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.
Filters
Islamorada
Gyotaku by Lisa Lee
Gyotaku is the Japanese art of printing a fish directly onto paper, and Lisa Lee learned it in Japan from the master who developed the method she uses. The ink is non-toxic, which means the fish can still be filleted for dinner once the print is made.
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.
The Lower Keys
Little Duck Key Veterans' Memorial Beach
Explore Little Duck Key Veterans Memorial Beach - history and views.
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
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
The Historic Armory
One of the few armories built in the South after the Civil War, and an unusual wood-frame one at that, this 1903 landmark on White Street has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971. Twelve artist studios fill the second floor and Fringe Theater performs on the first.
Islamorada
History of Diving Museum
Explore the fascinating history and evolution of diving at the History of Diving Museum!
Meetings Max
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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.
Islamorada
Islamorada Art Gallery By Pasta
Marine-inspired art gallery & working studio in Islamorada.
Marathon
Pigeon Key and Marine Science Center
Historic island tours, snorkeling & Bridge-tram ride at Pigeon Key
Key West
Sails To Rails Museum at Flagler Station
Explore Key West history from tall ships to railroads at Sails to Rails Museum!
Key West
Randy Roberts LIVE!
Randy Roberts — performance magic & illusion shows in Key West, where spectacle meets island enchantment.
Key West
Key West Pottery
Adam Russell and Kelly Lever have been making pottery in Key West since 2009, from mugs and bowls to fish sculptures that stand taller than the people looking at them. Everything in their Duval Street gallery was made on this island by one of the two of them.
Islamorada
ElleSummersStudio
Elle Summers paints, and the paintings become yoga leggings, kimonos, maxi dresses, tote bags and throw pillows. Her studio sits on Morada Way, in the middle of Islamorada's arts district between mile markers 81 and 82.
