Mel Fisher Maritime Museum
Museum · Key West
200 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040
Highlights
Artifacts from 17th-century shipwrecks and treasure hunting history.
Artifacts from 17th-century shipwrecks and treasure hunting history.
"On September 4, 1622, a fleet of twenty-eight Spanish ships left port in Havana, Cuba. The ships were transporting the wealth of the Spanish empire from Central and South America to the motherland in Europe. The following day, the fleet was overtaken by a hurricane and by September 6, eight ships had found their way to the sea floor, scattered between the Marquesas Keys and Dry Tortugas. One of the eight ships that went down was the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. Aboard the Atocha, along with passengers, was a cargo of silver, gold, copper, bronze, silverware, tobacco, jewelry, and indigo. The exact amounts were reported in the manifest, but additional, non-manifested treasure was aboard to avoid taxation. Of the 265 passengers who went down with the ship, only five survived. After rescuing the survivors, rescuers tried to enter the sunken ship, but the 17th century technology could not overcome the 55-foot depth of the wreck. They marked the location of the Atocha and vowed to come back. Luck was not with the Spanish, and a second hurricane came through, losing the marker and further scattering the wreck of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. For the next 60 years, the Spanish would attempt to relocate the sunken treasure without any luck. In 1969, almost three centuries later, American treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his team began an incessant, sixteen-year search for the remains of the ship. Many times, for months on end, the team would go without any luck, struggling financially to keep their search moving forward. In 1973, a few silver bars were found and matched to Atocha’s manifest. And then, in 1975, a few matching bronze cannons were found. By the 1980s, a large portion of the remains of the Santa Margarita had been found, along with some treasures, securing belief that the hunt was nearing its completion. It was not until five years later, however, that Mel Fisher and his men would stumble upon the Atocha. Within the remains lay gold, silver, jewelry, and gems of all sorts. Fisher’s cache, known as “The Atocha Motherload,” was estimated to be worth around $450 million, and more years in court fighting the state of Florida and other claimants, the Supreme Court decided that Fisher was indeed the rightful finder and therefore owner of the entire treasure. Today, museum visitors can view many of the treasures that Mel and his team found. Bars of gold, bricks of silver, Spanish coins, jewelry, and gems fill the museum, all dating back to the 1500s. The museum is also home to the treasures of Mel Fisher’s other important treasures and finds, including goods from the Henrietta Marie and St. John’s wreck. Despite having found $450 million worth of gold and jewels, hunters estimate that this is only half of the Atocha treasure. The rest remains beneath the ocean. The society invites low-level investors and everyday treasure fans to invest small amounts ($2,000-$10,000) in their ongoing searches and excavations. As thanks, investors are entitled to a small percentage of potential treasure finds and are invited on several expeditions, whether it be diving to the Atocha site or panning for jewels on the surface, which includes the opportunity to keep whatever treasure they personally find. Some of Mel’s treasures can also be found at the Treasures of the Sea exhibit at the the Delaware Technical and Community College." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"What the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum lacks in size it makes up for in one-of-a-kind historical artifacts. The museum—which is located in a 1910 building that originally served as a Navy storehouse—is home to pieces of four ships: the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita, which both sank during a 1622 hurricane; The St. John’s Wreck, which transported conquistadors to the Caribbean in the mid-16th century; and the Henrietta Marie, an English slave ship that wrecked less than 50 miles off the coast of Key West. It’s a riveting look at Key West’s maritime history—often overlooked when viewing the city through modern eyes. Visitors used to have the opportunity to lift a salvaged gold bar and feel its weight ... until one visitor decided to steal it. As far as Key West's museums, go, this one is a must-visit." - Nancy DePalma , Laura Ratliff
"What's the story behind this museum? What the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum lacks in size it makes up for in one-of-a-kind historical artifacts. The museum—which is located in a 1910 building that originally served as a Navy storehouse—is home to pieces of four ships: the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita, which both sank during a 1622 hurricane; The St. John’s Wreck, which transported conquistadors to the Caribbean in the mid-16th century; and the Henrietta Marie, an English slave ship that wrecked less than 50 miles off the coast of Key West. It’s a riveting look at the island's maritime history—often overlooked when viewing the city through modern eyes. As far as Key West's museums , go, this one is a must-visit. Tell us a little more about the collection. The museum’s collection of sunken treasures includes silver and gold bars and coins as well as tools and weaponry, some dating back centuries. It’s like ‘The Goonies’ come to life. Those shiny wares are a great way to draw visitors into the world of Mel Fisher, the treasure hunter for whom the museum is named. How easy is it to get around? The museum’s artifacts are securely displayed and well laid out over two floors. It’s easy to get around and see everything in a pretty short amount of time, without ever feeling claustrophobic from crowds. While we noticed more than one person grab a seat outside the museum and enjoy some people-watching, the museum is laid out in such a way that it’s easy for most everyone to get through without much trouble. What's the crowd like? Though a few of our fellow museum-goers seemed intent on whizzing through, shipwreck enthusiasts and history buffs will be enthralled from the get-go. Being able to stand within inches of centuries-old artifacts that took almost as long to uncover, will give them a thrill. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it? Like the museum itself, the gift shop is small but well-stocked—the perfect spot to find a memento to bring home with you. If we're tight on time, is it still worth a stop? The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is chock full of treasure, but small enough that you can get a glimpse of pretty much everything in 60 to 90 minutes. If you’re looking to do some helicopter museum-going, you’ll want to focus in on the bars of gold and silver that were salvaged from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita. Visitors used to be able to lift one of those gold bars through a display case contraption, to see just how heavy it was… until a museumgoer made off with it. It was finally recovered nearly 10 years later." - Jennifer M. Wood
"What the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum lacks in size it makes up for in one-of-a-kind historical artifacts. The museum—which is located in a 1910 building that originally served as a Navy storehouse—is home to pieces of four ships: the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and the Santa Margarita, which both sank during a 1622 hurricane; The St. John’s Wreck, which transported conquistadors to the Caribbean in the mid-16th century; and the Henrietta Marie, an English slave ship that wrecked less than 50 miles off the coast of Key West. It’s a riveting look at Key West’s maritime history—often overlooked when viewing the city through modern eyes. Visitors used to have the opportunity to lift a salvaged gold bar and feel its weight ... until one visitor decided to steal it. As far as Key West's museums, go, this one is a must-visit." - Jennifer M. Wood
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