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
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
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
Discover treasures and history at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West!
Key West
The Birdcage Cabaret
The Birdcage Cabaret — live drag & variety cabaret in Key West, where glitz, music & bold performances light up the night.
The Lower Keys
Washed Up Key West
Washed Up Key West — sustainable hardwood art & furniture studio in Key West, where fallen trees become island treasures.
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.
Key West
Key West Art and Historical Society
Explore two centuries of Key West history and art in a stunning historic landmark!
Key West
Abstracta
A small Duval Street gallery stocked with work that does not look like anybody else's on the street, including sculpture built out of reclaimed metal. It stays open into the evening, which makes it one of the few galleries you can browse after dinner.
Key West
Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters
Climb 88 steps for sweeping views, explore historic keeper’s family quarters, and learn about maritime heritage at the Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters Museum.
Key West
Maggie Ruley - Island Inspirations
Maggie Ruley has been painting Key West since the mid-1980s, starting from a corner of Blue Heaven. Her Fleming Street studio is open ten-ish to five-ish most days, and she is usually in it, working.
Key West
Bug Ceramics Pottery Studio & Gallery
Bug Ceramics Pottery Studio & Gallery is Key West's first and only community pottery studio, tucked inside the Shops at Mallory Square, offering hand-building and wheel-throwing classes, walk-in pottery painting, private bachelorette and group events, and a gallery of handmade ceramics from local and international artists.
Key West
SALT Gallery
Local sea salts, wild island honey and work by Keys artists under one roof on Simonton Street. Laura Richardson's shop sits somewhere between a gallery and a pantry, deliberately.
Key West
Fiovida Art Gallery
Tony Chatman's photographs come finished in epoxy resin, which gives the water in them a depth a flat print cannot. He was the official artist for the 2026 Key West Food & Wine Festival, and the gallery sits on Lazy Way Lane in the Historic Seaport.
Key West
Red Barn Theatre
Red Barn Theatre — professional live theater in Key West, where big stories come alive in an intimate, historic space.
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.
