St. Simons Lighthouse Museum is housed within one of five surviving Georgia lighthouses. The lighthouse’s lamp has been beaming across the sea for over 100 years, guiding ships into the sheltered harbor of St. Simons Sound. Climb to the top of this magnificently restored lighthouse for a breathtaking vista across the Golden Isles. The museum shows a glimpse of a lighthouse keeper’s life at the end of the 19th century.
Admire the stately architecture of the lighthouse keeper’s quarters as you approach the redbrick building. Bound by a pretty white picket fence and tall old pines, the building looks as though it was frozen in time on the day it was built in 1872. Check out the Victorian-style symmetrical design, which complements the 105-foot-tall (32-meter) lighthouse tower behind. The original lighthouse was built in 1810, but was destroyed by Confederate forces in 1862. The lighthouse and lighthouse keeper’s quarters that you see today were built in 1872.
Enter the lighthouse keeper’s quarters to find a series of museum exhibits. Learn about the Golden Isles’ history, as well as stories behind Georgia’s lighthouses. Watch a presentation detailing the lighthouse’s heritage or climb up to the second floor to explore the restored dwelling. This section of the museum has been fitted with period furnishings showing how the lighthouse keeper’s quarters would have looked in the late 1800s.
If you feel up to the challenge, climb the 129 stairs that spiral up the inside of the lighthouse tower. At the top, you’ll find the original third-order Fresnel lens, which sends its beam 23 miles (37 kilometers) out to sea. Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jekyll Island, the south end of St. Simons Island and the Port of Brunswick.
The St. Simons Island Lighthouse Museum is located on the southern tip of the island. Pay an admission fee to enter. This includes access to the museum, the lighthouse keeper’s dwelling and the tower. Admission is discounted for children. The site is open daily until late afternoon, with reduced hours on Sundays. Parking is available at the site.
