Journey back in time to the golden age of piracy and view the world’s largest collection of authentic pirate artifacts at the St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum!
St Augustine is known as the “Ancient City,” and rightfully so. Founded by Spanish explorers in 1565, it’s the oldest, continuously occupied settlement in the continental United States.
Pirates were extremely active in the St Augustine area during the 17th century. So much so that the Spanish built the imposing Castillo de San Marcos to protect the city from them. How appropriate is it, then, that the St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is directly adjacent to this ancient fortification?
Entrepreneur, sports team owner, author, and TV personality Pat Croce founded St Augustine’s Pirate Museum. Pat began collecting authentic pirate artifacts as a child and has traveled the world in search for them. His collection is considered one of the largest in the world and includes objects over three hundred years old.
Luckily , he decided to share his considerable hoard of pirate’s treasure with the rest of us. Go see it at the St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum!
Inside the St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
The St Augustine Pirate Museum is located at 12 South Castillo Drive in St. Augustine. The museum is directly across the road from Castillo de San Marcos and just under an hour’s drive from the door of our Jacksonville-area hotel, The Club Continental.
The museum is home to more than 800 authentic pirate artifacts and 300 years of pirating history. Things like Captain Kidd’s journal, one of only two surviving Jolly Roger flags, Blackbeard’s blunderbuss and gold pieces from the wreck of his warship Queen Anne’s Revenge, and Thomas Tew’s treasure chest, the only authentic pirate treasure chest known to exist. You’ll also learn the history of some of the more infamous pirates and the swashbuckling world they lived in.
The museum’s flowing floor plan leads through 48 individual, interactive, and immersive exhibits, many of which feature audio-animatronics. In fact, Disney Imagineers designed the Blackbeard’s Ship exhibit!
Visitors can stroll a 17th century cobblestone street in Port Royal, fire a cannon, and pilot a pirate ship. You can even experience what it was like to be below decks during a pitched sea battle.
The St Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is a good fit for young and old a like. Kids (ages 5 to 101) will thrill at the adventure and interactive fun. Older visitors will enjoy viewing all the rare artifacts and learning the rich history. There’s even a fun scavenger hunt for the kids (and kids at heart)!
The museum is open daily, 10am to 7pm. Visit www.thepiratemuseum.com for more information. You can also visit the museum on Facebook.
More History in St Augustine
Once you’re done at the St Augustine Pirate Museum, cross the street to explore Castillo de San Marcos, the country’s oldest masonry fort. You can also dig deeper into history with visits to the nearby Oldest Wooden School House, Colonial Quarter, and Mission of Nombre de Dios.
Other historic attractions include Fort Matanzas National Monument, The Lightner Museum, the St Augustine Lighthouse, Alligator Farm, Medieval Torture Museum, and much more.
St Augustine is rich not just in history but also shopping, dining, entertainment, and other attractions. We encourage all guests of The Club Continental to consider a visit to the historic city, if they haven’t already. Spend the day soaking up beautiful St Augustine, then return to the comforts of your room along the St James River at The Club Continental.