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The Hemingway Home and Museum
Details
/-81.800612,24.551187,14/320x240@2x?access_token=pk.eyJ1Ijoicm9hZHRyaXBwZXJzIiwiYSI6ImNsdjQ5N2VtZDA2bW8ycW13ZHAxeGhjbjkifQ.UIccpoAxc7g3BAuK4s9vjg)
Former domicile of Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway penned most of his greatest work while residing in this tranquil environment. Experience a step back in time with a guided tour of his estate or a leisurely browse through the tropical gardens where one of America's greatest authors created a unique legacy. The museum is the home of over fifty cats; some of which have six toes. Located at 907 Whitehead Street and nestled in the heart of Old Town Key West, this unique property was home to one of America's most honored and respected authors. Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote here for more than ten years. Calling Key West home, he found solace and great physical challenge in the turquoise waters that surround this tiny island. Step back in time and visit the rooms and gardens that witnessed the most prolific period of this Nobel Prize winner's writing career.Educated tour guides give insightful narratives and are eager to answer questions.Wander through the lush grounds and enjoy the whimsy of the more than forty cats that live here. The one-acre of gardens makes an excellent venue for weddings and parties and is available for day or evening events. The Hemingway Home has obtained permission from the Director of Midnight in Paris to use the name for theme parties at the Hemingway Home.
Destination Details
- Parking
- Pets Allowed
- Restrooms
- Wifi
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Credit Cards Accepted
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Reviews
53 cats on the premise. Most are polydactyl. Take the guided tour, it's free with admission. The tour guides are knowledgeable and quite friendly. Beautiful home rich in history. Once the tour is over you can stay and walk around the property. This house was the birthplace of a many of Hemmingway's literary works. It is worth the price of admission. The interesting history of Key West and its salvage industry is all wrapped into this house. Cats are well cared for and seen weekly by a vet.
Honestly, this place is beautiful and peaceful even when packed full of tourists. The cats are also a big plus! We went on a self-guided tour so we could take our time. Could easily spend a lot of time relaxing out of the sun by the pool (wish we could've hopped in!).
Went during spring break and they had a discount for college students specifically on spring break which was nice. It’s a great tour for anyone who is interested in learning more or is well-read. You will see the cats!
I'm generally not a fan of these types of tours, but this one was actually really interesting. The house and gardens are beautiful, I'm still dreaming about the massive pool in the back and the story behind it is great. There are something like 45 cats that live on the property, so if you're deathly allergic to cats probably not somewhere you'll want to visit. Definitely a nice thing to do while in Key West, the tour and exploring the whole place doesn't take more than about an hour and a half.
The Hemingway House is gorgeous! The perfectly green porch, lime window shutters, Hemingway's office, and unique tiles around the property were a visual treat. I especially loved the pawprints forever embedded in the sidewalks and the rumor that one of Hemingway's wives refused to allow fans indoors because she thought they were ugly.
I'm not the biggest fan of some of these kinds of things, but it was an interesting way to spend about an hour. All of the six-toed cats are fun and pretty friendly, too.
The Hemingway House is wonderful. Even if you're not a Hemingway scholar, there is plenty here of interest. Architecture buffs will delight in the house and grounds, while fans of Key West history will enjoy the many artifacts within the house. And, as the grounds are practically infested with cats, cat lovers, too, will be in heaven. When you go a second time, break off from the tour and explore at your leisure. I could spend a whole day at the Hemingway House.
We visited the Hemingway House and Museum without much knowledge of Ernest Hemingway. We were fortunate enough to catch a docent-led tour by a very knowledgable staff person who provided a well-presented overview of Hemingway's life in Key West. The bookstore sells all of Hemingway's books with a special stamp and sticker on or inside the front cover. Cats galore! The polydactyl, or six toed, cats are roaming the home and bookstore.
A must for fans and a very safe bet for anyone else. The beautiful house and grounds are fun for all ages. Tours run at a nice pace and are very informative and entertaining regardless of your Hemingway knowledge. My six year old spent a very happy hour stalking all the cats and exploring the house.
The tour was the most fun I never expected to have. Our guide might have been named Chris? And he was the most personable gentleman, full of charisma and anecdotes about the house - past and present. And the current feline residents make me want to come back. Such a unique thing to do! I've got such great stories from my visit at the house and to me that's a sure sign it was something good to do on vacation.
An interesting stop when you visit Key West. Joining one of the guided tours makes for a more interesting experience as the guide will share all sorts of Hemingway trivia. The famous author was such a character that even non-literary types will enjoy themselves. If you're visiting via cruise ship, skip the official excursions to create a day in Key West of your own making that includes a stop at Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.
