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St. Augustine Lightner Museum Florida's Smithsonian
www.lightnermuseum.org
St. Augustine is known for its historical landmarks, shopping and white, sandy beaches. Among the many renowned points-of-interest is a relatively unknown, yet hard-to-miss treasure – the Lightner Museum.
Located in St. Augustine’s historic district, the Lightner Museum, originally the Hotel Alcazar, is an impressive Spanish-style building fronted with symmetrical turrets and a large reflection pool. Most visitors to the city are familiar with the building housing the museum, but are unaware of the contents waiting to be discovered inside the museum.
“The outside of the building is striking, if not somewhat imposing,” said Robert Harper, the museum’s director. “The inside is just as remarkable; however it is intimate and welcoming to visitors spending an hour or an afternoon.”
The Lightner Museum is named for Otto C. Lightner, a Chicago publisher who bought the building in 1946 to house his personal collection of Victorian- era collectibles. Now owned by St. Augustine, the museum continues to house Lightner’s collection of Victoriana, but it also has collections demonstrating the elegance, invention, nostalgia and material objects of daily life from the 19th and early 20th centuries. These objects range from the luxurious to the basic, and from the fascinating to the ordinary.
“We bill the museum as Florida’s Smithsonian,” said Harper. “Like the Smithsonian, our collections exhibit many facets of life in early America: entertainment, fine arts, decorative arts, apparel, housekeeping, transportation and collectibles.”
Of particular interest is the museum’s collection of Tiffany glass and cutglass – one of the largest and oldest on public display. Children and adults alike will marvel at the museums collection of musical instruments, which includes a working orchestrion and a self-playing violin and piano.
The museum has something to delight all of the senses. On the lower level of the museum the Café Alcazar serves delicious lunch fare and snacks in what once was the Hotel Alcazar’s indoor swimming pool.
Whether it is a day trip, a weekend sojourn, a break from the sunny beaches or rainy afternoon, the Lightner Museum is a great addition for your next visit to St. Augustine.
Located at 75 King Street, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with last admission at 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $2 for students and children 12-18 years old and free for children under 12 (with an adult). Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more (reservations required). For more information call 904-824-2874 or visit the museum’s website at www.lightnermuseum.org.
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