gathering things. Much of it, in fact, was salvaged from other mansions during the Great Depression of the 1920's. Not everything here will be of interest to everyone, but I think everyone will find something that does interest them. It was worth the admission and wandering around to see what was on display. The building itself is interesting too. It was formerly the Hotel Alcazar, built by Henry Flagler, later bought by Lightner and ultimately gifted to the City of St. Augustine with his collections. It now houses his museum as well as some City offices. In fact, during the day we visited, a wedding was happening in the outdoor city courtyard. Pretty interesting joint, if you ask me. read more

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Interesting collection of pieces in a historic building. Consistent with many museums, the Lightner museum features a revolving collection. Most of the pieces have placards describing the origin, name, and done facts about the piece. The collection is eclectic featuring a bicycle exhibit, a few paintings, photographs of St. Augustine, middle eastern art, taxidermy, musical instruments, and glass drinkware. It was pleasant to wander around the collection, and I would recommend the Lightner museum. read more

The Lightner Museum far exceeds any expectations I had for it. Not only is the old hotel beautiful and the architectural details stunning but the collection is outstanding. It varies widely from glassware, to paintings, to bikes, to furniture, and much more. All extremely rare and dating back centuries read more

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Loved this place so much. Lots of neat things to see. My only regret is not getting there earlier in the day to enjoy the cafe at the bottom of the indoor swimming pool. There was a man playing piano beautifully while we browsed through the exhibit. It would have been absolutely sublime to enjoy a slice of pie with a coffee while being serenaded. Absolutely stunning and well worth the money. read more

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Great collections and exhibits. Wonderful cafe for lunch. Interesting bit of St. Augustine history.

The famous Lightner Museum is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel located in beautiful St.Augustine Florida and built in 1888 by Henry Morrison Flagler.The hotel was known as "the castle of happy returns." The hotel was at the peak of its popularity during the 1890's. More than 25,000 guests visited the Alcazar during those early winter seasons and countless more used the recreational facilities of the casino. For the pleasure of the guests, there was the world's largest indoor swimming pool at the time, the grand ballroom, sulfur baths, a steam room, massage parlor, a gymnasium, a bowling alley, archery ranges, tennis courts and a bicycle academy. Today it is kept in pristine condition and thousands of visitors and tourists visit The Lightner Museum while visiting St.Augustine,Florida. . . . . #staugustine #ilovestaugustine #thelightnermuseum #visitflorida #visitstaugustine #iloveflorida #photografxworldwide #waynesalvatti #museums #ilovemuseums #lightner #alcazarhotel #flaglercollege read more

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Pretty cool place with some great history. Family enjoyed it and it was just something else to do in this cool town. read more

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It's location is almost certainly the most beautiful building in Florida, along with the college across the street. It actually made me wonder if the horrible ecological and architectural dystopian nightmare of Florida could've been avoided if Spain had tried a little bit harder over here. As for the inside of the museum, the collection can feel a bit small, which makes admission feel a bit pricey. Most of the attraction is to see the marvelous array of glassworks, which must be over a hundred pieces at least, but theres only about a dozen paintings. I think it doesn't take much more than an hour to see everything. It's also fun to walk along the inner courtyard and see all the antique dealers, But if I had to choose a museum to go to in Florida I think my heart still belongs to the Morse Museum. read more

My three year old son and I really enjoyed it! The building itself is fascinating and beautiful inside and out. The exhibits were nice. It wasn't crowded on a holiday weekend (we went in the morning). read more

Lightner Museum - Taking it all in. - Museums Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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The Lightner Museum is a super cool art museum which is on the site of the former Hotel Alcazar in the central business in the heart of the oldest city in the United States of America, St. Augustine, Florida. It's named after Otto C. Lighter, a Chicagoan who collected a bunch of American Gilded works of art which are extremely beautiful and interesting to look at!! I loved how there was a massive table upstairs which had a huge sculpture which was made up of massive pieces, and on the wall, there is a pamphlet which contains the story behind that sculpture. The place is massive, therefore you need about 3 hours or a little less to explore this epic place!! The photos attached to this review are self-explanatory! read more

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Fascinating look into the past. Loved it! Unique experience, having volunteers share their knowledge, Mike was exceptional and gave our group an overall tutorial of the history! Definitely recommend! read more

Simply beautiful from beginning to end!! As a "local" (4 years and Running), I've never been to tour the Lightner Museum. We have walked the grounds numerous times, but never the interior. My mom came for a visit and was delighted about touring so we went. What perfect timing! There was a Downton Abbey exhibit which showcased all the clothing from the show. It was exquisite . Each set was unique, clean, and beautifully portrayed. My mom is an enthusiast for DA and she was very pleased with this Exhibit and the museum overall. If momma is a fan, then im a fan also! I would highly recommend the Downton exhibit to any museum goers!? Also, I would recommend touring the courtyard the indoor museum shop. They are both beautiful. The courtyard was vacant when we were there and it was very relaxing. read more

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I have to start off by saying that Mike and Cheryl were just amazing with our kids. We are a family of four we have two boys and our boys get bored very easily. Today we spent the half of our day at Lightner Museum, it was such a great spot to see different things from different centuries and times. Im not one that loves history but I can honestly say it was very entertaining amd I was intrigued. If you love art and history. You will enjoy it 100%. Even those that dont like history you will also enjoy it. I was very surprised to hear my boys at the end of the visit say that was fun. 100% if it were not for Mike and Cheryl making them feel special and giving them a small talk on the "AWESOME THINGS THEY WOULD SEE" our visit would not have been the same. Thank you Mike and Cheryl you make a big difference in the visit at Lightner Museum. read more

Lightner Museum is a gem in St. Augustine. It is rich in history with a great collection of arts. Absolutely amazing! It is locate in the former Alcazar Hotel. It was an up-scale luxurious hotel as you can tell from its Arabic name, 'Alkasr' or 'Royal Castle.' Otto Lightner from Hobbies magazine acquired the hotel during the Depression and in 1950 willed to City of St. Augustine. The St. Augustine City Hall and the Lightner Museum now occupy the hotel. There is ton of painting, furniture, crystal, taxidermy, stained glass. Music demo using antique music boxes is available at 2:00 PM. Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours to explore its collection. Café Alcazar is located at the former indoor swimming pool. It is available for lunch read more

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Horrible experience with the staff. Purchased tickets for entry at 9:30 am, and the website said open until 2 pm Arrived at 12:40 and was told last entry for this day was 12:30 and refused admission with not even an apology Horrible customer service and was told to take it up with the tour service I said I would leave by closing time of 2 pm and was flatly told NO read more

Beautiful location. The building's architecture is gorgeous. Lots of different collections inside. Really neat place to visit once. Great for people who like to collect things. read more

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We finally visited the museum because we have tickets to the Downtown Abbey exhibit, provided to us by our inn. I have never seen the show but I always love going to museums and especially when there are specialty pop up exhibits. I have been to the Titanic and Bodies exhibits in NYC and they were both excellent so I was sure this would be the same. I have been wanting to go to this museum because of the history, as well as the cafe. This museum used to be a luxurious hotel a century ago. The cafe is located in what used to be the pool. At the time, it was the biggest pool. So big, I think Olympic swimmers came there. The museum has several stories and they are open in the middle, which overlooks the cafe. I loved looking at the pictures and looking at it in person, comparing. The lowest level had a bunch of miscellaneous items with descriptions. We spent the bulk of our time there. There were so many random things but really cool. There were these store fronts set up from decades ago. One of these trips we will make it to the cafe. It closes at 3pm and our inn has a gourmet breakfast that fills us up. Maybe just to go for a glass of wine or tea, just for the experience. read more

Definitely not a highlight of our weekend in St. Augustine. Cons: 1. The prices! I'm not sure if the prices are up because they had the Dressing Downton exhibit when we were there, but for $20/person, I expect a great museum. And this just isn't. 2. The collection. The museum's website says that it "is home to one of the best collections of fine and decorative 19th century art in the country." Maybe Dressing Downton made it hard for them to include a lot of their collection. But when we visited, the museum's collection didn't really impress - more of a collection of knick knacks than a collection of art: a shrunken head, a mummy, some rocks and gemstones, some antique musical instruments, a stuffed lion, etc. I wouldn't mind seeing these kinds of objects for $5. but not for $20. 3. Interior of the museum building. The exterior of the building is beautiful. But the interior is in some disrepair and needs a facelift for sure. Pros: 1. The exterior of the building is beautiful. Personally, I wouldn't pay to go in the museum again - but I highly recommend walking around the museum property! The museum is contained in the former Alcazar Hotel built in 1888 by Henry Flagler. Worth wandering around the courtyard! 2. The building. Because the building was once a hotel, they have maintained several rooms - including the Russian bath area. These rooms were of much more interest to me than anything in the collection. Unfortunately, they're in a bit of a state of disrepair, but it was interesting to learn about the history of the hotel and see what various rooms were used for when it was a fancy hotel! 3. The demonstration of antique mechanical instruments was the highlight of the museum for me (other than just the exterior of the building). A museum employee demonstrates how several of the instruments work and they were interesting and (for the most part) very beautiful! Don't miss this if you do decide to pay for entry to the museum. Twice a day only! Personally, I'd recommend that you skip the museum itself and just walk around the building itself. The museum is two-stars, but the beauty of this building made me up to three. The building is the highlight, and you don't have to pay $20/person to see that! NOTE: I should also say that I had already see the Dressing Downton exhibit in another city and wasn't at all interested in seeing it again. If you're very interested in that, I'm sure the exhibit would be of great interest to you! read more

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The Lightner Museum is increidably gorgeous. The building and the courtyard are stunning. Admission price is $10. The museum is housed within the former Alcázar hotel. It is a peculiar museum. I did like most of the exhibits, even tough, I found some of them to be a little random. I expected more information and see more exhibits about the former hotel. But, it's beautifully decorated for the holidays. read more

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The Lightener Museum is a museum of antiquities from the Guilded Age. It is also a historic building as it was formerly the Hotel Alcazar, commissioned by Henry Flagler. The museum offers various exhibits spread out over three floors. The first floor showcases a music room and science and industry exhibit. The science and industry exhibit was interesting and contained various taxidermed animals, including an African lion which was once presented to Winston Churchill to commemorate his victories in Africa. The second floor showcases pottery and glass works. The pieces on display are beautiful and eye catching. The second floor also has a ballroom gallery. This room was the most impressive and interesting room in the museum. The ballroom was formerly the largest indoor swimming pool and an area where the wealthy would visit for local entertainment. The multi-level ballroom is now a beautiful event venue, popular for weddings. The third level featured a special temporary Edgar Degas exhibit. This was by far the most disappointing part of our visit. The room was filled with extremely rudimentary drawings. Several were completed by Degas and the rest were done by other artists. I am used to seeing Degas' famous impressionist paintings which are absolutely beautiful. I was expecting something similar. Instead, this exhibit had sketches of things like arms, legs, etc. They appeared to be some of the sketches he did when he was learning and someone threw them together to use his name, just to draw visitors to the museum. General admission to the museum is $15 and they charge an extra $5 for the Degas exhibit. Honestly, the Degas exhibit is not worth it and they should have included it as part of the general admission. I would skip it. The rest of the museum is historic and one of the top places to see in St. Augustine. read more

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Here's another FREE activity to do in this ancient little city. There are little shops and places to eat once you explore the inside. The inner workings of the building cannot be seen just by looking at the front entrance. Go ahead and explore to see the beauty and wonders inside (see my photos) as well as something to satisfy your tastebuds... read more

We joined walking tour which was very entertaining and plenty of history about Lightner, Flagler and other wealthy businessmen settling I. Florida in late 1800's read more

This is a museum where you will spend at least a minimum of an hour. It is full of history in each room. Everything is labeled nicely so you know what you are looking at. Couple of floors full of beautiful decorations and historic items. The restaurant area is so simple yet so beautiful. I highly recommend visiting and taking your time here. read more

Lightner Museum - Museums Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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We chose the Lightner Museum for our intimate wedding ceremony and it was absolutely magical. The planning team was extremely helpful and accommodating. The gardens were beyond breath taking, and we couldn't have asked for a better venue to get married in. read more

Lightner Museum - Garde s - Museums Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Very interesting & large collection. Staff was very helpful & provided additional information at several points along our visit.

Looking for a museum that somehow doesn't seem to be a museum? Then check out the Lightner museum. Housed within the building that was Flaglers Alcazar Hotel built in the Spanish Renaissance style in 1988, this is an interesting collection of antiques that make you feel like you somehow wandered into your grandmother's house. The entrance way is stunning with a placid pool with fish you can feed and lovely gardens surrounding it. And upon entering the building, you will be amazed at the collection of all kinds of things from toasters to dolls, from crystal to pottery and fine art to decorative pieces. And the old pool/spa area is where they hosts large banquets and dinners. Check out the sloping floor as you walk into the "deep section"! There are three levels to explore with each more interesting than the one before. My favorite piece had to be the picture that was made up of "cigar bands" (funny what people had time to create before TV was invented. Check it out when you are in town. The architecture alone was worth the trip! read more

Lightner Museum - Garden in the courtyard - Museums Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Very awesome awesome place. It is so crazy to think everything inside was once a hotel. The bottom of the museum use to be a pool!! I could go on and on about this place. It is definitely worth the time and money to go check out and appreciate. read more

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We visited the Lightner Museum in downtown St. Augustine today. The Museum was a former resort from the Gilded Age called Hotel Alcazar. It was originally commissioned by railroad magnate Henry Flagler. Mr. Lightner, a magazine publisher of Hobbies Magazine, purchased the hotel to share his massive collections of furniture, art and memorabilia from that era. What we saw really took us back to the 1880's where industrial magnates lived in their "castles." Throughout the exhibits, the descriptions provided a sense of how the objects fit into the cultural and artistic movements of the time. Currently, there is a special exhibit of bicycles from that era which was really fun to see. For lunch we made a reservation at Cafe Alcazar, attached to the museum. The restaurant is situated in the former swimming pool of the hotel. It was one of the largest indoor pools in the country in its heyday. We highly recommend that you make a reservation before you go. The food was delicious. read more