Florida Maritime Museum

 

Explore how the current of time has shaped the face of Florida and its almost forgotten past. Located in the historic fishing village of Cortez, the Florida Maritime Museum's permanent exhibits highlight local fishing history from native cultures to early settlers and modern commercial fisheries.

The permanent exhibit gallery at FMM also features displays on maritime navigation, boat building, and tools used in boat construction, as well as the history of the FMM building, a former schoolhouse.

The Captain's Corner displays the impressive Blake Banks collection. All of his specimens were collected in the Gulf of Mexico. Like Captain Banks, explorers of all ages can become a marine scientist for the day with our new seashell discovery kits.

FMM is also home to a small library of books on maritime topics that range from tales of old Florida to boat building and design. Guests are welcome to peruse the library during regular business hours, or online

Serving the public since 2007, the museum's mission is to collect, preserve and share traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts and personal stories specific to Florida's fishing and maritime heritage.

The Florida Maritime Museum is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Historical Resources Department, with additional support from the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum. Situated on the Cortez Nature Preserve, FMM grounds were purchased with funds from the Florida Communities Trust Preservation 2000 Program and the Manatee County Board of County Commission. The Cortez Commercial Fishing Village and the 1912 Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse are designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

Official Website: http://floridamaritimemuseum.org/

 

Contact Florida Maritime Museum
Supervisor: Tori Chasey
Supervisor Title: Supervisor
Mailing Address
Attn: Florida Maritime Museum
P.O. Box 100
Cortez, FL 34215
Physical Address
Email: tori.chasey@manateeclerk.com
4415 119th Street West
Cortez, FL 34215