Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina, United States

4.5 (5.848 reviews) Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #15 in South Carolina Historic Sites • Military Bases & Facilities • History Museums

Interesting and educational throughout

Learn all about this storied spot of the first clash between the Union and Confederate armies in the Civil War, in which the Union forces finally surrendered after a 34-hour bombardment by the Rebels.
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Address

, South Carolina, United States, Postal Code: 29482-9748.

Mobile

+1 843-883-3123

Website

http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm

Working hours

Monday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Current local date and time now

Tuesday, May 07, 2024, 12:38

User Ratings

4.5 based on (5.848 reviews)

Excellent

58%

Good

32%

Satisfactory

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Reviews

4Jennifer R 5:00 PM Feb 21, 2023
Great trip, but could be 30 mins longer
It was very cool going there. The history is so interesting and to have set foot where the Civil War started is key to any trip to Charleston. There is a nice ferry ride to the island. You pay for the ferry ride and not entry to the island. I would recommend booking as there are only 2-3 trips a day depending on the time of year. It takes the stress away of worrying if you will get on or not. If you want to sit upstairs outside on the ferry I would get there early (poss 45 mins early), but there are plenty of seats downstairs too. The fort was interesting and we did the 11 am ferry so we saw the flag ceremony. However, once you get to the fort you only have one hour to look around. I would say, you probably need another half hour to do the place justice. There is a museum, but we just went round quickly and looked at the artefacts, there was no time to read the information. We zipped in and out of the shop and then after a quick look round reading the information on the grass area we had to get back on the ferry.
5Matt W 5:00 PM Oct 19, 2022
Interesting and educational throughout
This is hallowed ground. What’s left of the Fort itself is not a whole lot to look at, but given its historical significance, this is a place I would recommend as part of anyone’s Charleston visit. The park ranger gave an excellent speech on the historical significance of Fort Sumter to begin things, and there are a ton of interesting signs full of information about everything from the fort’s construction and fortification to living conditions and its strategic importance. The site from which you depart has a moderately-sized but very interesting museum which likewise is chock-full of facts about the fort and the time around the early stages leading up to the Civil War. Very worthwhile way to spend two or three hours. Recommend and would return.