The Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez is a partnership of Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Courts, Florida Institute for Salt Water Heritage, and the Cortez Village Historical Society. Its mission is to collect, preserve and interpret Florida Gulf Coast Maritime Heritage, with special emphasis on the historic fishing village of Cortez as a traditional maritime community within the greater context of Florida's Maritime History, maritime history in general, and the natural world.

The objectives of this mission are to be met by creating:

• A collection of photographs, works of art, models, tools, instruments, equipment, apparel, ephemera, traditional watercraft, and other historically significant material relevant to maritime culture, and history, with special emphasis on the geographic region from Cedar Key to Key West on Florida's Gulf Coast.
• A research library including books, plans, logs, diaries, periodicals, letters, records and related archival material whose content is relevant to research concerning maritime subjects with special emphases on Florida's Gulf Coast.
• Hands on programs including:
  1. Skills classes focusing upon traditional crafts and folkways of the maritime community with particular emphasis on a Florida Gulf Coast Fishing community.
  2. Recreations and restoration of historically or culturally significant, traditional or vernacular watercraft.
  3. Lab classes, and field programs, focusing upon native and non native species of flora and fauna in a coastal habitat with the goal of preserving traditional skills, natural habitat and the values associated with them in a traditional coastal community.
• Community outreach programs including: oral histories, story telling, lectures and publications, living history presentations, etc.
• Interpretive programs that present man's relationship with the natural world and coastal environments.
• Exhibitions and publications that interpret Florida's Gulf Coast maritime heritage with special emphasis on the fishing industry and the history of Cortez.

The Cortez Schoolhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Cortez Historic District, designated in 1995. Cortez Village retains the original charm and sense of community that has sustained the village for almost 150 years.

Villagers have survived hurricanes, economic depressions and threats to their livelihood from a reduction in fishing grounds and regulations on the fishing industry. Residents of the community are passionate about preserving the past and ensuring that current and future residents and visitors to Manatee County understand the significance of Cortez Village.

They will see how decisions made today with regards to our environment have a far-reaching effect on groups as well as individuals.