MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM

By  Mike Miller May 18, 2025

The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is in Key West, Florida. It showcases artifacts from 17th-century shipwrecks.

The museum highlights Mel Fisher’s treasure-hunting legacy. Exhibits include gold, silver, and items from the slave trade.

It’s a nonprofit focused on maritime history. Visitors explore shipwrecks and Key West’s past. 

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

Mel Fisher, a treasure hunter, found the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in 1985. The Spanish galleon sank in 1622 off Key West. Fisher searched for 16 years before finding it.

His find, worth $450 million, included gold and emeralds. He also discovered the Santa Margarita and the slave ship Henrietta Marie.

The Henrietta Marie, sunk in 1700, revealed slave trade artifacts. Fisher’s work brought attention to maritime archaeology.

The museum, opened in 1982, preserves his discoveries. It also covers Key West’s role in the 1800s slave trade and emancipation. 

The museum is at 200 Greene Street, Key West, FL 33040. Reach it via U.S. Highway 1 or the Duval Loop Shuttle.

It’s open daily from 10am to 4pm. The Conservation Lab is open daily and offers tours twice a day. Check their website for updates.

Use the free audio guide for exhibits. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for a visit. Parking is limited; walk or use the trolley. Lab tours show artifact preservation. Book group tours in advance. 

• The Atocha carried 40 tons of gold and silver.  

• A gold bar was stolen from a display and recovered after 10 years.  

• The Henrietta Marie is the oldest known slave shipwreck.  

• Fisher’s motto was “Today’s the day.”  

• The museum has the largest slave trade artifact collection.  

• A 77.76-carat uncut emerald is on display.  

• The Conservation Lab lets visitors touch artifacts.  

• The museum runs the free Key West Turtle Museum seasonally.  

• Exhibits include a 1564 Conquistador-era galleon, the Santa Clara.  

• Fisher’s crew still searches for Atocha’s remaining treasure.

MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM WEBSITE