Mallory Square, Key West

Located on the historic waterfront, the Key West Memorial Sculpture Garden is home to the city’s most important art and history collections. The sculpture garden opened in September of 1997 along the original shoreline. .

he Mallory Square Festival Market is a popular open-air shopping experience, featuring a wide range of vendors. Browse goods from food and drinks to arts and crafts, open daily at sunset. Popular items include fresh-grilled seafood, tropical fruit smoothies, handmade jewelry and locally made souvenirs.

The Waterfront Playhouse Theatre is located in the heart of Mallory Square, and stands one of the area’s most iconic historic landmarks. Dating back to 1939, the Key West Players came together with famed playwright Tennessee Williams to restore a crumbling warehouse into the theatre that stands today. Now completely modernized for the twenty-first century, this not-for-profit, 150-seat theatre offers a variety of productions throughout the year.

Opened in 1934, the Key West Aquarium was the first open-air aquarium in the United States. The building was then leased in 1943 to the military for use during World War II. In the 1960s, a roof was added to the structure to prevent algae growth in many of the tanks. In the late 1970s, the building underwent a multi-year restoration, enhancing interiors and directional signage and building the new Atlantic Shores Exhibit, a 50,000-gallon tank showcasing gamefish, tropical fish, sharks, sea turtles and more. In more recent years, the aquarium has continued to undergo routine maintenance and modernization. Guests are able to get up close and personal with the aquatic life that surrounds Key West, learning more about local marine animals and their habitats.

Go back in time to 1856, when Key West was a thriving port town and grand wooden ships dotted the horizon. Through exhibits, artifacts and actors, the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum tells the story of the city’s early days and the wrecking industry that sustained the island’s pioneers. The main feature, the shipwrecked Isaac Allerton, was partially salvaged when she sank in 186 and was rediscovered in 1985 and brought to the museum for display.

Originally constructed in 1890 as naval housing, the Little White House on Front Street once hosted names including Thomas Edison and Edward Hayden. When Harry S. Truman was elected president, the home became his “winter White House,” where he wintered every year from 1946 to 1954. Today, the home is the only presidential site in the state of Florida.