Martello Gallery-Key West Art and Historical Museum, Civil War era fort museum in Key West, United States.
Fort East Martello, at 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard, is a Civil War-era fort built in 1862 and now the Fort East Martello Museum & Gardens, run by the Key West Art & Historical Society. Its galleries hold displays on early settlement, sponging and fishing, Cuban influence, military involvement, and writers, plus works by folk artist Mario Sanchez and junk art by Stanley Papio.
The fort was built by the Army during the American Civil War when Key West remained under Union control despite local Confederate sympathies. This defense structure was one of several coastal fortifications protecting the southern outpost.
The gallery displays folk art by Mario Sanchez depicting everyday scenes from Key West and metal sculptures by Stanley Papio crafted from repurposed materials. These works reflect the island's creative traditions and how local artists transform found objects into meaningful pieces.
The fort stands at 3501 South Roosevelt Boulevard, near Key West's southern shore and the airport. Its plan is a single circular central tower with a surrounding terreplein, not stacked floors, so visitors move along one level and the rampart walk. The Key West Art & Historical Society runs it and opens it to the public year-round.
Robert the Doll, displayed here, belonged to the artist Robert Eugene Otto and is said to be haunted; per local lore, photographing him without asking permission brings a curse. Visitors often request permission before taking a picture.
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