---
title: "Lightner Museum"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/0cbe4c9a-319d-4cb5-9eec-ed34ef95a80f
source_url: "https://lightnermuseum.org/about/"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/travel/stack/c858a712-cbbb-42e4-801d-9f7da5b2c721
summary: "The Lightner Museum, located in downtown St. Augustine, Florida, is a not-for-profit museum founded in 1948 by Chicago publisher and collector Otto C. Lightner. Housed in the former Hotel Alcazar, a Spanish Renaissance Revival building designed by Carrere and Hastings, it showcases eclectic Gilded Age collections alongside rotating exhibitions and educational programs."
tags: "museum, gilded-age, art-collection, historic-building, st-augustine, not-for-profit, architecture"
key_entities: "Lightner Museum (organization), Otto C. Lightner (person), Henry Flagler (person), Carrere and Hastings (organization), St. Augustine, Florida (location), Hotel Alcazar (location), Teresa Radzinski (person), Bank of America (organization), Nancy Sikes-Kline (person), St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park (organization), Rogers Tower, Attorneys at Law (organization), Gilded Age (concept), Spanish Renaissance Revival (concept)"
classification: "reference"
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acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 788
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# Lightner Museum

About Lightner-Museum 2026-06-30T06:58:01-04:00 About the Lightner Museum Located at the heart of downtown St. Augustine, Florida, the Lightner Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization registered in the State of Florida. Founded in 1948 by Chicago publisher, collector, and professional hobbyist Otto C. Lightner, the museum offers visitors an immersive experience of art, architecture, history, and design. The museum is housed in the former Hotel Alcazar, a grand Gilded Age resort hotel commissioned by Standard Oil executive Henry Flagler. Built in 1888, this magnificent Spanish Renaissance Revival structure was designed by the renowned Beaux-Arts architectural firm Carrère and Hastings. At the core of the museum are its diverse and captivating collections. Otto Lightner, a leading figure in the early 20th-century American hobbyist movement, created the museum to share his extensive and eclectic collection with the public. From ornate Gilded Age furniture and American art glass to vintage typewriters and whimsical curiosities, the Lightner Museum’s holdings reflect a wide range of interests and eras. These permanent collections are complemented by rotating and traveling exhibitions that further the museum’s mission of education, inspiration, and discovery. Steeped in history, the Lightner Museum is more than a tribute to the past. Just as Otto Lightner once connected with people across America who found enrichment in hobbies and collecting, the museum continues to inspire contemporary audiences through its exhibitions, events, and educational programs. Mission To inspire curiosity, excite minds, and enrich lives through our unique collection, historic building, and dynamic exhibitions and programs. Vision We envision the Lightner Museum as a vibrant and relevant museum of art and culture, offering enriching experiences to a diverse audience. Values At the Lightner Museum we are: Inclusive: All are welcome at the Lightner. We connect people with the arts and each other in rich and varied ways, serving as a cultural and social hub for our community. Inspiring: We are a place of inspiration and learning. Through our diverse collection we draw people together, creating encounters with beautiful and unique things and sharing experiences that are exciting, enriching, and fun. Engaging: We deliver engaging educational experiences that are full of wonder, making a visit to the Museum surprising, lively, and memorable. Stewards: We preserve the past but look to the future. As stewards of Henry Flagler’s Alcazar Hotel building and Otto Lightner’s collection we strive to strengthen and enrich the Lightner Museum, to pass this extraordinary legacy on to future generations. Board of Trustees Teresa Radzinski, Board Chair Bank of America Mark Bailey The Bailey Group David Drysdale St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park David Peek Rogers Tower, Attorneys at Law Nancy Sikes-Kline Mayor, St. Augustine William Henry Jackson, Pool at the Hotel Alcazar , c.1890s Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Email Address * Subscribe