A visit to the Audubon House & Tropical Gardens is an exploration into local history and folklore. The gardens offer a lush one-acre view of tropical foliage. You will enjoy viewing the works of John James Audubon (1785-1851), world renown ornithologist. There are 28 first edition Audubon works in the house.

The 19th-century home was built by Captain John H. Geiger, a master wrecker and Key West's first harbor pilot, who lived in the house with his wife and nine children. It was the beautiful plants which drew Audubon to the home during his visit in 1832. Audubon took cuttings from the plants growing on the property and used them as backgrounds in many works, including the White Crowned Pigeon, which has the "Geiger tree" (named after Capt. John Geiger) in the background - and the tree still stands in the front yard of the house.

While visiting the Florida Keys, Audubon produced 19 of his sketches for his "Birds of America" folio. It is believed that many of those drawings were conceived in the Audubon House garden. This exhibit shows each of the 19 birds. They are from the Royal Octavo Birds of Americ collection, circa 1846.