 As testament to its construction and location, it survived many hurricanes, and the deep basement remained, and still remains, dry.Before Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys in September 2017, the entire population of the island chain were ordered to evacuate by the federal government, but the museum's curator, general manager and a team of Hemingway Home employees declined to leave the house or evacuate its cats.Several Hemingway Home employees stayed with the cats and the house.