We were in Key West during a cold snap. The high on this particular day was only in the 50's so we…read morewere looking for some indoor activites as opposed to water or beach activities. The Art and Historical Society is housed in a historic buidling that has served a variety of uses in the past - including serving as the island's customs office, a post office, courthouse and the U S Navy. This four-story architectural marvel was built to be a prominent structure near the water in order to collect customs. After the Navy moved out, it was vacant for a number of years until it was acquired by the Art and Historical Society which completed an extensive, multi-year renovation of the building. Seeing the building itself is worth a visit but the museum includes a wealth of art and history of the Key West are that shoudn't be missed. Allow at least 2 hours.

Located in Mallory Square, this museum depicts the paths of citizens of the southernmost town when…read moreit was the richest and largest city in Florida in the 19th century. Here we see local, national and even international exhibits of art and history. I enjoyed drawings of Ernest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. There are 59 drawings on the walls from the 1st to the 3rd floor. Open daily from 10-4:30 pm. Elsewhere I wasn't super impressed. Admission charge 13.00 and less for kids. Self guided.

If ever in Key West then the Hemingway House is a must visit…read more Hit up Duval Street for bar hopping, take a pic at the Southernmost Point, take in an amazing Key West sunset, and do a tour of Ernest Hemingway's home. Our tour guide was terrific, very engaging and insightful. Hemingway lived a very interesting life for sure. A literary giant and man of adventure. He had his flaws, but the man lived his life consisting of adventure, drama, love and tragedy. Such highs and lows. Also, we got to see and pet some of the six toed cats which are famous here.

I really wanted to see this house and museum, but in reading some reviews, I learned that Ernest…read morehimself was a lover of six toed cats which are called Polydactyl Cats or aka known as a Hemingway cat. Many Yelp reviews talk about these cats just being everywhere on the property. The cats have been given amnesty to live on the property. As much as we want to see this house, we have serious allergies to cats and did not want to take a chance to be miserably walking around with loud achoo's in people's ears, so we took whatever photos we could take from the outside and then went about our day. I wanted to go into the gift shop, but the cats are there too. I guess on the bright side, we saved at least $40.00 dollars.

This was my favorite touristy tours we took while visiting Key West. I learned a lot about the area…read moreand President Truman. I was very impressed with the restored home and real lived in items as historic pieces on display. They still have more work to keep this museum going and protected, but it can be done. They also had a nice gift shop, with great tour guides. Bravo!

From 1946 through 1952, President Harry Truman used this house as his winter vacation home, and…read morebecause he spent 175 days of his presidency here, it became known as the Little White House. Originally built by the U.S. Navy in 1890, the Little White House served as naval command headquarters during the Spanish-American War, and also played roles in both World Wars and the Cold War. Since Truman's days, many other presidents have also vacationed here, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Today, the Little White House has been restored and turned into a museum. Also, don't forget to check the famous limousine while you are there. The only way to see inside the Truman Little White House in Key West is via a guided tour. But there is a small section near the gift shop that is free for visitors.

First of all this place's entrance is FREE and I was impressed with the amount of information about…read moreThe Cuban history and how they migrated to the USA. It was such an emotional time to be here.

The San Carlos institute is a magnificent building on Duvall street, Key West which now operates as…read morean historic Cuban heritage center. The building was founded in 1871 by Cuban exiles to support the fight for Cuba's independence from Spain and also had a school on the top floor to educate Cuban children. The entrance is free and the rooms are full of photographs and historical items. It's well worth stopping in. There is also a screening room that plays a 25 minute video. The architecture and design of the building is impressive.

A cost neutral GEM of an attraction that many unfortunately miss. Very interesting, informative,…read moreand the staff (Christine & others) are incredibly knowledgeable, polite, and friendly. Enjoy.

A wonderful informative and engaging space in which to learn more about the flora and fauna of the…read moreKeys. The dangers and the ways people can help are fundamental in the posters and placards throughout the museum-like Center. Parking just outside and the Truman Waterfront, playground and splash park are just outside. Entry is free; check opening hours - currently Wednesday through Sunday.

Lovely. Dedicated staff. An unexpected treat in Key West (which turns out to be a thoroughly…read morelikeable town despite the rumor and innuendo). An easy place to have a very nice time.

Another beautifully preserved historic property as well as extensive lush gardens. We passed by…read morethe property daily during our brief visit to the keys and admired the well maintained tropical gardens visible from the pathway.

My husband is NOT a museum goer. We have visited Key West a dozen times and I always have passed by…read morethe Oldest House saying "next time". Do yourself a favor and just go. It is a pure gem of a museum amid the hustle and noise of Duval Street that has been lovingly preserved by the Old Island Restoration Foundation. The real gem here was our docent, Saud. What made the tour epic was Saud's passion and affection for the history of Key West. Not only was he knowledgeable and interesting to listen to, he was the nicest person ever! I had no idea that many of the buildings in Key West have been moved over the past 200 years - by mules - and this conch cottage is one of them. Even more fascinating is that it was home to a sea Captain, his wife, and their nine daughters!!! Eleven people in such small quarters with no air conditioning or modern conveniences - it really gives one pause and an appreciation for all we have now. The property has three buildings, the main house, the kitchen house, and the exhibit pavilion which face a garden with benches. Saud showed us around the gardens and shared great detail about the flora and fauna of Key West (turns out he is also a gardener - of course he is) and introduced us to Larry, the resident rooster and other birds who live in the gardens. Also fascinating to see are the works of art by Mario Sanchez, Key West's famous folk art wood carver. Did I mention my husband loved visiting the Oldest House? Thank you Saud for a wonderful tour and thank you John in the gift shop for being so accommodating and packaging our purchases with care.

Tours are not free or have a tour guide as stated in some of these older reviews. It's $10/per…read moreperson now and it's a self walk through/guided tour. It's all self guided. Make sure you read all of the signage - you'll learn a lot. Beautiful gardens out back. Currently under construction as they are building a kitchen for catering of their events. Fun to do if you're looking to kill 30-45 minutes or so.

I liked this! I think the ticket price should be lower since there's not much to see, but I loved…read morethe view from the top. Only high up view of Key West I've ever experienced, so it was worth seeing if you like views like this when traveling somewhere. You have to climb the spiral staircase to the top, so I do not recommend it to those who are unable to walk up stairs. It's not too long of an uphill climb, so it's fine for those who are not active. The museum is cute. It takes about 10-20 minutes to walk through the museum if you're stopping to read everything. It wasn't crowded at all, and I went Saturday afternoon in early August.

You get incredible views of Key West from on top of the lighthouse. It is an exhausting 88 steps up…read morebut the view is well worth it. It started to thunder and lightning while we were aloft. That was scary/interesting. The museum and gift shop are nice.

Interesting Fort. Lots of great things to see in the Fort & Museum…read more The unfortunate part is that is that there isn't a lot of signage on the tour. It is a self guided tour and they give you a map with some description. They had great signage got Robert the Doll and the Count. There are places that were area not allowed to go to due to renovations, but at least they lower the price. I did the Robert the Doll tour the night previous. I think I learned more about the place through the Sloan ghost tour. Also never received my ticket or emailed ticket to get a day ticket as stated when I bought that ticket. Would I go again? Yes. I do recommend visiting. But ask questions and read the map for information.

Steve was the tour staff that went the extra mile to explain the uncanny history behind this…read moreawesome exhibition. Ample parking, and a great experience if it's sunny, but especially if there is bad weather a bargain to get out of a storm. I suggest this tour to any history, paranormal, military, or Key West enthusiast.

When a great stop along the drive down to Key West. The exhibits were thoughtful and informative…read more There is a 90 minute tour which is worth every penny. It's nice to support their rehab efforts

You're in the Keys... so let's know up front this museum is no Metropolitan Museum of Art or the…read moreGuggenheim; the keys have museums but for the most part they are all low-key and this one is no exception. It's not large and it's not overly impressive but it is interesting; more in the sense of it's actual history and not what they have to offer. The real deal is the place was, to put it bluntly, a turtle slaughterhouse... Sea Turtles were brought in from the boats and loaded into the building (that sits over the water as part of the docks). They canned the meat and also made Turtle Soup. Key West no longer processes sea turtles into meals but the history is here... Regardless of whether you love or just like it, it is free, so when life gets closer to normal, swing in for a peep.