Beyond The Guidebook: McLarty Treasure Museum

 

If you're near Vero Beach and want to get out of the heat, check out the McLarty Treasure Museum; this museum is small but mighty!  It is truly a treasure of  information.  The museum does a great job of telling the story through the artifacts excavated from the destroyed 1715 Spanish Fleet's survivor's and salvage's camp.   

Some of the museums' treasures: Original tools from the 1715 Fleet

Iron Planking Spikes (used to attach the planks to the sides and decks)

Adding another level of interest, the McLarty Treasure Museum is located on the exact site of where the survivors camp was located.  You can step out onto the museum's observation deck and try to envision this beautiful, peaceful beach being transformed into one of struggle and survival over 300 years ago.

Observation deck at the McClarty Treasure Museum

Of course the Spanish were not the first people to arrive at this site.    The archaeological evidence shows that people have occupied this barrier island since at least 1000 BCE.   Some of the pre-contact artifacts found on site are also on display in the museum.

Read more on the 1715 Fleet's survivors' and salvagers' camp here:

McLarty Treasure Museum
13180 North A1A
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Vero Beach, FL 32963
(772) 589-2147



Text and Photos by FPAN Staff: Robbie Boggs  (with the exception of the Observation Deck photo which was found on Trip Advisor.  It was too stormy to take a picture the day I was here!)