5 Places to Learn Something New in Key West

Key West Art and Historical Society oversees 3 of the island’s best museums. This one – housed in an Italian-style Martello coastal fort – exhibits relics from the Civil War as well as collections of unique artworks, including folk pieces by Mario Sanchez. It’s also home to the iconic and creepy 19th century Robert the Doll.

The Nobel Prize-winning author moved to this yellow-shuttered colonial house in 1931 with his second wife. You can tour the house and lush tropical grounds – paying particular note to the rabble of 6-toed cats and Hemingway’s collection of 17th and 18th century Spanish furniture.

Take a tour of this villa to learn about President Truman’s time here – he used it as his post WW2 winter White House. The interior is lavishly decorated and only accessible on a tour, but the surrounding botanical gardens are equally splendid, and free.

A grand maze of white mausoleums pokes out from the centre of colourful Key West. It's an oddly alluring space for a wander, and make sure to look out for typical island idiosyncrasies – some of the gravestones here have rather amusing inscriptions.