The community can see the latest lens, recently removed from the Sanibel Lighthouse in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, as part of the Sanibel Historical Museum and Village’s new “Lighthouse” exhibit.

The exhibit features photographs of the lighthouse before and after the ravages of the storm. Also on display are two original lights that came off of the old causeway when there was a draw bridge. The red and green lights, which represented port and starboard, assisted mariners as they headed through the raised bridge into the San Carlos Bay and up the Caloosahatchee River.

“It is more important than ever for everyone to celebrate the Sanibel Lighthouse,” village board President and Chair Celina Kersh Monte-Sano said. “Hurricane Ian destroyed the caretakers’ cottages, the oldest buildings on the island; almost no trace of their wooden structures remain. We lost a big piece of the island’s history when that happened. The lighthouse tower was spared and repaired with a temporary wooden leg for support. It’s a comfort to know this icon of Sanibel, known internationally, will go on.”

In addition to the exhibit, four of the village’s buildings are open to tour on a limited basis: Shore Haven; Morning Glories, a Sears kit house; the Caretakers’ Cottage, which houses the “Black History” exhibit; and old Bailey General Store.

Shore Haven’s other exhibit, which features information about each of the village’s nine historical buildings, has been reimagined. There is also a gift shop set up in the “living room” of this Sears kit home. It is the second of two Sears kit homes at the village and the second one to be moved to the grounds, and it is now used as the visitors’ center.

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is currently open free of charge. The current operating hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with guided tours at 10:30 a.m.

The village will close for the season on May 31. Officials noted that they hope to fully reopen in October, with most of the buildings repaired from the damages caused by the hurricane.

For more information, call 239-472-4648 or visit sanibelmuseum.org.

The Sanibel Historical Museum and Village is at 950 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.