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Latest News

Industry Destroying Indus...

Every year, millions of visitors come down to the Florida Keys to fish in the crystal-clear waters. Anglers seek out recreational and commercial target species such as tarpon, bonefish, and snook. But the ocean is not as full as it once was.

... Read More

Creature Feature: Spotted...

Do not be fooled by the name sea hare, this creature does not have fur or the ability to jump and probably is not the best pet. Instead, it is a rather large sized marine slug, named for its ear-like projections called “rhinophores,” that look lik... Read More

  • December 21, 2020

Faro Blanco Resort Discou...

We are excited to announce our latest partnership with the Faro Blanco Resort and Marina! The program now allows multiple discounts throughout the resort by presenting your ferry ticket stub! In order to get to Pigeon Key you have to take a fifteen m... Read More

Native Americans and the ...

November is National Native American Heritage Month and long before the Keys were explored and colonized by the Spanish, the islands were first home to multiple tribes of Native Americans. It is suspected that the Tequestas and... Read More

America Recycles Day 2020...

Today is America Recycles Day! Since 1997, November 15 has been a national holiday dedicated to celebrating and educating the public about the importance and impact of recycling. Recycling reduces the amount of trash in landfills, helps conserve resou... Read More

  • November 16, 2020

Meet the Staff: Casey How...

Casey Howley–Brigham has been a part of The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center staff for the past 6 years and the Education and Summer Camp Director since 2018. She is the main contact and organizer for our education groups and summer c... Read More

Creature Feature: Peacock...

The ocean is rife with intimidating and effective predators, both big and, unexpectedly, tiny. The most infamous are large animals such as great white sharks, killer whales, and colossal squids. However, some less obvious predators possess incredible ... Read More

BOGO Admission through Oc...

Admission to Pigeon Key will be Buy One, Get One through the 15th of October! Our island tour consists of a guided, historical account of how Pigeon Key came to be. The island was turned into a work camp for Henry Flagler's Overseas Railway and has se... Read More

Historical Tours Resume A...

The following information below will apply to historical tours when they resume August 8th

Spots on the ferry boat will be limited and visitor's will be taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets can be purchased in-person a... Read More

2020 Summer Camp!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center will be holding it's annual Marine Science Summer Camp this July and August. Campers can look forward to Marine Science Programming, Snorkeling, Fishing, Squid & Shark Dissections, Field Games, and ... Read More

From Trash to Treasure...

Here on Pigeon Key, the oldest standing building is the Section Gang Quarters which was built in 1909. Historically, the Section Gang Quarters housed 64 men at once during the construction of the Florida East Coast Extension and Seven Mile Bridge, a r... Read More

Our 2020 Education Intern...

From left to right: Alli Dickey, Randy Thomas, Dana Donkle, and Brooke Harowitz

Alli Dickey recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with two degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife and Journalism. She original... Read More

Art Festival Announcement...

For the past 25 years, the Pigeon Key Foundation has hosted our annual Art Festival. As our biggest fundraiser of the year, it has been amazing to see our local community come together to support us time and time again. The Pigeon Key Art Festival sta... Read More

  • December 10, 2019

Pigeon Key History...

If you’ve been out to visit the island or driven past recently, you may have noticed our many construction projects this year! Between the ramps reconstruction and the Old 7 Mile Bridge repairs, Pigeon Key has been home to barges, cranes, and bulldo... Read More

Creature Feature: The Red...

The animal kingdom is abundant in adaptations that work to hide, conceal, and confuse using tactics as simple as adhering an unassuming sponge to one’s back. Enter: the sponge crab! Our 2019 Marine Science Education season on Pigeon Key has been th... Read More

Bonefish and Tarpon Trust...

Pigeon Key has had a busy and exciting spring filled with Marine Science Education groups as well as new research endeavors! We recently partnered with the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust of Southern Florida in hopes of providing new information about the ... Read More

4Ocean Beach Cleanup...

It has been almost two years since Hurricane Irma devastated the Florida Keys and beyond, and many business, communities, and families are still trying to fully recover and get back on their feet. Bahia Honda State Park, arguably one of the most favor... Read More

  • April 1, 2019

Meet Our 2019 Marine Educ...

Holley Maassen, Meghan Moody, Jill Hayden, Klayton Harmon (Left to Right)

Holley grew up on the Northern California coast which led her to study Marine and Coastal Science and English at the University of California, Davis. She foc... Read More

First Group of January 20...

Every year, for the past 4 years, Pigeon Key has been hosting a leadership training retreat for the organization GutMonkey. Specifically, we have been working with the Generation IX Project, a group of individuals age 18 to 35 with a genetic bleeding ... Read More

Pat Anderson Plein Air Ar...

For the past two years, we have had the pleasure of hosting artist Pat Anderson for one week of our Overnight Summer Camps! With the generous donation of her time, Pat spends the afternoons with our campers and aids them in creating plein air watercol... Read More

Middle Keys Tarpon Migrat...

The Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is known as the “Silver King” of the Atlantic. Many an angler has had to tip their hats to the one-of-a-kind fighting spirit of tarpon. Here in the Middle Keys we begin to see these "Silver Kings" retur... Read More

April Outreach Events!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation was recently a part of the 3rd annual Putts For Paws Miniature Golf Tournament held by the SPCA. They have been holding this event in order to raise money for the care and adoption of their animals. The tournament was held at... Read More

Our 2018 Education Intern...

Pictured: Dana Norton, Emma Guss, Victoria Reed, Gary McFee

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center would like to introduce our newest intern staff that have joined our team for the 2018 Education Season!

Dana Nor... Read More

2018 Pigeon Key Art Festi...

We wanted to thank all of the artists, vendors, and visitors and volunteers who attended the 24th annual Pigeon Key Art Festival this past weekend! We kicked off Friday night with a live auction and then Howard Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 band p... Read More

Summer Camp is Open!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center is thrilled to announce 2018 Summer Camp Registration is open! We are hosting four weeks of summer camp this year; July 9-13 (Day Camp Only), July 16-20 (Day and Overnight Camp), July 23-27 (Overnig... Read More

Buddy The Island Cat...

Buddy, the island cat, has been residing on Pigeon Key for over ten years. There have been many tales about why she ended up being left on Pigeon Key, but we do know that she was once the cat of a former employee. Buddy has become a staple to our isla... Read More

We Are Open!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center is excited to announce that the island is open to the public and our daily historical tours are back in full swing! In August, we relocated our Gift Shop to 2010 Overseas Highway right in between the... Read More

Post Hurricane Updates...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center would like to first and foremost thank all of you who reached out to us during and after Hurricane Irma. We have sustained damage to our facility, but luckily our "core" buildings were still intact a... Read More

We Moved Our Gift Shop!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center gift shop moved locations in the town of Marathon this August. Our new shop is located at 2010 Overseas Highway right in between the Hyatt Place and Marriott hotels and is open from 10am-4pm each day... Read More

Pigeon Key History: The K...

Throughout the years, a variety of people have called Pigeon Key home. First, it was home to around four hundred men who worked to build Henry Flagler’s railway extension to Key West. When the railway was completed, it then became the home of bridge... Read More

Sea Turtle Nesting Awaren...

Floridian waters house five out of the seven sea turtle species; though we only commonly encounter three species that will nest on Florida beaches. Nesting season in the Florida Keys runs from April 15th to October 31st and many organizations unite an... Read More

Featured Creature...

The five-toothed sea cucumber (Actinopyga agassizi) is a lesser known species of invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Echinodermata, which includes sea stars and sea urchins. As with all echinoderms, sea cucumbers move along the ocean floor using t... Read More

Sombrero Reef...

Sombrero Reef is located five nautical miles south of Pigeon Key and can be easily identified by the 142 foot iron lighthouse that marks the reef itself. The Sombrero Reef lighthouse was built by General George Meade in 1858 and was the tallest iron s... Read More

Meet our 2017 Education I...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center would like to introduce our newest staff members that have joined our team for the 2017 Education Season! These three interns will assist in teaching our school group... Read More

2017 Art Festival!...

It's that time of the year when our annual Pigeon Key Art Festival rolls into town! This year The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center will be hosting its 23rd annual Art Festival right here in Marathon, Florida. Running from Saturday, Febr... Read More

Become a Member Today!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center is excited to announce the launching of our yearly membership with new levels to choose from! By becoming a member of The Pigeon Key Foundation, you can choose your donation level and obtain the bene... Read More

Fall 2016 Updates and Mor...

The weather may be cooling down on Pigeon Key, but we are enjoying our fall that has been filled with education groups, outreach events and more. We have an average daily temperature of 75-80 degrees and water temperatures averaging around 75 degrees!... Read More

Captain’s Licenses!...

The full time staff of The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center are getting their OUPV Captain’s licenses! OUPV stands for “Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels”. This license allows the Captain to operate a vessel up to 100 gros... Read More

Shark Tagging!...

Pigeon Key has a lot of wildlife that surround our tiny island! Whether it be migratory fowl or the countless species of fish that live under our dock, there is always something to marvel at. The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center’s Con... Read More

  • August 24, 2016

Marine Protected Areas...

Marine protected areas, also known as MPAs, set aside designated marine environments to conserve critical habitats like coral reefs! Every Education groups that stays at the Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center visits Sombrero Key Reef; ... Read More

World Oceans Day 2016...

“Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume. Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the e... Read More

Treasure Village Montesso...

The second and third grade classes of Treasure Village Montessori of Islamorada recently spent the day at the Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center learning about invertebrates and sharks! The group of excited youngsters collected all types of c... Read More

Earth Day Celebration!...

The first Earth day was on April 22, 1970 and 20 million Americans came together to celebrate environmental reform. Later that year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created. In 1990 Earth Day went international and is now celebrated in mo... Read More

Florida Manatees...

The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) is a fascinating and delightful animal that has been known to stop by Pigeon Key from time to time. The common name “West Indian” doesn’t refer to the coun... Read More

Meet our 2016 Education I...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center would like to introduce our newest staff members that have joined our team for the 2016 Education Season! These four interns will aid in the teaching of marine science p... Read More

2016 Summer Camp Registra...

2016 SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Our Marine Science Summer Camp dates have just been released and are open to ages 8-16! The Pigeon Key Foundation & Marine Science Center gravitates towards hands-on learning and... Read More

New Fishing Gear!...

Conservation Angling is one of our most popular programs at Pigeon Key in which education groups are taught the basics of fishing by Pigeon Key staff. Simple tasks like how to bait a hook, how to tie a knot, how use a spinning reel, and of course how to c... Read More

Fish with a Hero!...

The Pigeon Key Foundation was honored to host the 2015 Fish with a Hero: Project Healing Waters Tennessee Valley Region from September 22nd – 25th. This was the second year for this great event and everyone involved is already look... Read More

  • October 1, 2015

Summer Camp In Full Swing...

With two week of summer camp down and two more to go; summer on Pigeon Key is zooming by! Campers from all over the world come to beautiful Pigeon Key each year to partake in our Marine Science Summer Camp! Each week is jam packed with water activities li... Read More

Pigeon Key Art Festival...

As most of our flock knows the Pigeon Key Art Festival was a huge success thanks to a lot of hard work by our staff, board, and volunteers, as well as World renowned artist Wyland who was generous enough to come and be the featured artist at the event. ... Read More

Welcome New Staff Members...

Hello Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center Fans! We are super excited to welcome and introduce our newest staff members. We have hired 5 interns to help out with this jam packed Education Season! Hailing from Ohio, Tyler Steube is a graduate... Read More

Saltwater Pool Revival...

The Pigeon Key Foundation and Marine Science Center staff have been hard at work collecting fish for the newly enclosed saltwater pool. Originally built in the early 1950's as a tourist attraction, the saltwater pool was full of vibrant, tropical fish. Fe... Read More