Florida Keys History & Discovery Center

06/12/2026

It's time again for Find-it Friday! On a busy corner in Key West, you'll spot this unique art deco building from 1891. Now home to shops and tourist sites, what was its original purpose and name?

Last week we featured another iconic Key West building, the Convent of Mary Immaculate. It was Florida's first Catholic school, opening in 1869. All of our followers were stumped! If you think you know this week's building, comment below for a chance to be our winner!

06/10/2026

🎣 Exciting News! 🎣

The Florida Keys History & Discovery Foundation is honored and excited to announce that we have been selected as a grant recipient for this year’s Conch Scramble! 💙

We are incredibly grateful for the support of this amazing community event and the impact it makes for local organizations throughout the Florida Keys.

As preparations begin, we are now accepting auction items at the museum and sponsorship opportunities are officially open! If you or your business would like to support the Conch Scramble and help us continue our mission of preserving and sharing the history, culture, and stories of the Florida Keys, we would love to hear from you!

✨ Donate an auction item
✨ Become a sponsor
✨ Support local history and education

Please reach out:
[email protected]
📞 305-922-2237

Registration begins on July 15th at 9am!!! We are currently accepting sponsors, some of which will hold you a team spot if you want in early! Please visit is at https://www.conchscramble.com/sponsors or call .re at 305-393-2725 for info. We can't do this without you! 🛥🏌⛳🥰

06/10/2026

Save the Date! Our annual lecture series begins again this October. Stay tuned for the exciting lineup of scientists, historians and community leaders coming to speak at the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center.

06/08/2026

“Pinderville” was one of three early family-based settlements on Upper Matecumbe. It was also sometimes called “The Hole” because of its location between the Russell and Parker properties. Most of old Matecumbe’s settlements were on the oceanside, where the sea breeze helped deter mosquitoes—a constant concern for early settlers. Richard Pinder and his sons, Cephas and Adolphus, farmed three homesteads of roughly 140 acres each. Though isolated and often at the mercy of a harsh climate, they grew limes, pineapples, tomatoes, and melons for market. The arrival of the railroad eventually led to these large homesteads being divided into smaller parcels for new families and industries.

06/05/2026

Happy Find-It Friday!

We’ll share a location from Florida Keys past or present, and you guess its name. Pictured here in 1956, can you identify this beautiful building?

Last week’s mystery spot was the iconic Alligator Lighthouse. Congratulations to Trish Calvert for guessing it correctly!

06/04/2026

Congratulations to this year’s Coral Shores graduates! 🎓

As we celebrate the Class of 2026, we’re also looking back at the Class of 1986 with this graduation ad from 40 years ago.

Are you a Coral Shores alum? Share your graduation year in the comments.

06/03/2026

🌴☀️ Our Conch Discovery Camp is in full swing! ☀️🌴

Our campers are already making unforgettable Florida Keys memories — from learning how to cast a net, creating their own pottery masterpieces, exploring, and enjoying the beautiful Keys sunshine! 🌊🎨🐚

We have an exciting week ahead filled with hands-on learning, discovery, and plenty of island fun!

A very special thank you to the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys for their generous grant support, allowing us to provide camp scholarships for children in our local workforce community. 💙

Your support helps us create opportunities for local families and inspire the next generation to connect with the history, culture, and environment of the Florida Keys.

Thank you for helping make Conch Discovery Camp possible!

06/02/2026

Help protect the past! Donate now at https://keysdiscovery.app.neoncrm.com/forms/lisa-kelman

From maps to photographs to rare artifacts, some of our most fragile collections need professional conservation treatment to survive for the next generation. We are raising support to bring in a conservator who can help stabilize and preserve these important pieces of Florida Keys history.

Your donation will help ensure that these collections can continue to be shared, studied, and cared for long into the future.

06/01/2026

It's a sunny start to Summer here at the FKHDC! This week, local children will explore art, environment and history at our 2nd annual summer camp—supported by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.

At the end of the month, cool off with back-to-back cultural programs: Coffee with the Curator and Book Club. Hope to see you there!

05/29/2026

Ready for Find-it Friday? While you have probably seen this Keys icon from land or sea, we bet you haven't seen it from this angle! What location is this?

Last week's FIF was one of our most controversial yet. Many of you guessed local places of worship in the Florida Keys but only two correctly identified the spot as Immanuel Lutheran Church Tavernier.

Congratulations to both Carol Knight Theiss Fattibene and Robin Davis on their successful guess. Will the rest of our followers have more luck this week?