Programs: Interpretive and educational services - education is core to the museums mission. Interpretive and educational services were fully part of all programs for the 43,000 school age children that visited and the 200,000 /- annual visitors. Various services offered included the patriots and the sea exhibit, the lighthouse summer camp scholarship program for at-risk children, the bridge and jaxport program, the museum magnet school and various programs within the maritime archaeology specialty programs. All program content was tied to sunshine state standards and teaches science, technology, engineering, and math stem education.
historic preservation and maintenance - in order to fulfill its mission, the museum performs historic preservation on six historic structures, including the saint augustine lighthouse. The light station was restored to u. S. Department of interior standards. The keepers house, light tower, the summer kitchens, the fresnel lense, the lantern and the keepers house porches have also been restored. Maintenance of these restorations consume approximately 50 percent of the operations staffing hours. The site is listed on the national register of historic places and in 2010 the museum acheived its smithsonian affiliate status.
maritime archaeology - the research arm of the museum is the separately incorporated lighthouse archaeological maritime program lamp. Lamp archaeologists host various field school students from across the united states each year, giving these students and other students hands-on experience in the field. Lamp has been working on a 1782 shipwreck site and objects such as a queen anne pistol, ships deck pump, ships bell, and various others have been retrieved by student divers. Current conservation work on these objects is supervised by the museum. After conservation they will be displayed at the museum under permit by the state. Lamp publishes an annual archaeological research report that is presented to the state of florida division of resources. Throughout the year, volunteers donate their time to build a variety of small craft and to tell and share stories of the maritime heritage to the vast number of tourists visiting the
This lighthouse group has a fully restored lighthouse along with keepers houses. In one of them is a museum full of interesting information.
You can climb the tower and there is even a bench to rest on half way up.
Kathy and her crew not only treat guest very well, but other lighthouse groups looking for help. They are willing to share their vast knowledge and have even help in other lighthouse restorations in one way or another. Kathy helped form the Florida Lighthouse Association which helps all Florida lighthouses.
Any money spent for the climb, in the gift shop or just a donation will be well spent. As a volunteer in another lighthouse group this is one group we hope to copy.
