Group Arrangements

Park volunteer leading a group form their buses.

NPS/Tim Ervin

Group Visits to Fort McHenry

The information below will assist large groups looking to visit Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Select the tabs that best describe your group and follow the instructions and/or links to plan out your visit to the park.

PLEASE NOTE: While the park does have an online form so groups can inform the park when they plan to visit, reservations or confirmations from the park are not necessary to visit. These resources help groups plan visits, and filling out the form allows park staff to plan ahead for large crowds.

Registering ahead of time does not provide groups any services that the park does not offer such as private programs, access to the park outside of park hours, fee rate changes, etc.

 

Groups that Visit Fort McHenry

Please use the sections below that best describe your group planning to visit the park to plan your visit.

Standard Group Visits

Scheduling a Trip:

Once you are ready to schedule your visit, please complete the park's online form. When scheduling, please have the following information ready:

• Name of the group.
• Number of visitors in the group.
• Preferred date, time of arrival, and how long your group will be at the park
• Number of buses (if applicable)
• Any accessibility accommodations that anyone in your group may need

Once the form has been submitted you will not receive a confirmation for your visit. A confirmation email is not necessary to visit the park. However, a park ranger might reach out to group contacts if there is a concern about your visit.

Fees:

If the group plans to enter the park's Historic Zone (where the historic star fort structure is located) they are subject the park's entrance fee of $15 per adult (age 16 and older). Paying entrance fees ahead of time on recreation.gov is the most efficient way to enter the park. Visit the park's fees and passes page for more information on entrance fees.

When You Arrive:

Upon arriving to the park, buses will need to drop groups off at the visitor center before parking. Bus parking is available only in designated parking spaces. If all of the spaces are occupied, buses must park outside of the park.

Group leaders should check in at the front desk of the park visitor center before beginning their visit. Please visit the park's When You Arrive page for details on how to do this.

How to Visit:

Most groups spend 2-3 hours at Fort McHenry. The majority of the site is self-guided. Please note: ranger programs will not be offered on demand. To fully get the most out of the group's visit to the park, visit the links below to assist with your planning.

• Ranger Program Schedule
• Plan Your Visit

U.S. Military and Veteran Groups

Scheduling a Trip:

Once you are ready to schedule your visit, please complete the park's online form. When scheduling, please have the following information ready:

• Name of the group.
• Number of visitors in the group.
• Preferred date, time of arrival, and how long your group will be at the park
• Number of buses (if applicable)
• Any accessibility accommodations that anyone in your group may need

Once the form has been submitted you will not receive a confirmation for your visit. A confirmation email is not necessary to visit the park. However, a park ranger might reach out to group contacts if there is a concern about your visit.

Fees:

Military America The Beautiful Passes:

U.S. active duty and veteran military groups qualify for free America The Beautiful passes that get the passholder and 3 additional adults (4 people total) into the park's fee area for free. Large U.S. military and primarily veteran groups will have their fees waived based on this entry criteria. If individuals in this group would like to sign up for this pass while on site, they are welcome to do so at the park visitor center. Groups should have CAC or Veteran IDs ready to get the passes. Visit the park's fees and passes page for more information on passes. 

Fees Not Covered by Military Passes:

If the group as a ratio of military members : non-military members that is larger than a 1:3 ratio, they are subject the park's entrance fee of $15 per adult (age 16 and older). For example, if a group has 100 visitors, 15 of which are active duty or veterans, 60 members of the group will have their entrance fee waived, and 40 members will have to pay entrance. Paying entrance fees ahead of time on recreation.gov is the most efficient way to enter the park. Visit the park's fees and passes page for more information on entrance fees.

When You Arrive:

Upon arriving to the park, buses will need to drop groups off at the visitor center before parking. Bus parking is available only in designated parking spaces. If all of the spaces are occupied, buses must park outside of the park.

Group leaders should check in at the front desk of the park visitor center before beginning their visit. Please visit the park's When You Arrive page for details on how to do this.

How to Visit:

Most groups spend 2-3 hours at Fort McHenry. The majority of the site is self-guided. Please note: ranger programs will not be offered on demand. To fully get the most out of the group's visit to the park, visit the links below to assist with your planning.

• Ranger Program Schedule
• Plan Your Visit

Ceremonies:

If a military group plans to conduct a ceremony in the park, it may require a Special Park Use Permit. Please visit the park's permits page for more information.

School Groups

Field trips to Fort McHenry NM&HS have different requirments and specifications on how to visit depending on types of schools and age of students. Please visit the park's Field Trip Planning page to best plan a school group visit to the park.