Guests visiting Sails to Rails will journey through the Age of Sail, a time when tall ships plied the treacherous waters of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Keys and they will learn about the time in America when railroads opened up the frontiers of an emerging nation. Sail power was used in the day of the treasure fleets returning from Mexico and South America, in the initiative to rid the Caribbean of piracy, and in the industries that made Key West the richest city per capita in the United States: sponging, turtling, fishing, wrecking, and cigar making.

The end of the Age of Sail came with the beginning of steam power in the 1820’s and during the Civil War years of the 1860’s, when the vicissitudes of industry gave way to the speed and reliability of steam. Despite its rapid decline, sail remained part of the industrial fabric of Key West until its last ship was built in 1939: The Western Union, the cable tender serving its namesake company.

Museum Highlights:

• Discover the Age of Sail
• View a diorama of Fort Jefferson National Park
• Lift a genuine silver bar from a Spanish Galleon
• Video presentations on the Oversea Railroad
• Step back in history 500 years
• Hands-on, immersive activities for adults and children

Sails to Rails Museum is one of the most comprehensive overviews of the Florida Keys and Key West history that a visitor can obtain. A visit to the museum is a top attraction in Key West for adults and kids of all ages.

Hours: Monday through Sunday: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: 901 Caroline St, Key West, FL 33040

Contact: (855) 623-8289

Website: www.trolleytours.com/key-west/sails-to-rails-museum

Photo Credit: Historic Tours Of America