McLarty Treasure Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
McLarty Treasure Museum

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Established	1971
Location	13180 North A1A Vero Beach, Florida ,
Type	Maritime Archaeology

The McLarty Treasure Museum is a fascinating place located on North Hutchinson Island in Florida. It's just north of Vero Beach, Florida, right by the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. This museum is very special because it sits on the exact spot where people from a famous Spanish treasure fleet camped after their ships sank centuries ago. It's part of Sebastian Inlet State Park and is filled with amazing artifacts and stories from the past.

Discovering the McLarty Treasure Museum

The McLarty Treasure Museum is found at 13180 North A1A. It's a great spot to learn about history and see real treasure. The museum opened in 1971. It was made possible by Mr. Robert McLarty, a retired attorney from Atlanta. He lived in Vero Beach and generously donated the land for the museum.

The Story of the 1715 Treasure Fleet

The museum tells the exciting story of the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet. This was a group of ships loaded with gold, silver, and other valuable items. They were sailing from the Americas back to Spain about 300 years ago. But then, a huge hurricane hit off the coast of Florida. Many of the ships were wrecked, and their treasures were lost at sea.

The museum shows a special film from A&E Network called The Queen's Jewels and the 1715 Fleet. It explains how the fleet tried to return to Spain. You'll learn all about the powerful storm that caused the ships to sink.

What You Can See at the Museum

Inside the McLarty Treasure Museum, you'll find many interesting exhibits. There are real artifacts that were recovered from the sunken ships. You can see displays that explain the history of the fleet and the people involved. One of the best parts is the observation deck. From here, you can look out over the Atlantic Ocean. It's amazing to think that just offshore, these historic shipwrecks still lie.

Amazing Artifacts from the Deep

The museum has many cool items that were found underwater. These include pieces of silver, gold, and even everyday items from the ships.

• Silver and Gold: You can see precious metals like silver and gold. These were shipped back to Spain in different forms. Some silver was shaped like a pie wedge to fit into barrels.
• Armor: There are helmets and breastplates on display. Spanish foot soldiers wore these to protect themselves from weapons.
• Fancy Pitchers: Look for a gilded pitcher. It was probably used for perfume and was made of silver covered with gold. Years in the ocean caused some of the gold to wear off.
• Ship Models: See a replica of a galleon called an Almiranta. This type of ship was second in command of the Spanish Fleet. These warships carried most of the treasure and protected other ships.
• Sword Hilts: The museum displays hilts, which are the handles of swords. They are often made of silver and are very artistic. The iron blades usually don't survive the ocean's salt water.
• Porcelain Cups: You can also see delicate K'ang Hsi porcelain cups. These came all the way from China! They traveled across the Pacific Ocean on other ships. Then, they were carried by mule trains to connect with the Atlantic Fleet.
• Pewter Plates: There's a large pewter plate called a "charger." Sailors used these plates to serve food on board the ships.

See also

• List of maritime museums in the United States

Gallery

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  Front view of McLarty Treasure Museum

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  Front oblique view of McLarty Treasure Museum

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  Historical marker in front of museum designating the site of the Survivors' and Salvagers' Camp - 1715 Fleet

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  Replicas of treasure recovered from the Atocha shipwreck in the Florida Keys

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  "Blown shoreward and wrecked along inshore reefs, the fleet strewed its riches along a vast stretch of Florida's eastern coast." Oil painting on three wood panels, on display in museum

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  Official photo of McLarty Treasure Museum, displayed at the ceremonial opening of the museum on March 27, 1971; on display in the museum

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  A helmet and breastplate were worn mainly by Spanish foot soldiers and helped protect the body from piercing weapons and gunfire.

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  Precious metals including silver, copper, and gold were shipped back to Spain in various forms. This pie wedge of silver was shaped for shipment in a barrel.

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  This gilded pitcher was probably used to hold perfume and was made from silver that was overlaid with gold. Much of the gold was removed from years at sea as the silver underneath corroded.

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  This replica galleon, called an Almiranta, was second in command of the Spanish Fleet and captained by an admiral. These warships carried most of the treasure returning to Spain, with their main duty to protect the convoy of other vessels within the fleet.

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  The hilts of swords are sometimes made of silver which has been worked into an ornate piece of art. The iron blades of the swords do not survive the corrosive powers of seawater and are rarely found intact with the sword hilts.

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  Delicate K'ang Hsi porcelain was loaded onto the 1715 Fleet galleons after a voyage halfway around the world from China aboard the Manilla Galleons in the Pacific Ocean. Mule trains from Acapulco to Vera Cruz would connect the trade routes and transport goods from the Pacific Fleet into the Atlantic Fleet.

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  This large "charger" was a pewter plate used to serve food aboard ship.