Artifacts & Exhibits

The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is truly the ultimate pirate adventure! Here you'll experience an amazing interactive journey through 300 years of high seas adventure and an unparalleled collection of rare pirate artifacts--one of the largest authentic collections in the world.

What better place to experience this incredible voyage than St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city and oldest port in the United States--a city where famous pirates walked the streets and burned buildings to the ground?

Your immersive journey takes you through authentic pirate environments and exhibits. This multisensory experience lets you feel, smell, hear, and see through the eyes of pirates of the Golden Age. And see spectacular treasure and historic artifacts from pirate days past!

FEATURED ARTIFACTS

Captain Thomas Tew's Treasure Chest

Captain Thomas Tew's 17th century treasure chest is the only authentic pirate treasure chest in the world. With its intricate exterior carvings and an elaborate hidden lock mechanism, this 400-year-old chest is a hefty 150 lbs. empty.

The Jolly Roger Flag

The Jolly Roger flag is the larger of only three surviving Jolly Rogers in the world. This intimidating flag from the mid-19th century actually flapped in violent sea air and harkens back to the days when buccaneers flew blood-colored flags to frighten prey to speedy surrender.

Journal of Captain Kidd's Final Voyage (1699)

The journal kept by Lt. Thomas Longish in 1699 provides a ship's log and authentic account of pirate Captain William Kidd's final voyage aboard the HMS Advice during his journey from New York to execution in England.

One of the World's Oldest Wanted Posters (1696)

This original poster from the King of England dates back to 1696 and demands the capture of pirate Henry Every. A thorn in the side of many a government, Every was dubbed the Arch-Pirate for the vast wealth he so violently seized from the ships of the Great Mogul of India in the Red Sea. The 300+-year-old poster offered £500 pounds--a jaw-dropping amount in those days--for Every's capture, but he disappeared with his ill-gotten treasures.

Real Shipwreck Treasures from The Florida Division of Historical Resources

For a long time, the Division's vault has been closed to the public, but these rarely-seen shipwreck treasures are now exclusively on loan to The Pirate Museum. In addition to 18th century barshot and grenades that took down many a mast with their spinning fury, you'll see gold and silver, intricate jewelry (pictured here), weaponry, and pottery.

Rare Books on Pirates

This enviable collection includes the first edition of Bucaniers of America (1684) by Alexander Esquemelin--the book that started Pat Croce on his 30-year journey to collect the rarest and most authentic pirate artifacts in the world. The Pirate Museum now features more than 800 artifacts from Croce's private collection and other on loan from private collectors and the state of Florida.

SPECTACULAR EXHIBIT AREAS

Port Royal, Jamaica

Stroll through the cobblestoned streets of the 17th century capital of piracy. Check out the Weapons and Navigation Shoppes. Spy a real flintlock pistol. And see the crude surgical tools used to treat crewmen and turn able-bodied rogues into peg-legged pirates!

Rogue's Tavern

Step into a lively tavern where rogues ate, drank and fought. Turn the virtual parchment pages of the award-winning interactive Book of Pirates. Learn about St. Augustine's famous pirates. And see archaeological evidence that pirates plundered the city centuries ago. What did pirates drink from? Come find out... 

Main Deck

Sign on as a crew member! Man the rig! Feel the power of sailing your own vessel. Learn the tricks of the trade--knot tying, steering the ship, keeping time and ringing the ship's bell.

Gun Deck

What does a real cannon feel like? You'll be able to handle one--a real Dutch East India Company cannon from 1753. And if you're lucky, you might just get a hand at firing one!

Below Deck

Travel into the darkness below deck for the spine-tingling experience of Blackbeard's final battle and demise, created by Disney Imagineers.

Captain's Cabin

See the Journal of Captain Kidd's Last Voyage dated 1699, guarded by the pirate captain who sleeps with one eye open. View one of only two authentic pirate flags in existence. Learn about the origin of the Jolly Roger. And try your hands at our touchscreen interactive world map featuring narratives on pirate strongholds across the globe!

Execution Dock

Wanted! Dead or Alive! Or maybe they were never caught! See Henry Every's original wanted poster from the King of England, dated 1696, and macabre displays of pirate punishment and torture.

Shipwreck Island

Feast your eyes on the only known pirate treasure chest in the world. Touch a centuries-old gold bar worth a King's ransom. And discover rarely seen treasures from the vault of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.

Hollywood Pirates

Step out of pirate history and into the fantasy world of Hollywood pirates and get a real sense of how blockbuster movies like Pirates of the Caribbean have shaped the collective perceptions of movie goers. See Captain Barbossa's silver flintlock pistol and Jack Sparrow's movie sword. An authentic copy of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is one of many pieces of pirate paraphernalia from old Hollywood.

And remember, everything you see here is in the museum, but not everything in the museum is here, so book your ticket today!