Home of the USS YORKTOWN aircraft carrier, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is South Carolina’s largest museum. Located along the Charleston harbor in Mt. Pleasant, SC, this one-of-a-kind museum includes three Navy vessels, 28 historic aircraft, and an immersive 2.5-acre Vietnam Experience that tells the story of the Vietnam War using advanced technology. The museum is also home to the Medal of Honor Museum.
Buy TicketsYour general admission ticket provides access to all ships and exhibits at our museum. Throughout the museum guests will find unique exhibit “experiences” that utilize the best of current technology to bring history to life and create an interactive and immersive experience.
The USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the U.S. Navy and was commissioned in 1943. Nicknamed the “Fighting Lady,” the YORKTOWN served the nation for almost three decades, earning the Presidential Unit Citation and 11 battle stars for her service in World War II and an additional five battle stars during the Vietnam War. In 1968, the USS YORKTOWN recovered the Apollo 8 space capsule and astronauts after the first mission to orbit the moon. Visitors to the YORKTOWN can get inside a replica capsule and take their own trip into space with the Apollo 8 Experience. The USS YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970 and became the first ship of the Patriots Point fleet when the museum opened in 1976.
The USS LAFFEY (DD-724) is the most decorated WII-era U.S. destroyer still in existence. Her service began in support of the D-Day landings at Normandy and then continued in the Pacific. She is famous for surviving a relentless attack by 22 Japanese bombers and kamikazes while serving in the Battle of Okinawa; earning her the title, “The Ship that Would Not Die.”
Patriots Point has the most significant outdoor Vietnam War exhibit in the U.S. This nearly 3-acre exhibit uses state-of-the-art technology and rare artifacts to bring the war to life. Set in a Brown Water Navy support base and a USMC artillery fire base, the exhibit has over a dozen components including four helicopters, a Quonset hut, MK1 river patrol boat (PBR) and gun tower.
Patriots Point is home to 28 historic aircraft that served our nation’s military in conflicts ranging from World War II to present-day operations. The museum has been recognized as the only aircraft carrier museum to display all 10 of the most significant aircraft in U.S. carrier aviation history by The Hook magazine.
Whether you're looking for a unique daytrip experience, overnight youth camping or a school field trip, Patriots Point offers a variety of memorable group experiences. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, click here or contact Group Sales at (843) 971-5051.
March - August
Daily: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The museum ticket office closes every day at 5 p.m.
September - February
Weekdays: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Weekends: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The museum ticket office closes every day at 4 p.m.
Ship Store
The Ship Store (land-side gift shop) is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holiday Operating Hours
Patriots Point is located on Charleston Harbor at the base of the Ravenel Bridge and just 5 minutes from downtown Charleston.
Come visit us at: 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Eastbound on I-26 / Northbound on Hwy 17: Hwy 17N to Mt. Pleasant exit and cross over the Ravenel Bridge, at foot of Bridge, merge right onto Coleman Blvd (703). At first traffic light on Coleman, turn right onto Patriots Point Road.
Southbound on Hwy 17: Hwy 17S to Mt. Pleasant. Continue on 17S and turn left at traffic light onto McGrath Darby Blvd. Continue straight on McGrath Darby Blvd to next traffic light. Continue straight at traffic light to Patriots Point Road.
By Water: You can also reach Patriots Point by water. Charleston Water Taxi runs seasonally. Contact them for taxi schedules and prices. www.charlestonwatertaxi.com
Parking is available for $5.00 per day per vehicle.
Free parking is available for all buses in our designated bus parking lot.
There is no parking fee for those camping overnight aboard the USS YORKTOWN.