St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

10/21/2026

The beautiful spiral staircase at the St. Augustine Lighthouse has eight landings on the way up … and guests can stop on each one to catch their breath!

The wider staircase was designed in the late 1800s to accommodate guests who would visit Anastasia Island by boat from St. Augustine’s historic district. At that time, women’s fashion included hoop skirts, which the would fit on the wider staircase.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is open from 9 AM to 6 PM seven days a week. Tickets & details at staugustinelighthouse.org

10/20/2026

💫✨After-hours events at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum:

✨Dark of the Moon Ghost Experience — Every Friday-Sunday and extra tours on Halloween week, spring break and summer.

✨ Sunset Moonrise — Watch the sun set and the full moon rise. Limited tickets. Only one night per month.

✨ Twilight at the Top — select evenings each week.

🎟️✨RSVP: store.staugustinelighthouse.org/Events.aspx

📸: Photo by Flying Fish Media 𝐵𝓎 𝒮𝑒𝒷𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑀𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑜

10/20/2026

🛍️ Shop online for items in the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum store! Here’s the link: https://store.staugustinelighthouse.org/NavPage.aspx?navid=1000008

10/18/2026

🎄Call for Nautical Christmas Tree ornaments! ⚓️🐚

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum has a tradition of asking for donations of ornaments for our Nautical Christmas Tree. This tradition started in 2011. If you would like to participate, please mail or drop off your ornament to The Lightkeeper, St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, 81 Lighthouse Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32080

Please be sure to put your name and address inside the envelope or box you mail your ornament in! We would like to acknowledge your gift. Some donors write the City and State on the back of the ornament to show what places participate. We look forward to seeing your ornaments. ♥️🎁

The Lighthouse has a holiday display called Lighthouse Illuminations throughout the historic Light Station with 20+ themed trees. The Nautical Tree is decorated with only donated ornaments from all over the U.S. and some other countries! The trees will be decorated from November 20, 2026 through January 16, 2027. There are special evening hours to view the decorations. Tickets are available here: https://store.staugustinelighthouse.org/SelectEvent.aspx?eventid=1000137

10/17/2026

🗝️🖤🪦 OLDEST & MOST HAUNTED! HGTV named St. Augustine, Florida the Best Place to Celebrate Halloween in Florida on a list of 50 Spooktacular Towns Across America! 👻🎃💀

Dark of the Moon Ghost Experiences are offered every Friday-Sunday at the Lighthouse, telling haunting stories about those who lived and worked at the historic Light Station. There are extra tours on Halloween week, including four tours on October 31! 👻RSVP: https://store.staugustinelighthouse.org/Events.aspx

From the HGTV feature: At the St. Augustine Lighthouse, the tragic tale of the daughters of the lighthouse keeper who drowned in the nearby bay, has given rise to longstanding ghostly sightings and surreal experiences. Visitors and staff have reported hearing the laughter of children, footsteps on the stairs and mysterious shadows.

St. Augustine’s Ghosts and Gravestones tour takes travelers along for a ride encompassing the decrepit confines of the city’s Old Jail, transfixing tales of historic Tolomato Cemetery and a visit to the eccentric Cromwell’s Parlour of Paranormal Curiosities. Meanwhile, visitors to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument can explore a 17th-century Spanish fort where ghostly figures in period attire have been spotted alongside eerie echoes reverberating through its halls.

See the full list here: https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/travel/best-towns-to-visit-for-halloween-pictures

10/16/2026

FROM THE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS! 📸 An 1950s aerial view of the St. Augustine Light Station looking east. The remains of the Old Spanish Lighthouse are visible just offshore at upper left, showing the coquina just above the water.

10/15/2026

CELEBRATING 152 YEARS! On October 15, 1874, lighthouse keeper William R. Russell lit the oil lamp inside the new, first-order Fresnel lens for the first time. He most likely walked to the tower from his residence at the old, St. Augustine Light Station, upon which the sea was rapidly encroaching. The lens is 9-feet tall, and Russell would have had to climb inside it to light the lamps.

The jewel-like lens was hand-made just for St. Augustine in Paris, France by the company of Sauter & Lemonier. It represented the height of Victorian engineering and technology and cast its beam much farther out to sea than its predecessor.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse still shines every night as an active aid to navigation. The nonprofit museum is open daily for visitors from 9 AM-6 PM, will after hours events on select nights each week. Learn more at staugustinelighthouse.org

📸 Photo by drone photographer Jonathan Wilson

10/15/2026

🎟️🥂 TICKETS ARE ON SALE for Preservation & Pairings on April 16, 2027 at the nonprofit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum! ✨

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind evening event where history, flavor, and fun come together at the iconic St. Augustine Lighthouse! 🍷🍽️

🍾🧆Savor a selection of stations with light bites from top local restaurants each matched with a b**r or wine.🍺🥂

🎶Listen to live music and place your bids in an exciting Silent Auction.

Explore the historic Keepers’ House, climb the lighthouse tower, and stroll the beautifully lit grounds as you uncover the powerful story and lasting legacy of the Lighthouse.

Support a worthy cause. Proceeds go directly toward the critical restoration of the Lighthouse tower, preserving its legacy for generations to come.

Tickets are limited. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable night!

🔗RSVP: https://store.staugustinelighthouse.org/EventPurchase.aspx?dateselected=4/16/2027

10/14/2026

NEW EXHIBIT! Within These Walls: Duty & Daily Life at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum!

This brand-new four-room exhibition in the 1876 Keepers’ House explores the human side of maritime history.

Within These Walls: Duty & Daily Life invites visitors into four immersive rooms, exploring the
daily routines of lighthouse keepers, the realities of raising a family at a Light Station, the
evolution of the lighthouse service, and a heartfelt tribute to the dedicated men and women
who kept the beacon burning.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum brings the stories of multiple lighthouse
keepers together. Made possible through extensive research into the keepers’ personal lives,
service records, and daily challenges, this landmark exhibition shines a new light on the individuals behind the beacon.

10/13/2026