This old fortress was built to resemble an old Italian Martello-style coastal watchtower, a design that quickly became obsolete with the advent of the explosive shell. Now the fort serves a new purpose: preserving the past. There's historical memorabilia exploring Key West's role in the Civil War, its heyday in the wrecking and cigar industry, plus the folk art of Mario Sanchez and "junk" sculptor Stanley Papio, who worked with scrap metal.
Perhaps the most haunted thing in Key West, "Robert the Doll" is a terrifying child’s toy from the 19th century who reportedly causes much misfortune to those who question his powers (get the backstory on www.robertthedoll.org). Indeed, he looks like something out of a Stephen King novel. Creepy music playing overhead adds to the sense of unease.
