Turtle Kraals Museum

The Turtle Kraals Museum is a small, out of the way museum in Key West. There are no living turtles at the museum, so if your heart is set on seeing the real thing, go elsewhere. The museum is so out-of-the-way, it is nearly impossible to find. Many locals have never heard of it, so be prepared to do searching on your own. The museum is located at the end of the pier on Margaret Street. It is an old canning shack, and still looks just like an old canning shack. The museum features exhibits that teach plenty about turtles like how they are used in cuisine, how they are canned and how they are hunted, facts that might be disturbing to some people. The museum gives plenty of facts about the history of turtle hunting, but acknowledges that the harvesting of sea turtles was abused, leading to a major problem. In addition to the exhibits at the museum, there is a video that shares the history of the turtle hunting industry. The museum is right near the Turtle Kraals Restaurant. The restaurant is newly remodeled and serves a menu packed with fresh seafood dishes and plenty of Gulf hospitality.