Tybee Island Lighthouse and Museum

Tybee Island Lighthouse is a black tower with a white band around the middle, rising 44 meters above the Georgia coast. The museum housed inside displays seafaring artifacts and charts related to navigation in this region.

The structure was built in 1736 when James Edward Oglethorpe ordered the first wooden tower at this strategic location. Over time it was rebuilt and updated several times to better guide ships approaching the coast.

The museum displays ships, old navigation tools, and photographs from maritime history. Visitors can follow how coastal seafaring developed and changed over centuries.

Climbing the interior staircase takes you through 178 steps to reach the observation deck with views of the river entrance. The climb offers open sightlines across the water and surrounding coastland.

The beacon at the top houses a large Fresnel lens that can warn ships from far away at sea. This optical system was a key technology that made safe ocean navigation possible in the 1800s.

Location: Tybee Island

Inception: 1736

Height: 44 m

Address: 30 Meddin Drive, Tybee Island, GA 31328

Phone: +19127865801

Website: https://tybeelighthouse.org

GPS coordinates: 32.02222,-80.84564

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:55