The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
About
The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum is a beautiful, mid-19th-century Spanish Colonial-style villa where the legendary American author lived and wrote during his most productive years in the 1930s. Built out of native limestone, the estate is nestled within a lush, walled tropical garden in the heart of Old Town. The property is globally famous not only for its rich literary history but also for its unique resident population of approximately 60 six-toed (polydactyl) cats, all descendants of a white ship's cat gifted to Hemingway.
Highlights
What makes this place special
The Writing Studio
The preserved second-story carriage house studio where Hemingway penned classics like For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The Polydactyl Cats
Dozens of friendly, six-toed cats that roam freely across the property, sleep on furniture, and lounge in the gardens.
The Swimming Pool
Key West's very first in-ground swimming pool, which famously cost Hemingway a "last penny" that he pressed into the wet concrete.
Things to Know
- •The museum ticket office only accepts cash for admission, though an ATM is located directly on-site for convenience.
- •Informative, 30-minute guided tours of the house and gardens run continuously throughout the day and are included in the ticket price.
- •You are welcome to gently pet the resident polydactyl cats, but picking them up or feeding them is strictly prohibited.
