The U.S. Navy opened the Key West lighthouse in 1848 to help commercial and military vessels navigate the coral reefs around the harbor. After decommissioning, the lighthouse and the house in which its keeper lived were converted into a museum. Visitors can walk the narrow, winding steps up to the open-air observatory on top. A small museum in the former keeper’s quarters shares general lighthouse history and lore, has a display of lenses and artifacts, and offers a chance to see how the keepers and their families lived.
