The Audubon House Museum & Tropical Gardens is a three-level Captain’s home, built in the American Classic Revival architectural style of the mid 1800’s. The home was originally built by Captain John Huling Geiger, who was Key West’s first harbor pilot.
Captain Geiger planted beautiful tropical vegetation on the property. It was the beautiful plants which drew Audubon to it during his visit in 1832. Audubon took cuttings from the plants growing on the property, and used them as backgrounds in many works, including the White crowned Pigeon, which has the “Geiger tree” in the background.
Slated for destruction in 1958, the Geiger mansion was saved by the Mitchell Wolfson Family Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization. The home’s large scale restoration was the first of its kind in Key West and sparked Key West’s restoration movement. Today, the home and its furnishings reflect the elegance and comfortable living enjoyed by a wealthy family in Key West in an era when frequent shipwrecks on the offshore reef created a flourishing ship wrecking industry.
Brick pathways through the one-acre tropical garden reveal more than 200 orchids, bromeliads, rare tropical palms and crotons. Native and exotic trees and plants are labeled with their common names, Latin names, and country of origin.
The Audubon House Gallery features a unique collection of Audubon art and Audubon prints. Complementing the collection of stunning 19th century originals, several select limited editions of these American masterpieces are available for purchase.