Check out the historic Coast Guard Station and boathouse, the president’s Cold War-era bunker and a collection of maritime artifacts at this expansive museum.
The Palm Beach Maritime Museum is a non-profit community museum operating in two locations: the Lake Worth Lagoon Education Center at Currie Park in West Palm Beach and the historic Boathouse and Coast Guard Station on Peanut Island. The education center at Currie Park features a range of permanent and temporary exhibits and a heritage ferry dock. The lovingly restored early 20th-century weatherboard Coast Guard Station on Peanut Island is also the site of the President John F. Kennedy bunker, intended for protection of the president during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Catch a ferry or water taxi from Currie Park, Riviera Beach Marina or Sailfish Marina to this historic coastguard site on Peanut Island, approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the Currie Park site. The ferry ride offers fantastic panoramic views of Lake Worth Lagoon coastline and Singer Island.
Go on an informative tour of the Kennedy bunker and the Coast Guard Station and boathouse. The former Coast Guard Station was used to patrol the U.S. coastline after the 1930s and now contains exhibits of heritage ship fixtures.
The Kennedy bunker is a Cold War-era structure that would have been the temporary command center for the country had a nuclear war broken out. Enter via a long tunnel concealed by the woods and layers of earth and concrete. Walk through the decontamination shower and into the president’s own sealed room, now transformed into a fascinating exhibit.
The Coast Guard Station gift shop is open during museum hours and provides refreshments, snacks and charming souvenirs. Peanut Island is a fantastic spot for swimming and snorkeling. Bring a picnic and go for a walk along mangrove-lined nature trails. The museum’s Currie Park location hosts several community events throughout the year, such as free waterfront concerts.
Currie Park is open Wednesday to Saturday and the Coast Guard Station and bunker are open Thursday to Sunday. Admission costs for the museum are modest but do not include the price of water transport to Peanut Island. Tours of the bunker and station are included in the admission price.