Tybee Island Historical Society

What Tybee Island Historical Society does

The Tybee Island Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1961 (originally as the Tybee Island Museum Association and rebranded in 2022) that operates the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum on Tybee Island, Georgia. Its core assets are the 178-step lighthouse tower completed in 1865 with a 1916 First Order Fresnel Lens, and the Tybee Museum housed in Battery Garland, an 1899 Endicott Period battery that was part of Fort Screven. The three-acre site retains all original support buildings and is open to the public six days a week (closed Tuesdays), with the lighthouse closed on certain holidays and adverse weather conditions.

The organization generates revenue through a multi-stream model: on-site admission tickets differentiated by adult ($14/$12 in 2024/2025), senior, child, group, military, and Coast Guard tiers with 2-hour parking included; a physical and Square-powered online gift shop selling merchandise, historical society memberships, and commemorative items; a $100 Historic District sign program for local residents; and a Georgia specialty license plate program that contributes grant funds via the Georgia Department of Revenue. Distribution is exclusively walk-in/on-site — no online ticket pre-sales are offered — with group reservations for 10+ managed by phone. Educational programming reaches school groups, Girl Scout troops, and the broader public through self-guided ArcGIS StoryMaps walking tours, including the Black History Trail produced in partnership with Georgia Southern University and the Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization.

The society is led by Executive Director Sarah Jones and Director of Operations Nicole Thompson, with a volunteer board of directors including Elisa Schmidt (President), Bill Garbett (Vice President), Raynette Evans (Secretary), and Bill Blakey (Treasurer). Operations are supported by approximately 9 employees plus a volunteer base. The user base is primarily individual tourists and families visiting Tybee Island's beaches and seeking historical and educational experiences, with secondary segments including school groups, Girl Scout troops, and organized group tours. Marketing is concentrated on the lighthouse website, Facebook, Instagram, and third-party review platforms (TripAdvisor, Yelp).

Name

Tybee Island Historical Society

Legal name

Tybee Island Historical Society

Website

https://tybeelighthouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Tybee Island Historical Society is a Georgia non-profit that operates the 178-step Tybee Island Light Station (with a 1916 First Order Fresnel Lens) and the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland, serving individual tourists, families, school groups, and Girl Scout troops seeking historical and educational experiences on Tybee Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Site and Museum Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB)

Keywords

• Historic lighthouse tours
• Museum admission services
• Heritage tourism site
• Historic site preservation
• Educational walking tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Tybee Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: On-site ticket sales for adults, seniors, children, military, and group admissions. Ticket prices vary by category and year (2024 vs 2025 pricing). Includes admission to complete Light Station and Tybee Museum in Battery Garland.
2. Gift Shop Merchandise: Operates a physical and online gift shop (Square e-commerce) selling Tybee Island historical merchandise, donations, memberships, and commemorative items.
3. Membership Program: Annual memberships offering free admission, 10% gift shop discount, bi-annual newsletter, and membership appreciation dinner.
4. Commemorative Bricks and Signs: Sale of custom hand-painted Historic District address signs for Tybee Island residents ($100 each).
5. License Plate Program: Georgia specialty license plates featuring the Tybee Lighthouse generate grant funds to support lighthouse maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Tybee Island Historical Society operates the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum, a three-acre historic site on Tybee Island, Georgia. It sells on-site admission tickets providing access to a 178-step lighthouse climb (with First Order Fresnel Lens), the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland, and self-guided walking tours covering lighthouse, military, and Black history. It also runs an on-site and online gift shop, an annual membership program, educational group visits, custom Historic District signs, and a Georgia specialty license plate program that generates maintenance grants.

Product overview

Tybee Island Historical Society operates a multi-site historic attraction centered on Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse. The core offerings include the Tybee Island Light Station with its 178-step tower and First Order Fresnel Lens, and the Tybee Island Museum housed in Battery Garland at Fort Screven. Additional offerings include self-guided walking tours accessible via StoryMaps (Black History Trail and Fort Screven Walking Tour), a gift shop, membership program, volunteer opportunities, Girl Scout educational programs, and specialty merchandise including Historic District Signs and Georgia license plates. The organization is a non-profit that relies on admissions, memberships, donations, and merchandise sales to preserve and maintain the three-acre historic site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tybee Island Light Station Admission On-site admission ticket providing access to the 178-step Tybee Island lighthouse, the catwalk, the Tybee Museum in Battery Garland, and the surrounding historic grounds. Tickets are tiered by age and military status, purchased on-site only. Target users are individual tourists, families, and groups visiting Tybee Island.
• Tybee Island Museum in Battery Garland Museum housed in a historic Endicott Period Battery (1899) at Fort Screven, displaying exhibits on military batteries, World War I, World War II, and Tybee Island's community history. Included with Light Station admission. Target users are tourists, school groups, and history enthusiasts.
• Historical Society Annual Membership Annual membership subscription providing free Light Station admission, 10% discount on gift shop purchases, a bi-annual newsletter, and an invitation to a membership appreciation dinner. Target users are local residents, frequent visitors, and history supporters.
• Gift Shop Merchandise On-site and online retail store offering Tybee Island historical merchandise, commemorative items, and donation processing. Target users are tourists and members who want souvenirs and supporters wishing to donate.
• Group Tours and Private Events Reserved group visits and after-hours private events for parties of 10+ people, requiring advance phone reservation. Group admission priced at $12 (2024) / $10 (2025) per person. Target users are school groups, corporate outings, tour groups, and private event organizers.
• Girl Scout Educational Programs Scheduled educational visits for Girl Scout troops, with group rates and curriculum-aligned experiences at the Light Station and Museum. Target users are Girl Scout troop leaders seeking badge-aligned historical education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 178 steps to the top with viewing platforms every 25 steps

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered notable and minor.

• Georgia Southern UniversitynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on the Tybee Island Black History Trail project. The university partnered with Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization and Tybee Island Historical Society to document the arrival of enslaved Africans at Lazaretto Creek Quarantine Station and document the ancestral journey to present-day Tybee.
• Tybee MLK Human Rights OrganizationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on the Tybee Island Black History Trail project. Partnership documents Black history and the arrival of enslaved Africans at Lazaretto Creek Quarantine Station.
• Georgia Department of Revenue (Motor Vehicle Division)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerManages the Georgia specialty license plate program featuring the Tybee Lighthouse. Grant funds from plate sales support lighthouse maintenance. Available to Georgia residents only.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fort Pulaski National Monument: Adjacent Civil War-era fort on the Savannah River near Tybee Island sharing overlapping military history narrative. Comparable historic preservation site and partial geographic overlap.

Regional players

• Savannah History Museum: Regional museum covering Savannah-area history including Tybee Island context. Competes for a portion of the same tourist audience visiting the Savannah coastal area.
• Coastal Heritage Society: Savannah-area non-profit preserving coastal Georgia historic sites. Comparable regional non-profit preserving and interpreting historic coastal assets for tourism and education.
• Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum: Savannah-based maritime museum with overlapping nautical heritage narrative for Savannah visitors. Comparable subject matter (maritime history) and shared tourist catchment.

Direct peers

• Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Museum: Non-profit operating one of Florida's tallest lighthouses with museum exhibits and climbing tours. Comparable in scale, non-profit structure, and product mix (lighthouse climb + museum + gift shop).
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (National Park Service): Iconic American lighthouse operated as a public visitor attraction with climbing and interpretive programming. Comparable product and audience, though managed by the NPS rather than a private non-profit.
• St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum: Operates a historic Florida lighthouse with a museum, climbing experience, and educational programming. Closest direct comparison as a non-profit operating a tower climb, on-site museum, and gift shop in a coastal tourist destination.
• National Lighthouse Museum: Staten Island-based museum dedicated to American lighthouse history. Comparable mission of preserving and interpreting lighthouse heritage with educational programming.
• Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum: Non-profit operating one of America's oldest lighthouses with museum, climb experience, and gift shop. Closely comparable scale and non-profit operating model.
• Portland Head Light (Fort Williams Park): Historic Maine lighthouse operated as a museum with visitor programming. Comparable historic lighthouse attraction with adjacent keeper's quarters museum and ticketed access.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tybeelighthouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/tybeelighthouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tybee-island-historical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tybee Island Historical Society