Arts & Culture
In The Florida Keys, creativity flows as freely as the tides. From galleries filled with local paintings and sculptures to theaters, dance, live music, and street festivals, the islands wear their artistry in full color. Key West has long lured writers, dreamers, and free spirits, while each destination brings its own twist—think outdoor art walks, history museums, and quirky roadside treasures. Whether you’re browsing studios or catching a play, culture here feels refreshingly unbuttoned, sun-soaked, and impossible to forget.
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History
Creators
Keys Arts
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The Past in the Present
History here doesn’t hide—it strolls the streets, sails the waters, and lingers in lighthouses, forts, and railways. Museums and historic sites across the Florida Keys tell stories of shipwrecks, pioneers, and a railroad that once seemed impossible.
Wrecking in the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys’ shipwreck salvage history began with the 19th-century wreckers who saved passengers and cargo from sinking ships.
Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad
On Jan. 22, 1912, when Ruby Whitlock was eight years old, she watched the arrival of the first train that ever traveled down the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad tracks from mainland Florida to Key West.
Key West African Cemetery
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a memorial honors the African Burial Ground at Higgs Beach.
Performing Arts
The Florida Keys inspires creativity across all genres: music and literary, stage and screen, studio and structure. Experience performances and installations here today, and learn about the creators of yesteryear who drew inspiration from our island paradise.
Live Music
Music is part of the rhythm of life in The Florida Keys & Key West. From waterfront tiki bars and open-air patios to intimate lounges and lively...
Ernest Hemingway
Learn about Ernest Hemingway, his literary reputation and his larger-than-life persona. Credited with establishing Key West as a literary haven, Hemingway left a legacy that remains vibrant today.
Jimmy Buffett
For millions around the world, the words Key West and Jimmy Buffett are nearly synonymous. He lived in the island city during some of his most productive years—developing the “tropical rock” style and laid-back persona that helped make him a world-renowned musical icon.
Tennessee Williams
Did you know that internationally renowned playwright Tennessee Williams lived in Key West for more than 30 years? During his time here, he completed "Summer and Smoke" and wrote "Night of the Iguana" among other works.
Famous Musicians Inspired by The Florida Keys
Bob Dylan loves Key West. In fact, the legendary singer-songwriter immortalizes it as “the enchanted land” and “land of light”. Others from the Keys include country superstars Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith.
Florida Keys Council of the Arts
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the driving force behind much of the cultural heartbeat of the islands, working to celebrate and share the region's creativity with both residents and visitors.
The Connections Project: A Mosaic of the Keys
Visual art and music by top Florida Keys talents are to take center stage during the Connections Project.
Florida Keys Council of the Arts
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the driving force behind much of the cultural heartbeat of the islands, working to celebrate and share the...
15 Ways to Experience Arts in Key West
Long a haven for writers, artists, and dreamers, Key West continues to inspire with its sun-soaked streets, storied past, and vibrant creative spirit.
‘Islands of the Arts’ Sculpture Trail
You can find visual artistry almost everywhere in the Florida Keys: in palm-fringed shorescapes beside the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, orange...
They Built the Keys
Dreamers and doers. Leaders and legends. The Keys wouldn't be the same without them, and you'll see their impact woven throughout our islands. In museums, at festivals, on the walls of bars, and in food and drink inspired by their vision.
Mel Fisher
Legendary shipwreck salvor Mel Fisher, who found the wreck of the 1622 Spanish galleon Atocha, was one of Key West's most colorful and inspirational characters.
President Harry S. Truman Little White House
“My grandfather once said that presidents shouldn’t have descendants,” revealed Clifton Truman Daniel, “because those descendants would spend the rest of their lives having people think they should live up to their ancestors.”
Henry Flagler: Railroad Visionary
Henry Morrison Flagler never lived in the Florida Keys, but he left a lasting and valuable mark on the island chain.
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Key West
90 Miles to Cuba
A weather-beaten shell-cleaning shack in the Historic Seaport, now packed with ships' portholes, old anchors, antique postcards of Cuba and paintings of a Key West that mostly is not there anymore. It opens a few afternoons a week, so check before you walk over.
Key West
Steve Diossy Marine Art Gallery
Steve Diossy designed Florida's Protect Wild Dolphins license plate in 1998, and it went on to become the state's best-selling specialty plate. His gallery at 404 Duval has the originals and the prints, and it closes for an hour at five every evening for happy hour.
Key West
Mzoe Arts
Mzoe Arts is a Key West ceramics studio and artisan brand by South African-born potter Thabane Mpofu, crafting one-of-a-kind hand-built ceramic creations inspired by his late father's artistry and a mission to employ and mentor fellow artisans from his community.
Islamorada
Florida Keys History & Discovery Center
Explore Florida Keys' rich history, marine life, and local art at this interactive discovery center.
Key West
Key West Outdoor Movies
Key West Outdoor Movies — free community movie nights under the stars at Fort East Martello, Key West.
Key West
Shade Ceramics & Shutter Photography
Gallery & studio in Key West specializing in ceramics, fine art photography, and custom works.
Islamorada
David Wirth Gallery
David Wirth’s Wirth Gallery showcases striking marine sculptures, bespoke fish-hook creations, and unique slab wood art, all inspired by coastal life and craftsmanship.
South Florida Symphony Orchestra
South Florida Symphony Orchestra — orchestral concerts & classical performances in Fort Lauderdale, where artistry meets community connection.
Key West
Key West Impromptu Classical Concerts
Key West Impromptu — chamber music concert series in Key West, where world-class classical performance meets community spirit.
Key West
Amanda Johnson Gallery
Amanda Johnson paints the Keys in oil, in the studio and outdoors, in a tropical impressionist style built on gold leaf, sunsets and the island's roosters. Trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League of New York, she has worked in Key West since opening her first gallery here in 2012.
Key West
Artists Gallery at the Red Door
Red Door Gallery — curated fine art & artists in North Little Rock, where southern culture and diverse mediums converge.
Yankee Freedom- Dry Tortugas National Park Museum
Dry Tortugas Museum — historic interpretive center & Fort Jefferson exhibits in Key West, where maritime legacy meets interactive learning.
Islamorada
Michelle Nicole Lowe, Artist
Michelle Nicole Lowe painted the cover of the 2023 Keys Traveler, a watercolor marking two hundred years of the Florida Keys. She is a fifth-generation Conch whose great-grandfather sailed over from Green Turtle Cay, and she paints the fish, birds and old bridges she grew up around.
Key West
Art On Duval Key West, A Procaccini Gallery
Around twenty painters and photographers on one of the busiest blocks of Duval, from painted surfboards to the founder's own photographs of Keys water and light. Time your trip for winter and you can meet the artists in person.
