Lightner Museum, St. Augustine (must see)
Step into the Lightner Museum, and you鈥檙e really stepping into two stories at once: the grand ambitions of Henry Flagler and the quirky passions of Otto Lightner. The building itself began life as the Hotel Alcazar, Flagler鈥檚 1888 answer to the winter blues of America鈥檚 wealthy elite. Designed by Carr猫re and Hastings in full Spanish Renaissance Revival style, it was every bit the Gilded Age showpiece鈥攔ed-tiled roofs, soaring towers, and a list of luxuries that included a Turkish bath, a casino, tennis courts, and the world鈥檚 largest indoor swimming pool. For a while, St. Augustine glittered as a playground of the rich, thanks to Flagler鈥檚 railroads delivering them south. But when the Great Depression rolled in, the Alcazar鈥檚 doors closed, leaving its opulence to gather dust.
Enter Otto C. Lightner, a Chicago publisher with a taste for collecting the odd, the fine, and the downright extravagant. In 1948 he bought the abandoned hotel and crammed it with treasures salvaged from Gilded Age mansions鈥攅verything from Tiffany lamps and stained glass to mechanical musical instruments, cut-glass crystal, oil paintings, Victorian fashions, seashells, and even curiosities that make you wonder what estate sale he was bidding at.
The Lightner Museum spans three floors, and the building itself feels as much a part of the collection as the artifacts inside. Visitors wander through its soaring halls and leafy courtyard before stepping into exhibits that swing between high art and eclectic oddities. Tiffany鈥檚 stained glass glows alongside Victorian gowns; mechanical instruments hum a note of nostalgia; and tucked into what was once that massive pool is now Caf茅 Alcazar, where lunch comes with a side of Gilded Age grandeur.
For anyone exploring St. Augustine, the Lightner Museum offers a double delight: the over-the-top architecture of Flagler鈥檚 resort dream, and the eclectic, sometimes eccentric tastes of a collector who couldn鈥檛 bear to let the Gilded Age slip away.
Enter Otto C. Lightner, a Chicago publisher with a taste for collecting the odd, the fine, and the downright extravagant. In 1948 he bought the abandoned hotel and crammed it with treasures salvaged from Gilded Age mansions鈥攅verything from Tiffany lamps and stained glass to mechanical musical instruments, cut-glass crystal, oil paintings, Victorian fashions, seashells, and even curiosities that make you wonder what estate sale he was bidding at.
The Lightner Museum spans three floors, and the building itself feels as much a part of the collection as the artifacts inside. Visitors wander through its soaring halls and leafy courtyard before stepping into exhibits that swing between high art and eclectic oddities. Tiffany鈥檚 stained glass glows alongside Victorian gowns; mechanical instruments hum a note of nostalgia; and tucked into what was once that massive pool is now Caf茅 Alcazar, where lunch comes with a side of Gilded Age grandeur.
For anyone exploring St. Augustine, the Lightner Museum offers a double delight: the over-the-top architecture of Flagler鈥檚 resort dream, and the eclectic, sometimes eccentric tastes of a collector who couldn鈥檛 bear to let the Gilded Age slip away.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in St. Augustine. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Lightner Museum on Map
Sight Name: Lightner Museum
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: St. Augustine, USA (See walking tours in St. Augustine)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in St. Augustine, Florida
Create Your Own Walk in St. Augustine
Creating your own self-guided walk in St. Augustine is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
St. Augustine Early Settlements Tour
The city of St. Augustine on the northeastern coast of Florida is considered the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. It was founded by Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles on September 8, 1565, and served as the capital of Spanish Florida for more than 200 years.
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
One of the most significant early European sites in the city is the Castillo de San... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine's Historical Houses Tour
A great deal of St. Augustine's storied past is set in stone in the form of houses that have been inhabited for over 400 years. The number of historic homes found in the city offer a glimpse into its colorful culture with European roots.
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Among the most notable of them is the Ximenez-Fatio House. Built in 1798, originally as a boarding place for wealthy travelers, today this property serves... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
St. Augustine Introduction Walking Tour
It is said that the first-ever Thanksgiving meal took place in 1565, when Spanish explorers led by Pedro Men茅ndez held a Catholic Mass and a communal meal with the Timucua people in what is now St. Augustine, Florida.
Poised on Florida鈥檚 northeastern coast, the city holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded settlement in the United States. Its story... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Poised on Florida鈥檚 northeastern coast, the city holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European-founded settlement in the United States. Its story... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles