- Listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
- Victorian art glass and the
stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.
- Museum Store with replicated
antiques.
- Lunch at the Cafe Alcazar in the
former hotel indoor swimming pool.
Relics of America's Gilded Age are
elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes,
furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give
you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection
includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the
stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany. The lobby of the museum
has recently been restored to the opulence of its early days as the
Alcazar Hotel.
Chicago publisher, Otto C. Lightner, purchased the building to house
his extensive collection of Victoriana in 1946 and opened the museum
two years later. He gave the museum to the city of St. Augustine. The
building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Enjoy wandering through the museum's setting as the former Hotel
Alcazar, built in 1887 in the Spanish Renaissance style. Railroad
magnate Henry M. Flagler commissioned architects Carrere and Hastings
to design the Alcazar and the Ponce de Leon Hotel (across the street).
The two young architects later designed the New York Public Library
and the U.S. Senate office building. After years of accommodating
vacationing wealthy patrons, the elegant resort hotel closed. Chicago
publisher, Otto C. Lightner, purchased the building to house his
extensive collection of Victoriana in 1946 and opened the museum two
years later. He gave the museum to the city of St. Augustine.
THE Lightner Museum Store offers an eclectic collection of books,
jewelry, ornaments, notecards, reproduction antiques, children's games
and gifts.
The Lightner Museum provides a spectacular setting for corporate and
private functions. Award ceremonies, dinners and dances can be
memorable evenings held in the museum's elegant environment.
Include in your visit lunch at the Cafe Alcazar directly behind the
museum in the former hotel indoor swimming pool. CAFE ALCAZAR HOURS:
11:30AM TO 3:00 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday.
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