ABOUT US 

Explore how the current of time has shaped the face of Florida and its almost forgotten past. The history of the fishing industry has made Florida what it is today. The museum shares these meaningful stories and offers a snapshot of old Florida through the lens of the Cortez Commercial Fishing Village.

Surviving hurricanes, economic depressions and threats to their livelihood, villagers are passionate about preserving their time-honored traditions and culture, and Florida’s broader maritime heritage. Nestled within this historic fishing village, the museum sits on almost four acres of land known as the Cortez Nature Preserve.

 

Serving the public since 2007, the museum's mission is to collect, preserve and share traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts and personal stories specific to Florida's fishing and maritime heritage. The Florida Maritime Museum is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Historical Resources Department, with additional support from the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum. Situated on the Cortez Nature Preserve, FMM grounds were purchased with funds from the Florida Communities Trust Preservation 2000 Program and the Manatee County Board of County Commission. The Cortez Commercial Fishing Village and the 1912 Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse are designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

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About the Clerk’s Office

The Clerk of Circuit Court was established as a public trustee by the Florida Constitution in 1838. The Clerk of the Circuit Court serves as the Clerk of Courts, the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners, Auditor, Recorder, and Custodian of all County Funds. In Manatee County, the Clerk’s office also administers a local child support enforcement program, violence protection advocacy program, Manatee Teen Court, and the preservation of historical resources through its historical resources department. Located at 1115 Manatee Avenue West in downtown Bradenton, the Courthouse is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Please be sure to visit the Clerk website.