St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

Mission: To discover, preserve, present and keep alive the stories of the Nation’s Oldest Port as symbolized by our working St. Augustine Lighthouse.

The current lighthouse was built in 1874 by the U.S. Coast Guard. The St. Augustine Junior Service League acquired the Lightkeeper’s house in 1980 and spent ten years renovating it. In 1991, the Coast Guard leased the Lighthouse to the League and later deeded it to them. The non-profit museum was opened in 1994.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum has many activities to keep a family informed and entertained for approximately two hours. Climb the 219 steps to the top of the Lighthouse for a spectacular view of the area. Watch volunteers construct historic wooden boats in the manner they would have originally been built. Go through the Lightkeeper’s house to see how their families would have lived in the 1800’s. See the artifacts brought up from the many shipwrecks in the area. Learn how the buildings on site were used for Coast Guard training during World War II. Walk through the beautiful grounds and hammock. Grab a snack from the “Tin Pickle”, a WWII-themed canteen. Children can play on a nautical-themed playground, sailboat or rowboat. Also, check out the Summer Camps for Kids. Don’t miss the fabulous finds in the Lighthouse-themed Gift Shop, such as books, toys, knickknacks, jewelry, clothing, etc. Note that teens are able to volunteer during non-school times..