Operating Hours & Seasons

All park sites within Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park are closed on New Year’s, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Days.

Visiting Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter Tours provides the only National Park Service authorized access to Fort Sumter. There are two departure locations: Liberty Square Visitor Education Center, a National Park Service visitor center open daily from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, and Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. The concessioner does not honor the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass for the cost of the ferry ride. To purchase tickets to visit Fort Sumter, visit Fort Sumter Tours.

The National Park Service highly recommends purchasing tickets prior to the day of your visit. Please review CDC guidance, safety regulations and pet policies prior to your visit. The museum at Fort Sumter is closed. A bottle-fill station is available, but the water fountain is unavailable. Please bring water or a refillable water bottle with you for the trip.

Private boats are not permitted at the fort.

Fort Sumter Boat Schedule

Date	Liberty Square - Downtown Charleston	Patriots Point - Mount Pleasant
Jan 2 - Feb 28	11:00 am, 2:30 pm	1:00 pm
Mar 1 - May 27	9:30 am, 12:15 pm, 3:00 pm	10:45 am, 1:45 pm
May 28 - Aug 22	9:30 am, 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm	10:30 am, 1:00 pm, 3:30 pm*
Aug 23 - Nov 30	9:30 am, 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm	10:30 am, 1:00 pm
Dec 1 - Dec 24	11:00 am, 2:30 pm	1:00 pm
Dec 26 - Dec 31	9:30 am, 12:15 pm, 3:00 pm	10:45 am, 1:45 pm
Thanksgiving, Dec 25 & Jan 1	Fort Closed	Fort Closed

* The 3:30 boat is a slightly longer trip as the ferry will stop at Liberty Square on the way to Fort Sumter to pick up additional passengers. On the return trip the ferry will stop at Liberty Square before returning to Patriots Point.

Tour boat schedule is subject to change and cancellation at anytime. Please call 843-577-0242 for more information.

 

Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square

340 Concord Street, Charleston, SC 29401

The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center at Liberty Square is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm except for New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. This building is free. With public health in mind, the number of people allowed into the building is being restricted. There may be a line outside waiting for entrance into the building. There are restrooms in the Visitor Education Center and across the street in the parking garage. While the water fountain is unavailable at this time, the touchless bottle fill stations are working. Please bring a refillable bottle with you.

 

Fort Moultrie

1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482

Fort Moultrie's grounds, parking area and portable restrooms are open daily from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. The dock is open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. The fort and Visitor Center are open Wednesday - Sunday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm and closed Monday - Tuesday.

 

Park Headquarters

1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482

The park headquarters for Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park and Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is located next to the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center and is open Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm except for federal holidays. 843-883-3123.