Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

State: South Carolina. Type: naval and maritime museum in Mount Pleasant, overlooking Charleston Harbor, at 40 Patriots Point Road. Opened to the public January 3, 1976, when the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown was made its centerpiece exhibit. Also home to the destroyer USS Laffey. Draws more than 300,000 visitors annually across roughly one million square feet of exhibit space.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum sits on Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, built around the retired aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, an Essex-class carrier commissioned in 1943 that earned extensive battle honors in the Pacific during World War II, later supported operations in the Vietnam War, and helped recover the Apollo 8 command module in 1968 before being decommissioned in 1970. The museum opened to the public on January 3, 1976, when the Yorktown was first opened for visitors, and has since grown to include the destroyer USS Laffey, nicknamed "The Ship That Would Not Die" for surviving intense kamikaze attacks at Okinawa. A submarine, USS Clamagore, was part of the museum from 1981 until its removal for scrapping in 2022 due to structural damage. The site also includes a recreated Vietnam War-era naval support base, established in 1993, and extensive aircraft displays spanning the WWII through Cold War eras. In 2025 the Yorktown underwent significant environmental remediation and structural repair work. The museum draws more than 300,000 visitors a year across about one million square feet of landside and shipboard exhibit space.

The museum is located at 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464, overlooking Charleston Harbor, just across the water from historic downtown Charleston.

Mount Pleasant and the greater Charleston area have a humid subtropical coastal climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters; because much of a visit involves walking the open decks of the Yorktown, sun and heat exposure are a bigger factor in summer than in cooler months.

Cooler months (fall through spring) generally make for a more comfortable visit given the amount of time spent on open ship decks exposed to direct sun; specific month-by-month guidance was not detailed in sources reviewed for this destination.

The USS Yorktown, an Essex-class aircraft carrier, was commissioned in 1943 and went on to earn extensive battle honors during Pacific theater operations in World War II. It later supported operations during the Vietnam War and, in 1968, took part in recovering the Apollo 8 command module after splashdown. Decommissioned in 1970, the carrier was opened to the public as the centerpiece of Patriots Point on January 3, 1976, establishing the museum. The destroyer USS Laffey, which earned its "Ship That Would Not Die" nickname after surviving repeated kamikaze strikes during the Battle of Okinawa, joined the museum as a preserved exhibit. The submarine USS Clamagore was added in 1981 but was removed from the site in 2022 for scrapping after developing structural damage that made continued preservation impractical. A recreated Vietnam War-era naval support base was established at the site in 1993, adding a land-based exhibit dimension alongside the ships. In 2025 the Yorktown underwent substantial environmental remediation and structural repair work to preserve the vessel.

Visitors can tour the flight and hangar decks of the USS Yorktown, walk through its extensive WWII-through-Cold-War aircraft displays, and explore the destroyer USS Laffey. The recreated Vietnam War-era naval support base, established in 1993, offers a land-based complement to the ships. With roughly one million square feet of combined landside and shipboard exhibit space, a visit involves considerable walking across multiple exhibit areas.

The USS Yorktown is the museum's centerpiece, with its flight deck, hangar bay and aircraft collection. The USS Laffey destroyer offers a contrasting, smaller-ship perspective on WWII naval combat. The Vietnam War-era naval support base recreation rounds out the museum's land-based exhibits.

The museum is in Mount Pleasant, across Charleston Harbor from downtown Charleston, making Charleston International Airport the nearest airport with commercial service; a rental car or rideshare is the practical way to reach the site from either the airport or downtown Charleston.

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the ticket window closing at 4 p.m., per the official Patriots Point site.

As of research, online/advance admission was priced at $28 for adults (13-61), $25 for seniors (65+), $23 for children (6-12), free for children 5 and under, and free for active-duty military with current ID. Vehicle parking requires a separate fee not included in admission. Confirm current pricing on patriotspoint.org before visiting.

Plan at least two to three hours to tour the Yorktown's decks and aircraft displays, with a half day allowing time to also visit the USS Laffey and the naval base exhibit.

Mount Pleasant and nearby downtown Charleston, just across the harbor, offer a wide range of lodging from waterfront hotels to national chains, given the area's status as a major Lowcountry tourism destination.

Mount Pleasant has a range of waterfront and casual dining options near the harbor, with downtown Charleston's much larger restaurant scene, known for Lowcountry and seafood cuisine, a short drive or ferry ride across the water.

Downtown Charleston, with its historic district and harbor-front attractions, sits directly across the water from Patriots Point. Mount Pleasant itself offers additional harborside parks and shopping for visitors extending their stay in the area.

Charleston International Airport is the nearest airport with commercial service. A car or rideshare is the practical way to reach the museum from either the airport or downtown Charleston, given the harbor crossing involved.

Ship decks and ladders/stairways aboard the Yorktown and Laffey can be steep or uneven, so sturdy footwear is advisable, and visitors with mobility concerns should check accessibility information in advance. Sun exposure on open decks is a factor in warmer months. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable, closed-toe shoes for navigating ship decks and stairways, sun protection for time spent on open decks, and water, especially in warmer months, are all worth bringing.

Arrive close to the 10 a.m. opening to allow enough time to tour both the Yorktown and USS Laffey before the museum closes at 5 p.m., since the ticket window closes at 4 p.m. Combining a visit with a trip into downtown Charleston, just across the harbor, is a common way to round out a day in the area.

Dial 911 for any emergency. Patriots Point's general contact line, per its official site, is (843) 884-2727, and general inquiries can be sent to info@patriotspoint.org.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum - https://www.patriotspoint.org

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.