St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum

St. Augustine, Florida: Avast, me hearties! Climb aboard for a pirate adventure at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Step back into the days when pirates ruled the seven seas and see learn a little about life as a pirate.

The journey begins in Port Royal. Take a walk down the streets in the heart of pirate county, browsing at the shops along the way. Here you can see some of the weapons, navigational aids, maps and even medical treatment that was available during the time of the pirates.

While in Port Royal, don’t forget to stop at Rogue’s Tavern. It is here where you can witness how pirates spent their free time; drinking, playing games and of course, fighting. This is also where you can learn about some of the most notorious pirates through interactive computers.

When you’re done playing around in the tavern, its time to hit the seas onboard the ship. The pirate ship is broken down into several interactive zones including the Main Deck, Gun Deck, Captain’s Cabin and Below Deck. There is plenty to see and do on the ship including hoisting the flags, steering the ship, firing a canon and much more.

The Captain’s Cabin has a few special treats. It is here where you can see an original Jolly Roger flag. It is one of only two remaining Jolly Roger flags in existence.

Below Ceck is also a treat not to be missed. Enter the room, if you dare, and immerse yourself in a 3-D audio adventure. But beware of Blackbeard, he just might be there waiting for you.

Once you have finished exploring the ship, its time to step off and learn about the risks that the pirates faced on the Execution Dock. Life as a pirate was very risky. Death was always around the corner whether from other pirates or soldiers on a bounty.

But if you were lucky enough to avoid capture or death, you were rewarded with the riches of treasure. On Shipwreck Island, you can see some of the riches that were awaiting the pirates. You can also view the only known treasure chest in the world, lift a gold bar and touch a 400 year old chest.

After you finish looking at the treasures of Shipwreck Island, the tour heads into the Hollywood Pirates exhibit. Here you can see pirate memorabilia from the silver screen. There are props from Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan, Goonies and more on display here.

The tour concludes with a stop in the gift shop where you can purchase all kinds of pirate souvenirs and gifts. And if you have the money, you can even purchase authentic treasure.

The museum was founded by Pat Croce in 2005 as the Pirate Soul Museum in Key West. The museum was later closed in August of 2010 to begin a relocation to the oldest city in America, St. Augustine.

Following the move, the museum was renamed the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum and reopened in December of 2010. The new 8,000 plus square foot facility on the St. Augustine bayfront is home to over 800 authentic artifacts.

The experience will continue to grow in the future as the collection of artifacts grows. Croce is currently heading an expedition that is looking to recover shipwrecks from Sir Francis Drake. Only time will tell what riches the expedition will bring, but when it does, you can bet it will be on display here with the other treasures on display.

Click on the photo above to view photos from the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum.