Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
5
Military MuseumsSpeciality MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The history of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum began in June 1975 when the legendary aircraft carrier USS Yorktown entered Charleston Harbor. A few months later, the USS Yorktown was dedicated as the first ship of the Naval & Maritime Museum on the 200th birthday of the United States Navy. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum was officially opened to the public on January 3, 1976. Today the museum consists of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) with 29 aircraft on display from WWII to the present; the USS Laffey (DD-724), a Sumner-class destroyer; and the USS Clamagore (SS-343), a GUPPY III submarine. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is headquartered here and their official Medal of Honor Museum is onboard the USS Yorktown. There is also a Cold War Sub Memorial and Vietnam Support Base Camp on the surrounding grounds.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Carl B
    2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great history displays and a lot to see.
    I am so glad we waited to go here until the kids were off to college. I got to take my time and read everything I wanted to read and look at every display. If you are not into history and specifically military history, you probably won't have a good time here. Also, be prepared to walk and climb. The Laffy had some maintenance going on so some areas were not open to the public. The self guided tour is not as clearly marked as it is on the Yorktown. Over all, a great day. We spent about five hours going through all three displays and probably could have spent a good deal more time there if we had read EVERY little thing.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 October 2023
  • Nance
    Miami, Florida8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Captain's Tour
    Highly recommend the "Captain's Tour" on USS Yorktown. We were able to see special areas not shown on regular tour. Our guide Paul Watters is very knowledgeable and provided great insight about USS Yorktown's history.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 October 2023
  • AuntK21327
    14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lots to see
    So much to see. You could spend all day there. Would highly recommend. Lots of info to read and learn about. Be prepared to climb lots of steps on the ships. Some of our party was a little older and struggled a little toward the end. They do have an elevator if needed. Unbeknownst to us we went on a day they had a gold star family run. It was an honor to meet some of these families.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 29 October 2023
  • A2coolcity
    Fishers, Indiana1,713 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So Impactful & Worthwhile! đź‘Ť
    We gained a much greater appreciation and understanding of the challenges and difficulties that members of the US Navy shared that served on the USS Yorktown. It was such an honor to get a brief glimpse of the incredible achievements, both with those that constructed this carrier ship, and those that sacrificially served on it. It was quite fitting that we toured this on Veterans Day weekend. We felt a deep connection with the countless individuals that sacrificed their lives to help preserve the freedoms that we sell appreciate today. We highly recommend investing 2 to 3 hours to fully embrace this unique adventure, and gain a greater insight into what helps make America and its military so important and so powerful! Take this tour today. You’ll be glad you did!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 November 2023
  • theblackcrab
    Houma, Louisiana32 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A walk in the footsteps of heroes!
    More than a pair of ships and an aircraft exhibit. You truly feel the presence of the brave men of the greatest generation, who stood between our safety and those who threatened it. I came away with a better appreciation of the complex variety of specialists required to man and operate a mobile wartime floating air base, and the awe inspiring sacrifices these men had to make to defend our country. Not to be missed. Plan for a whole day.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 17 November 2023
  • CaribbeanCrazy2016
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A MUST-SEE Charleston excursion!
    If you like anything about history, this is a hands-on must see when traveling to Charleston! It not only captured the attention and interest of the men of the family, but the women and children too. There is so much to see, plan on spending the whole day to see it all. And when we visit Charleston again, we will go back to Patriots Point!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 November 2023
  • Jocdocnh
    Meredith, New Hampshire14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Terrific historical review
    We elected to take the Captain’s tour and had Thom Ford from Bulldog Tours as our guide. Thom was amazing with his fund of knowledge. He is a Navy veteran career officer and knew tons of details about Navy life as well as the facts about the Yorktown and her history. The tour is really about 2 hours and gives you a wonderful overview of the ship. You get to see areas that are not on the regular tours and you get the info that only a carrier veteran would know to point out. Strongly recommend this tour. We now plan to go back and do the other walking tours on our own.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 December 2023
  • Sean M
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Bulldog tour with Paul Watters
    We had a guided tour from Paul Watters with Bulldog tours. Paul was a fantastic tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and made learning about the yorktown fun. Highly recommend doing the guided tour with Paul.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 December 2023
  • Edward P
    Indiana287 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Maritime Museum
    So much history at this museum. Give yourself plenty of time to visit the USS Yorktown and the USS Laffey, and also the Vietnam Experience Exhibit. There are several short documentaries with veterans sharing their combat experience that brings history to life. This is a must see while visiting Charleston.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 February 2024
  • James Z
    Wildwood Crest, New Jersey33 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Great Ship
    If you have any interest in WW2 history this is a must see. My wife and I did the Captains tour and were very happy that we did. The guide did a great job of supplying details of what it must have been like on the Yorktown back then. While this ship was obviously not the one that sank after the battle of Midway it is the same class carrier and very similar. It was amazing seeing just how much equipment is packed into every area. After the tour you can stay aboard until they close up late afternoon. Be sure to leave a little time to see the destroyer berthed next to the carrier.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 23 February 2024
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5.0
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David F
Philadelphia, PA1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Here is the note I just sent to them: On August 7, 2020, I had the opportunity to visit your site. I am a retired Navy veteran and a decorated aviator from Operation Desert Storm. I flew almost 100 sorties over Baghdad in 1991. Because my daughter was not born when I fought for our country, she had never seen a carrier. I was excited to show her around the USS Yorktown, which wouldn’t be exactly like the USS Ranger (on which I was deployed), but as close as we could get. We were unable to purchase military rate tickets online. These had to be purchased on site. Well, you probably know what I’m going to say. The $5.00 discount on the adult ticket was only for me – the retired military veteran. This was despite the fact that I had valid military ID cards for my wife and daughter, and that my wife served every moment of my military career with me! While the lady at the ticket counter was sympathetic, she said there would be no discount. When I asked if this was a national or a private institution, I was told that it was run by the state of South Carolina. I found that interesting. When we landed in your capitol, Columbia’s, airport just two days prior, a sign there proudly declared you to be the most military friendly/supportive city in the world. Really? That rings hollow right now, doesn’t it? I would like to submit a request for a $10.00 credit to my account - $5.00 for each of the two family members who accompanied me to the USS Yorktown. I would also like to request that you change this policy. I understand the need to have these discounted tickets purchased in person so that ID can be verified. But when valid ID’s are submitted and rejected, then there’s a problem. This is a problem for any military veteran and his/her family. But it is particularly egregious when that veteran is a WAR veteran, and when that WAR veteran flew off a carrier and is paying to visit a carrier! On an added note, many businesses in your fair state of South Carolina freely offer a military discount (with ID of course). Do you know which business DOESN’T? That’s right – your ship store! I couldn’t believe it! I purchased an ornament, a book, and several postcards. I was charged the full $20.30. I was told that no military discount could be applied. And this is not only at a military site, this is in a state that prides itself on its support of our military. I am most disappointed in the state of South Carolina. If I’ve directed this to the wrong person or business, I would appreciate you forwarding this to the powers that be. I look forward to hearing back from you right away.
Written 11 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aplus traveller
Tampa, FL14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
The entry ticket lets you see a self-guided tour of a destroyer, submarine and the Yorktown aircraft carrier. If you are interested in history you can easily spend a few hours there. We have three teenage boys and they really enjoyed it and learned a lot. We also took the Captain's tour for $10 more each. Our tour guide, Mike, was very knowledgeable and we got to see some cool areas of the carrier that you don't get to go into except on the tour.
Written 10 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leanne H
Regina, Canada167 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
I visited patriots point in January, it was a little cool so dress warm in the winter. We toured the destroyer, sub & aircraft carrier! You could spend hours wandering around reading the posted information. They also have planes up in the deck and inside the carrier. There is a museum inside the carrier as well.

Beautiful views of Charleston harbour and bridge from the deck.

The aircraft carrier was wheelchair accessible for some of the floor. They had an elevator that went to the top, but the destroyer and sub were not accessible. Some of the stairs were very steep, sometime you needed to step to get through doorways and low doorways.

So much history! Great visit!

Free parking.
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

italianlady67
Sharpsburg, GA USA77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020
Great place to visit, but be sure to allow plenty of time. We spent 3 hours here and only saw the USS Yorktown. We did not realize how much there was to do and how long it would take to do it all. We definitely did not allow enough time. You could easily spend a full day here, especially if you are interested in naval history. The submarine was not open for viewing because of COVID and we did not have time to visit the Vietnam exhibit nor the USS Laffey (destroyer).
We rode the Charleston Water Taxi from Liberty Square after our Ft. Sumter excursion and then returned to Waterfront park by Water Taxi.
We ate a quick lunch at the snack bar on the USS Yorktown and I have to say the food was horrible. Typical snack bar type food (nachos, hot dogs, burgers). The cafe was closed due to the COVID-19 virus. There were only 3 tables in the snack bar area because of social distancing so it wasn't very convenient. We actually shared a table with a couple who didn't mind since we were across from each other and not side by side.
Written 4 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dwildenny
Acworth, GA77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2021 • Couples
This is a pricey tour but seniors (62+) get $8 off the cost of admission. Not a biggie since I really appreciate all the sacrifices our Military has made to keep our country free.

Both ships have extravagant history for their roles in the war. The star of this show is on the Aircraft Carrier flight deck where the F-14 Hornet resides, along with the other spectacular jets and helicopters of the day! So much history in one place.

Of note: There is an elevator to accommodate wheel chairs and if you can walk through the ship you'll enjoy each area that captures so much history and then you can take the elevator back down from the flight deck. Enjoy!
Written 1 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John C
Goodyear, AZ259 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
This is a special museum. We spent about 3-4 hours exploring the USS Laffey and USS Yorktown. Both ships have major wartime and cold war history.

The Laffey had a proud history, but in my mind, it's proudest moment was when it was on picket duty off Okinawa in the line where two prior destroyers were sunk. She was attacked by 13 Japanese fighters on April 16, 1942. The following day, she was attacked by 50 planes in coordinated attacks. The captain did a masterful job of navigating the ship to minimize the attacks. Laffey was badly damaged by 4 bombs and 6 Kamikaze hits and survived in spite of major damage. There is an excellent exhibit of the Combat Information Center with video personnel reenacting a cold war with a Russian attack submarine. It brought the event to life.

The Yorktown is the 2nd carrier of that name in WWII. The first one was sunk at the Battle of Midway. The 2nd was an Essex class carrier. It had an impressive history. It also has a "live" exhibit of its Combat Information Center. There are numerous very interesting exhibits on the ship as well as aircraft.

These two ships made my wife and I proud of the men that sailed these vessels. I should mention, while I was born during WWII, every adult male in my parents family served in WWII in the military, so this had special meaning to me as well.
Written 30 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mixa's Travels
Oldsmar, FL4,154 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020 • Family
My first visit to see the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier was in the late 1970’s. Then it was only ship and so impressive. Visited again in 1992 with a young niece and all were thrilled. On this visit with grandchildren 8 and 10 it was still exciting. The size is impressive and just seeing how a huge ship like this operated is a learning experience for many. While my husband and I (seniors) didn’t do all the self-guided tours, we enjoyed the areas we visited. Plus the films were very good. Sadly, the Yorktown is showing the wear of its age. Difficult to maintain a ship this size in port. Still a special place to visit. Hope others learn about its history and the impact of aircraft carriers in WWII.
Written 26 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ashley M
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
This was my fourth visit to Patriots Point, and as always it was incredible. My husband and I visited during an absolute downpour that had caused local flooding, but the rain could not ruin our experience! In fact, the rain must have kept most people away because we had the entire Yorktown practically to ourselves, and we were the ONLY people in the Vietnam War Experience. Being in the ship alone without big crowds was a haunting experience (even more than the Yorktown ghost tour!). This is an incredible experience and worth every penny!
Written 14 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Pietro M
Phnom Penh, Cambodia422 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
You could seemingly spend days at this complex of historical military vehicles and equipment. An absolute abundance of information and sights that any history junkie would eat up.

We opted for the Captain's Tour led by a veteran and absolutely loved it. You gain access to areas unavailable to general admission customers (such as the Captain's Quarters, one of the interiors of a small plane on the inside of the boat, the top of the ship where the anchor is let down, etc). It can be pretty overwhelming to do the tour yourself and the added knowledge of the tour guide gives a lot more life to the areas you go through.

This was a great rainy day activity except that the high winds meant we couldn't go outside on the deck which was a shame. Probably spent half a day there and only did the Captain's Tour and walked around the other Yorktown exhibits ourselves. Just goes to show how much you can do here.
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tangi1
Elizabeth, NJ760 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
So much to see here. Started in the museum which is great for anyone from 5 to 95. There are many aircraft on the grounds so you can get up and see very close. Since visiting the Yorktown involves a lot of walking and stairs I decided to spend more time on the ground visiting the grounds and stayed behind but my husband loved it. This is a great activity for the whole family. It was very busy on a weekday in late April.
Written 30 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Mount Pleasant

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