Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House in Key West, FL

Get a true sense of how the pirates really ruled the sea and what the US Navy of the time did to cast out these marauders. Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House in Key West, FL is the best place to offer his. You can walk the same footsteps that pirates walked as well as many others when you visit this historic building that is perhaps one of the most important in all of Florida. The Custom House was built over a century ago in 1891 and it served many roles as government center, post office and even a court house.

A practice known as wrecking, salvaging ships most likely, made Key West the richest city for a while but eventually the city went bankrupt causing the abandonment of the building. It was thanks to a few million dollars and the Key West Art and historical Society for returning the Custom House to its heyday. You can view this interesting museum on you next visit to Key West for the admission price of only $10 for adults and $5 for children.

The architecture is reminiscent of the Romanesque style and the inside these days houses a number of exhibits and paintings that depict the history of Key West from pirates to governmental actions to one of the town's most famous citizens, Ernest Hemingway. Some pivotal moments occurred in Custom House throughout history and today, it is filled with notable works of art by local artists as well as the informational displays that portray a telling history full of color and life — just like Key West itself.