Established with the express purpose of preserving and promoting the linguistic and cultural values of Cuba, the San Carlos Institute in Key West stands out as a major landmark in the state of Florida. Located on Duval Street, the historic quarter of Key West, the San Carlos Institute offers a range activities to the visitors including a museum, library, art gallery, and theater. 

Open all days of the week, the institute charges no fees from the visitors looking to acquaint themselves with Cuban heritage. The showpiece of the Institute is, without a doubt, the exhibit rooms that house works of the legendary Cuban patriot Jose Marti. You can admire some of the rarest photographs and letters of Jose Marti, curated by noted historian Carlos Ripoll. 

There's a delightful collection of postal stamps, result of a joint collaboration with the renowned Smithsonian Institute, that promises tol take you on an intriguing historical excursion of Cuba. It includes postal stamps from Cuba's a pre-Philatelic period to 1939. You will also gain an understanding of Cuba's commercial aviation history through a display of envelopes and commemorative stamps. You can also glance at portraiture of Cuban Presidents upto 1952. 

The Institute has an impressive theater, capable of housing 360 people, that regularly plays host to musical concerts, theatrical productions, performances by dance troupes, and other cultural events. You can visit the Institute's website to get an update on the upcoming events and schedule your program accordingly. If the company of books is what you are looking for then the Institute will delight you with its impressive library, containing several important and out of print books on Cuban history, language and literature.

You will also learn that the Institute runs a school that was one of the pioneers in adopting a racially unsegregated and bilingual policy. The Institute, while free to the visitors, depends on donations to further its noble mission of furthering Cuban heritage. You can partake in the various culturally enriching activities it organises to raise money, and be a part of a truly admirable effort.