Mel Fisher Museum of Maritime History in Key West

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum — a treasure hunter's paradise. Want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of medieval sea voyages and touch age-old treasures? Then you must visit the Maritime Museum.

Both parents and children will be delighted with the fascinating tour.

Maritime Treasure Museum in Key West

Upon visiting the museum, the first thing that catches your eye is a photograph of the famous treasure hunter, Mel Fisher. Who was this man? A challenging life path, financial struggles, and legal battles with the government propelled him to explore ancient documents. He independently took up diving and, as a skilled engineer, developed special equipment, dreaming of finding lost treasures from galleons sailing from America to Spain.

Mel Fisher was a renowned treasure hunter, dedicated to the search for lost maritime riches. Born in 1922 in Indiana, USA, Fisher began his career as a diver and fisherman, but soon his passion for adventure and history led him to the search for sunken ships.

Mel Fisher passed away in 1998, but his legacy continues at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, home to many unique artifacts found by him and his team. The museum also plays a vital role in preserving and studying underwater treasures and maritime history.

Treasure worth 500 million dollars

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is a non-profit organization, whose collection comprises artifacts discovered by Fisher's team over many years of search expeditions. Near the main entrance, visitors are greeted by two anchors that once belonged to the Spanish ships "Margarita" and "Atocha." The tour begins with a fifteen-minute film about the life of the treasure hunter.

The small bays and inconvenient straits along the Florida coast have always been a significant challenge for mariners. Initially, these waters were traversed by Spanish seafarers, and centuries later, they became a "workplace" for pirates. From those times, many sunken ships remain in the waters near Miami. One such vessel was the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. According to historical documents, the ship encountered a severe storm and sank near Key West. It was this shipwreck that brought Fisher fame and fortune. The treasure, which was retrieved from the seabed, is estimated to be worth $500 million. However, the search for it took more than 10 years.

A paradise for divers, archaeologists and history buffs

Within a 600 sq. m area, museum guests will see over 100,000 exhibits. These include chests filled to the brim with noble metals and precious stones, jewelry, silverware and ceramics, ivory, wood, and leather — in short, everything a treasure hunter's imagination can conjure up.

Time is powerless over silver and gold, so even after lying on the seabed for 400 years, the treasures have not corroded. The museum has gold doubloons embedded in fossils and silver reales, a gold chain weighing over three kilograms, a similar cross with Colombian emeralds, and much more. In the shop, you can buy jewelry, coins, and ornaments from the world-famous "Atocha" treasure.

The tour program includes a visit to the laboratory where various finds from the seabed are restored and preserved. Once the treasure is retrieved from the sea, the work of specialists begins. Four centuries in the sea leave their mark on the items in various ways.

Museum staff try to halt the aging process and preserve the finds. Some procedures require a great deal of time; the restoration process can last from a couple of hours to many years. The archaeologists' work involves not only long-term preservation of the exhibits but also comprehensive documentation. To increase the durability of the artifacts, the necessary temperature, humidity, and lighting are controlled and regulated in the galleries and storage areas.

Mel Fisher's Treasure Hunting Rules

1. 01.The first step on the path to treasure hunting is the study of historical documents, port records, and trade reports.
2. 02.Technical equipment is necessary for treasure hunting.
3. 03.A treasure hunter must be legally knowledgeable, as there will always be someone who wants to claim the discovered treasure.
4. 04.All stages of the search, from studying archives to diving to the seabed, should be kept secret, and a plausible legend should be told to the curious.
5. 05.Treasure does not bring luck; it often worsens health and takes away loved ones, so one should search for worthwhile things, not waste oneself on souvenirs and trinkets.

These rules should not be neglected, as the life of Mel Fisher is their direct confirmation.

In the waters of Florida, many undiscovered ships remain, so every year hundreds of aspiring treasure hunters come here. But the holiday is not limited to just searching for treasures. The company American Butler organizes various tours to suit any taste. Constant searches for exciting and unusual places allow you to choose a holiday that is right for you.