Closed for Construction!
FMM is currently closed for a necessary building rehabilitation.
Visit FMM
Address
Florida Maritime Museum
4415 119th Street West, Cortez, Florida
Hours TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Tuesday - Friday and 2nd & 4th Saturdays,
10am - 4pm
​Admission
Admission is free; donations are appreciated.
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Museum Rules
No food or drinks inside the museum.
Shoes and shirt required inside the museum.
No flash photography.
No pets allowed. Service animals welcome.
Mission
The Florida Maritime Museum collects, preserves, and shares traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts, and personal stories specific to Florida's fishing and maritime heritage.
Exhibitions and Education at the Museum
FMM is currently closed for a necessary rehabilitation of our 1912 Schoolhouse. When we are open we feature exhibitions that tell the story of Florida's fishing and maritime heritage. We also have various educational activities to help visitors engage with the past.
Despite our current closure, events and programming are still ongoing. We also lend traveling exhibitions to organizations. To request a program, lecture, or traveling exhibition click here.
Accessibility
​PARKING​
Parking is free and can be found to the south of the museum, accessed from the first left off of 119th Street West.
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ACCESSIBLE PARKING
Accessible parking is available for visitors with a state permit. There are two parking spaces available on the left side of the parking lot closest to the ramped entry.
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ENTRANCES​
The museum is located in the historic white brick schoolhouse facing 119th Street West. It is accessible via stairs facing 119th Street West and from the ramped entrance facing the Bratton Store.
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The museum grounds are comprised of three buildings: the 1912 Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse, the Bratton/Burton Store, and the Pillsbury Boat Shop. The schoolhouse houses museum exhibits and is open to the public Tuesday-Friday from 10am to 4pm and the 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month. The Bratton Store and the Pillsbury Boat Shop are only open to the public when an educational program or Folk School class deem it necessary.
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RESTROOMS​​
All restrooms in the museum are unisex and ADA accessible. The bathroom is located to the left upon entry from the main entrance into the museum. Bratton Store bathrooms are also ADA accessible and are only open during special events.
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MOBILITY DEVICES​​
The museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions are wheelchair accessible. Personal walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility aids are also welcomed. Paved paths connect to all buildings and the parking lot.
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MUSEUM SEATING​​
Seating is available in several locations throughout the Florida Maritime Museum exhibit galleries. Upon entry to our permanent exhibits, you will find seating in the Captain's Corner. Just beyond this room is the main auditorium and temporary exhibit space, which both offer seating.
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SERVICE ANIMALS​
Service animals are welcomed at the museum. The ADA defines service animals as the following: Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
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ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
The Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) is making every possible effort to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) on our website, www.floridamaritimemuseum.org. While we are committed to making our website accessible to any and all users, we recognize that not all pages may be ADA compliant at this time. We welcome comments on how to improve the site’s accessibility for users with disabilities. If you use assistive technology and the format of any material on our website interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the website address of the requested material, and your contact information.
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If you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact us at fmminfo@manateeclerk.com or by calling 941-708-6120.
Please note that visitors to the Florida Maritime Museum may be photographed or videotaped during their visit. These photos/videos may be used for marketing, advertising, or public relations purposes without compensation.
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The Florida Maritime Museum is a part of the Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court & 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.