Destin didn’t earn its name “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for nothing, and at the Destin History & Fishing Museum you’ll get some sense for the story behind the tagline. This fine little institution, established in 2005 and neighboring the Destin Community Center, shows off the Emerald Coast’s underwater bounty while also delving into the backstory of the city, which has transformed from a sleepy fishing village to one of the Florida Panhandle’s tourist epicenters.
The museum’s 5,500 square feet of exhibit space covers a lot of territory. Its focus on Destin’s history extends back to local American Indian cultures and includes a great deal of historical artifacts and photos bringing pioneer life in what was originally called East Pass to life.
Those artifacts can be hefty: The site’s Outdoor Museum Historic Park Complex displays some vintage vessels from this seacoast, including a seine boat, the Primrose, and a mullet boat, Lil Jimmy. You’ll also get an up-close look at a seine-net reel here and learn about Destin’s early fish camps.
A highlight of the indoor exhibit space is the extensive collection of local fish mounts: the better part of 100 of them, from triggerfish and snook to mighty tarpon, marlin, sailfish, and sharks. The majority of them hang from the Mike Long Memorial Fish Wall, as good as any an illustration of how Destin earned its “Luckiest Fishing Village” nickname.
You’ll also learn some of the background behind the city’s annual fishing contest in the Destin Fishing Rodeo Gallery.
Destin isn’t only celebrated for the quality and variety of its gamefish, but also the almost dreamlike whiteness of its “sugar-sand” beaches. Here at the museum, you’ll learn where that distinctive natural hue comes from. Other science topics on display include the basics of artificial reefs, an important tool in restoring and expanding marine habitat in the Emerald Coast and worldwide. The museum also boasts quite the seashell collection, plus an impressively sized taxidermy alligator hailing from the Apalachicola River.
You’ve got several options for exploring these and other delights of the Destin History & Fishing Museum’s collection. If you’d prefer to browse on your own, consider the self-guided audio tour, or use your smartphone to scan QR codes for exhibit info. Museum staff and docents also lead guided walk-throughs, and for little visitors there’s a fun and engaging scavenger hunt available.
The museum’s also a good place for a Destin souvenir: You’ll find a gift shop here with books, apparel, and other wares.
At incredibly reasonable prices, the Destin History & Fishing Museum is well worth a stop: Anglers will certainly find much to interest them here, as will anybody with even the most passing interest in the historical and cultural heritage of the Emerald Coast. If it isn’t exactly beach weather, this thoughtfully laid-out museum’s all the more inviting!
Pricing:
- Adults – $10
- Military & First Responders – $9
- Seniors – $8
- Students – $5
- Age 5 and under or members – Free
Insider Tip:
The Destin History & Fishing Museum’s major annual fundraiser happens to be a fabulous soiree to attend: the Annual Gumbo Contest & Silent Auction in January. Needless to say, there’s some delicious stuff on offer during the event…