Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum

Learn about one of the most lucrative and dangerous ways to make a living at the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum!

With your Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum tickets, you’ll enter a forgotten era when retrieving precious cargo from a sinking ship was an honorable way to earn a living. Learn about the unique and fascinating history of Key West and how it became one of the richest cities in the country. Back in the glory days of sailing, over 100 ships passed through the Key West each day. On average, one ship a week sank to the ocean floor at Key West, creating a lucrative business for people who could retrieve these lost treasures. So, learning all about the wrecking crews is what to do in Key West!

Come upon real treasures retrieved during “the era of wreckers”, including those from the ill-fated Allerton, which was also one of the most valuable shipwrecks in Key West’s history. Then, meet the fat cat wrecker himself, Asa Tift. He’ll show you his booty from the reefs as you take a tour around his warehouse. See relics from shipwrecked Spanish ships and even a silver bar retrieved the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. Hear about daring recoveries as wreckers risked their necks to save both cargo and human lives on sinking ships. And, that’s why getting an inside look at the wrecking profession is one of the best things to do in Key West!