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
Wyland Gallery of the Florida Keys
Wyland has painted more than a hundred life-size whale murals around the world and has run an ocean conservation foundation since 1993. His Key West gallery is on Duval, open until ten most nights and eleven at weekends.
Marathon
Pigeon Key and Marine Science Center
Historic island tours, snorkeling & Bridge-tram ride at Pigeon Key
Key West
Suenami Art
Experience vibrant coastal seascapes, marine wildlife and tropical wave art by Susan Gillingham — an acclaimed South Florida artist blending Caribbean flair with ocean passion
Key West
Fort East Martello Museum
Explore Civil War history, unique art, and the eerie legend of Robert the Doll at Fort East Martello Museum.
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
Zazoo Fine Art Gallery
Rock photography, animation art and signed collectibles fill this Duval Street gallery, where the artist list runs from John Lennon and Ringo Starr to Sylvester Stallone. Owner Don Oriolo, who ran the Felix the Cat franchise from 1985 until 2014, paints on site.
Key West
TooKEY's Gallery
TooKEY’s Gallery by Jessica Tookey — expressive fine art, mixed media and photography studio in Key West with custom commissions and lessons.
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 Largo
Kona Kai Resort, Gallery and Botanic Gardens
Kona Kai Resort offers adults-only boutique accommodations with a private beach, botanical gardens, and art gallery in Key Largo, Florida Keys.
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Key West
Key West Ghost Tours: Southernmost Shadows and Ghosts
Discover Key West’s haunted history with a chilling walking ghost tour through cursed graveyards, eerie historic sites, and stories of restless spirits in the heart of Old Town.
Key West
Ocean Blue Galleries Key West
An authorized Dr. Seuss collection, Tom Everhart’s Peanuts work, Nano Lopez bronzes and lit glass animals by the Borowski brothers all share this gallery at the top of Duval. The mix leans toward pop art and nostalgia alongside Key West scenes.
Key West
Sails To Rails Museum at Flagler Station
Explore Key West history from tall ships to railroads at Sails to Rails Museum!
Islamorada
Coconuts Art Studio
Arana Glass has been painting faces onto coconuts for more than thirty years, and since 2020 she and her husband have been hiding them around the Keys for strangers to find and keep. Her studio at mile marker 86.7 in Islamorada has the originals, the prints, and a good deal more.
