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Fog is often a problem in coastal areas and it seems that St. Augustine gets its fair share of foggy mornings and evenings.
Setting out early on my last day, the plan was to visit Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, however, as I made my way towards the historic district, I noticed that the fort was barely visible in the pea-soup-like gloom. Thinking about the photographs that I had hoped to capture, I decided that this point of interest might have to wait until later when the haze had dissipated and the sun was high above, illuminating the old structure.
But what could occupy me in the meantime?
Walking away from the waterfront area, I happened upon Potter’s Wax Museum. I had already visited the statue of Henry Flagler which has a seat of honor on the sidewalk in front of the museum. To be honest, the museum wasn’t at the top of my list of things that I really wanted to see, but as I checked the hourly weather forecast and realized that the fog was going to be here for a little while, I decided that it was good as anything else to occupy my time.
Having visited Madame Tussaud’s in London, Amsterdam and Las Vegas, I knew the caliber of these attractions. Did I expect to see the same quality of art in this building that is the oldest pharmacy in the United States? Probably not, but the oldest wax museum in the United States inside of the oldest pharmacy in the United States was probably worth a look!
The small lobby is the ticket office for the wax museum but it should be given a few minutes inspection before continuing. A collection of ancient medications and medical objects are housed in two large glass cases…elixirs to cure headaches, malaria, and fevers to pharmaceutical scales, mortars and pestles, an old cracked leather doctor’s bag and a faded eye chart. There is also a rustic memorial to Seminole Indian Chief Tolomato as well as a wide variety of souvenirs filling the space.
A photo of George L. Potter, the museum’s founder, greets visitors as they enter the museum portion of the building. Fascinated by wax figures he encountered on a visit to London as a child, it was his dream to create this attraction in 1949. Instead of the celebrities that are commonly seen in the grand wax museums today, he set out to preserve the likenesses of great American leaders, statesmen and significant historical figures. Combining waxes from France, hair from Italy and the most skilled artisans, he sought to give the American public what Europeans had at their fingertips. The first figures were produced in Belgium and shipped to the old dispensary on Orange Street where they still reside today.
The historical figures still make up a large part of the museum, however, in addition to American presidents, past and present composers and musicians, artists, innovators, soldiers, kings and queens, there was a smidgen of current celebrities. It was fun to see their likenesses up close, pose for pictures and pretend I was actually standing in their presence.
The Chamber of Horrors in the rear of the museum, not for the faint of heart, housed a collection of those that graced the screens of the most horrifying movies to date…Frankenstein, Freddy Krueger, the Creature From the Black Lagoon, to name a few and in the adjacent room, our favorite Star Wars characters lined up for photo opportunities.
While my visit only lasted about an hour, it was enlightening and the enjoyment I experienced most unexpected. Hoping only to find something to help me pass the time, I actually found a gem. The intimacy of Potter’s museum was a contradiction to what I had experienced in London, Amsterdam and Las Vegas and I can see why it attracts thousands of visitors each year.
George Potter gave us the whole ball of wax and then some!
Finally bidding a farewell to some of Florida’s royalty and founders, I headed out into the late morning to find the fog lifting and the Castillo visible against a backdrop of the waters of Matanzas Bay. No wax figures along the waterfront, but definitely lots of history!
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Potter’s Wax Museum
- https://www.potterswaxmuseum.com/
- Address: 31 Orange Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
- Hours: 0900-1700, daily
- Admission: Adults, $12.13, Children (ages 4-12), $7.07, Children (under 3 years), free