Just steps away from the iconic Key West Sunset Festival in Mallory Square, the Mel Fisher’s Maritime Heritage Museum is home to an impressive collection of historical artifacts. This modest building holds some of the world’s most valuable treasures and highlights the real-life exploits of treasure hunter Mel Fisher.
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Mel Fisher began his search for the treasure of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha in 1971. After years of searching and legal battles, his team struck gold in 1985. It was then that they discovered the Atocha shipwreck, one of the largest finds of its kind, with an estimated value of over $400 million.
As visitors enter the museum through the gift shop, they are immediately greeted with an impressive collection of artifacts recovered by Fisher and his team. The museum takes visitors through the trials and tribulations of the team’s search through photos and stories of the challenges they faced while highlighting the extensive collection of artifacts. Including gold and silver coins, jewelry, and daily items used during the 16th and 17th centuries recovered from the shipwrecks. Among the most popular items are the gold and emerald cross, gold bars, silver ingots, and a solid gold artifact weighing more than 20 pounds.
The History of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha
The Nuestra Señora de Atocha was part of a Spanish galleon that sailed from Havana, Cuba, to Spain in 1622. Considered one of the wealthiest cargos of its time, the ship was carrying a vast treasure of gold, silver, and other valuable cargo. However, the Atocha and its sister ship, the Santa Margarita, encountered a hurricane near the Florida Keys and sank.
For more than 300 years, the Atocha lay at the bottom of the ocean in the Florida Straits. Mel Fisher’s dedication to finding the Atocha brought its treasures back to life after several years of searching and numerous setbacks in 1985. The team spent several years recovering the treasure and artifacts which are now on display in the museum,
The discovery of the Atocha and the subsequent recovery of its treasure was one of the greatest in history and had a significant impact on the field of maritime archaeology and treasure hunting.
How long does it take to go through the Mel Fisher Museum in Key West?
You will want to allow a minimum of one hour. The museum is self-guided so you can set your own pace, but an hour should allow you to enjoy the artifacts.
