PORT BOCA GRANDE
LIGHTHOUSE & MUSEUM
HISTORY
Originally known as the Gasparilla Island Light Station, the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse is the oldest structure on the island and has been a beacon to mariners since 1890. The house-dwelling style lighthouse is home to a comprehensive museum that opened in 1999.
The museum is comprised of five rooms. Three of the rooms are set in chronological order and cover cultural and social history dating from 12,000 B.C. to present. The fourth room, popular for children and adults alike, is the nature room which contains a “please touch” area featuring local bones, fossils and shells. The fifth room is an ever-popular museum gift shop offering an array of souvenirs, local artwork and jewelry. All proceeds from the gift
shop and donations to the museum directly support the lighthouse, our local state parks, Gasparilla, Cayo Costa, Don Pedro and Stump Pass, as well as our educational programs.
So, delight your mind and spirit—enjoy the beach, enjoy the museum, and let history and nature take you away.