Copyright, Palm Beach Maritime Museum, Inc. 1999 Rev. 1/10 Above ... The Former U.S. Coast Guard Station on Peanut Island, Right: PBMM Field Office, Including Dock Space on the Intracoastal Waterway, West Palm Beach, Florida.
Palm Beach Maritime Museum, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization complying with federal, state and local non-discriminatory policies.
Come to Peanut Island to tour the Tall Ship HMS Bounty
or tour in the morning and take a sail in the afternoon on The Privateer Lynx
Palm Beach Maritime Museum
About us ...
The opening of the Palm Beach Maritime Museum in 1999, after 6 years of preliminary work, is a major event for South Florida. Following a lengthy restoration and construction program, we now have four facilities: 1. the former U.S.Coast Guard Station, Boathouse and President John F. Kennedy command post and bomb shelter on Peanut Island; 2. the marine science field office and dock on the Intracoastal Waterway; 3. an educational center, preview building and ferry dock at Currie Park in West Palm Beach [below, left] (Museum tours leave from this site for Peanut Island and the Kennedy Bunker at the Coast Guard Station. Click on Ferry for the schedule.); and 4. the new location for our Palm Beach Maritime Academy K-8 Charter School at 7719 S. Dixie Hwy. in West Palm Beach.
Education is our passion ...
Our first exhibit was a fascinating collection of artifacts from the Battleship
Maine, which sank after a mysterious explosion in Havana Harbor ... the
rest is history. It's an eerie feeling to see the bugle that blew taps for the
Army contingent on board on the eve of the ship's destruction and see salvaged
uniforms in perfect condition that were never again to be worn by the victims.
One of the permanent exhibits on Peanut Island
is John F. Kennedy's Bunker ... constructed by the SeaBees under the direction
of the Secret Service. Peanut Island is very near the Kennedy Compound in Palm
Beach and the bunker was a nuclear war contingency facility during the Cuban
Missile Crisis. It is a stark reminder of the Cold War at its peak, and our
military past is certainly relevant today!
Our living reef system is only one of nature's treasures to be studied here. Here in the Palm Beach area, we have an intensive mix of residential development, historical cultural resources, commercial ship traffic, agriculture and recreational use of our waterways. We have crystal-clear saltwater at our docks and part of our mission is to help keep it that way. We plan to collect data for use by graduate and high school programs ... and for use by environmental engineers, both commercial and jurisdictional. Currently under construction is an innovative "Virtual Port" which will include automated data collection from in situ sensors [e.g. salinity, turbidity, pH, tides, current] as well as real-time television both above and underwater.We'll keep you posted as we progress.
Although Peanut Island appears
to be a well-forested natural island, it is in fact a repository for
dredged material from the inland waterway covered with Australian Pines ...
a nuisance weed that will be removed. Peanut Island was enlarged in the early
part of this century and we are helping to restore plants from our natural ecosystem.
The Lake Worth portion of the waterway, filled with mega-yachts, was actually
a fresh water lake until Henry Flagler opened it to the ocean. Flagler was the
railroad tycoon who opened Florida all the way to the Keys and his Lake Worth
mansion, now a museum, is open for tours. Back in the free-wheeling days of
railroad building, Flagler decided that he would prefer salt water in his back
yard, and simply opened the lake to the ocean. These are but a few of the man-made
changes that need to be studied.
Palm Beach County has opened a major park with campgrounds around Peanut Island. For more information about the county park and campgrounds, please call (561) 845-4445.
Planning for the Future ... The field office for the Museum's maritime program is located on the Intracoastal Waterway across from some of the world's most valuable real estate. Palm Beach projects into the Gulf Stream and has what can only be described as the world's best climate.We're working on major educational programs and our Charter School, the Palm Beach Maritime Academy, is now up and running. Click on Academy for more information.
Where we are ... Below left is a regional map, showing where we are in the lower half of Florida. Following is an aerial view of Peanut Island, showing its unique location. For a street map to our Education Center and Ferry Dock... Scroll down or click on the "Maps" link at the right..
Palm Beach Maritime Museum's
Lake Worth Lagoon Education Center in Currie Park
2400 North Flagler Drive (1/2 mile north of Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.)
(561) 832-7428
Hours of Operation (Currie Park Location)
Wednesday-Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Closed Sunday-Tuesday
Live Music on the Lawn - 2nd Saturday of Every Month From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Food, Vendors, Bounce House and More.
Directions to Currie Park in West Palm Beach: I-95 to Exit 71, Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., east to Flagler Drive (on Intracoastal Waterway), then north 1/2 mile to Palm Beach Maritime Museum in Currie Park, 2400 N. Flagler Dr. Free parking on the street or in the parking lot.
Peanut Island
Visit the JFK Bomb Shelter and the Historic Former Coast Guard Facility on Peanut Island. Also, visiting the Palm Beach Maritime Museum through March 2010, the HMS Bounty and the Privateer Lynx.
Wednesday through Friday 10 am - 3 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm
Adults: $9 and Students: $5
Combination Tours Bounty/Former Coast Guard Station and the historic Kennedy Bunker:
Adults: $15 and Students: $8.
Combination ferry from the City of Riviera Beach marina to Peanut Island and tour of Bounty:
Adults: $17 and Students: $11
Combination ferry and tour of Bounty and Lynx:
Adults: $22 and Students: $16
Other water taxis to Peanut Island are also available at various locations.
Tours
of Privateer Lynx
Tuesday through Sunday.
10 am - Noon Dockside Tours - Adults: $9 and Students: $5
1 pm - 3:30 pm Adventure Sail - Adults: $70 and Children 12 & under $40
5 pm - 6:30 pm (Saturday Only) Sunset Cruise - Adults: $100 and Children 12 & under $40
Combination Tours Lynx/Former Coast Guard Station and the historic Kennedy Bunker:
Adults: $15 and Students: $8.
Combination ferry from the City of Riviera Beach marina to Peanut Island and tour of Lynx:
Adults: $17 and Students: $11
Combination ferry and tour of Lynx and Bounty:
Adults: $22 and Students: $16
Other water taxis to Peanut Island are also available at various locations.
Kennedy Bunker & Coast Guard Station Tours
Wednesday-Friday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
HIGH WINDS AND INCLEMENT WEATHER MAY AFFECT FERRY SCHEDULE AND TOURS. PRICES AND SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE CALL US AT (561) 848-2960 or 832-7428 FOR MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE.
Historic Former U.S. Coast Guard "Ready" Boathouse
The Palm Beach Maritime Academy is a Charter School, operated by the Palm Beach Maritime Museum. "Charter Schools" are tuition-free, public schools that operate under a performance contract with the local school board. [Ask us about our current performance record ... We're proud of it!!!]
The Palm Beach Maritime Academy meets the guidelines for the School District of Palm Beach County, with a focus on maritime studies: science, technology and history. A unique integration of marine subject areas motivates students!
All teachers and administrators are certified, and have been screened and fingerprinted by Palm Beach County. The PBMA has access to the resources of the Palm Beach Maritime Museum, in the world's most beautiful waterfront location. Click Academy for more about the school.
Contact: Tel: 561-547-3775 Fax: 561-540-5177 Email: MaritimeAcademy@aol.com
Physical Address: 7719 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33405
Exhibits and Activities of Interest:
Battleship Maine: [past exhibit]
Kennedy Bunker: The Kennedy Bunker is on the Peanut Island tour.
Governor's River Walk Reef: Dedicated by Governor Jeb Bush on 5/17/02.
Jeanie Johnston Emigrant Tall Ship: Visited Palm Beach Maritime Museum on Peanut Island on 4/15/03.
Nina Exhibit: Visited Palm Beach Maritime Museum at Currie Park on 3/11/04.
We salute New York Firemen!!
Photo Below: from our archives, NYC firemen launch a small fire
boat, circa 1963.
Please Consider a Donation to Palm Beach Maritime Museum and Academy
Palm Beach Maritime Museum, Inc.(PBMM) is a non-profit organization funded through public and private grants as well as a variety of charitable contributions that include real estate and personal property, such as yachts and aircraft. PBMM is an IRS 501(c)(3) educational organization, which focuses on maritime history, the marine environment, technology and science, has conducted a successful personal property donation program for over 25 years.
The Palm Beach Maritime Museum and Academy would like you to consider a philanthropic gift to its organization. The fair market value of your yacht, airplane or real estate is deductible for Federal tax purposes based on a reasonable appraisal of the donated value obtained by the donor. Consult your tax advisor to determine how you can benefit from a donation to Palm Beach Maritime Museum.
If you are interested in making a donation of personal property to Palm Beach Maritime Museum and Academy, please contact the Museum office at (561) 540-5147 or email us at Museum@pbmm.org.
Thank you for your consideration.
Palm Beach Maritime Museum, Inc.
Mail: P. O. Box 2317, Palm Beach, FL 33480
School and Administrative Offices: 7719 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, FL 33405
Voice: 561-540-5147 * Fax: 561-540-5196
send us email ...Museum@pbmm.org
PALM BEACH MARITIME MUSEUM IS A CHARITABLE
ORGANIZATION REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. A COPY OF THE
OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED
FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE
WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA (800) 435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT
IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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