AAA/Kim Birch
AAA/Frank Swanson
AAA/Photo submitted by Maria White
AAA/Frank Swanson
AAA Editor Notes
Lightner Museum, 75 King St., is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel, built by Henry Flagler in 1888. In 1948 Otto C. Lightner, the Chicago publisher and editor of Hobbies magazine, converted the empty hotel into a museum to contain his vast collection of decorative and fine arts, artifacts and other antiques.

Four floors display furnishings, paintings, Victorian art glass, cut and blown glass, and natural history specimens. Other highlights include Asian art, art nouveau works and the Victorian Village portraying 19th-century life. The museum's collections are displayed within the hotel's entertainment center where the spa level and ballroom were located and can still be seen. The former indoor swimming pool, which was one of the largest of its day, is now the site of the Cafe Alcazar.

The museum is self-guiding with docents available to answer questions. Nineteenth-century mechanical musical instruments are demonstrated daily at 11 and 2.

Note: Portions of the museum are under construction; phone ahead.

Food is available. Time: Allow 2 hours minimum.

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