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.
Select Your Interest
History
Creators
Keys Arts
Icons
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.
Filters
Key West
Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum
In 1886 Key West burned for twelve hours, in part because the city's only steam fire engine had been shipped to New York for repairs. The Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum lives inside the 1907 Station No. 3, fire pole and all, and tells you how the island fought back.
Meetings Max
25
Key West
Tennessee Williams Museum
Tennessee Williams Museum — dedicated to the life and works of the famed playwright in Key West’s Little White House complex.
Islamorada
Our Place in Paradise
Discover unique original art, pottery, and workshops in a welcoming Florida Keys gallery.
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
Waterfront Playhouse Theater
Waterfront Playhouse — community theatre & live performances in Key West, where intimate storytelling meets tropical charm.
Key West
Tropic Cinema
Tropic Cinema — independent & art-house film venue in Key West, where cinematic magic meets community charm.
Key West
Mark Funkhouser Photography
Mark Funkhouser spent thirty years as a firefighter and flight paramedic before moving to Key West in 2021 to photograph people instead. Proposals, elopements, families and headshots, shot on location at the hour the light is worth showing up for.
Key West
SeaSister Island Gallery
Rachel Garreau came to Key West from Casablanca with thirty-six dollars, worked at Sloppy Joe's, spent five years as an art director, then sold her house to open her own gallery on Duval. It is full of work by Key West artists, and she is usually in it.
Key West
Randy Roberts LIVE!
Randy Roberts — performance magic & illusion shows in Key West, where spectacle meets island enchantment.
Key Largo
Mike Forster Memorial Park
A small county kayak and skiff ramp on the bayside at mile marker 95.2, with six trailer spaces, a picnic table and nothing else. Parking is tight, nonresidents pay by app, and the neighborhood streets carry $200 fines.
The Lower Keys
Clay Space
A working ceramics studio on Stock Island built around teaching, offering classes, private lessons and studio memberships. Visitors can put their hands on clay here rather than just look at finished pots.
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
Key West Collective | Art Gallery
Key West Collective is a curated art gallery in Old Town’s Historic Seaport featuring local and contemporary artists in a bright, welcoming space.
Islamorada
Tavernier Cinema 5
Tavernier Cinema 5 is a modern five-screen movie theater in Tavernier offering mainstream and 3D films with Dolby surround sound.
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.
