Patriots Point Naval And Maritime Museum

Sticky Fingers Snack Shack

There are two Sticky Fingers Snack Shacks at Patriots Point. Located conveniently in Hangar Bay 3 and landside of the YORKTOWN, the snack bars feature a selection of barbecue, wings, and more from the legendary local restaurant. Guests can sit and enjoy their food on the outdoor sponson of the YORKTOWN, with a perfect view of the LAFFEY. * Hours of operation modified seasonally.

The Uss Laffey Destroyer

You also have the opportunity to see the destroyer, the USS Laffey. This ship aided during D-Day before being sent to the Pacific. There, the ship was the target of a kamikaze attack that the crew defended. Later, the ship was also used in the Cold War.

There are some interesting exhibits inside with holograms to give you a feel for what it was like during the Cold War and in the Pacific.

Current And Upcoming Events At Patriots Point

What: Yorktown HalloweenTime: 5 pm 7 pm Where: Patriots PointAdmission: Free

Theres nothing to fear at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum this Halloween. Families are invited to celebrate aboard the historic USS Yorktown on Saturday, October 23, from 5 pm 7 pm. This event is free to attend.

Patriots Point encourages children to don their Halloween costumes and visit the Yorktowns Hangar Deck. Instead of going door to door, kids will trick-or-treat from plane to plane and collect candy beneath historic World War II aircraft. Families can also choose to participate in a guided Halloween-themed tour through the museum. During the event, visitors can enjoy a photo station, craft, and a cartoon playing every 30 minutes in the Smokey Stover Theater.

Giveaways include one Friends of the Fleet membership pass, which grants the pass holder and a guest unlimited visits to the museum for a year. Dinner options will be available during the event from local food trucks.

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Operation Overnight: Patriots Point Relaunches Popular Camping Program

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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum will relaunch its historic overnight program and is now taking reservations. Now called Operation Overnight, groups can spend one or two nights aboard the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and sleep in the same bunks as sailors in World War II.

Patriots Point has one of the longest-running overnight museum ship experiences and attracts visitors from across the country. Guests enjoy sleeping in traditional Navy berthing compartments, after-hours access to the museum, and a movie night in the ships theater.

We guarantee this will be an unforgettable adventure, said Operation Overnight Director Sarah Edmiston. We see adults visit who slept aboard when they were a child. They had so much fun that decades later they are bringing their children to share in those memories.

Included with Operation Overnight is a new immersive Live Like a Sailor program. Through Live Like a Sailor, groups will take guided tours of the USS Yorktown, USS Laffey, and Medal of Honor Museum. They will learn history, naval terminology, and heroism as they discover the stories of those who served on these ships.

Visiting Patriots Point Naval And Maritime Museum In Charleston Harbor

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When we began planning a stop in Charleston, South Carolina, one of the places Jeff was really looking forward to was the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. He is really into military planes and ships, so this was the perfect place for him to explore. I love history, so I was all-in, too. And Kristin, well, she likes exploring just about anything.

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Where Honor Pride & Adventure Unite

Patriots Point Development Authority was established in the 1970s to develop a naval & maritime museum on Charleston Harbor with the World War II aircraft carrier, USS YORKTOWN as its centerpiece. Its also home to the Patriots Point Museum and a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, the Cold War Memorial and the only Vietnam Experience Exhibit in the U.S., the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and the agency’s official Medal of Honor Museum.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum serves as a national destination of excellence for the preservation and education of current and future generations about America’s history, traditions and values.

Since opening in 1976, Patriots Point has become one of the the state’s most popular tourist attractions with more than 300,000 visitors each year. The YORKTOWN boasts one of the largest education and overnight camping programs in the nation, with more than 40,000 school age children attending these programs each year.

The Vietnam Experience Exhibit

Become part of the crew, as Patriots Point brings the history of the Vietnam War to life in this fully immersive 2 ½ acre exhibit that brings Marine officers to life through holograms in an exciting 3-D production.Set in a Brown Water Navy support base and a U.S. Marine Corps artillery fire base during the Tet Offensive and the Battle of Khe Sanh in 1968.Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum provides free tickets to the Ralph A. Johnson Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Charleston, SC for PTSD treatment for combat veterans in the Vietnam Experience.

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Our Plan For Charleston

Wed already spent nearly two weeks away from home on this particular trip to Walt Disney World. On the way down, we spent some time in Memphis. After that, we had several days at Disney. Before we headed home, we spent a couple of nights in St. Augustine, Florida. For a final stop on the trip, we decided to spend a night in Charleston for the first time.

We left St. Augustine in good time, and we arrived in Charleston just in time for lunch at Swig and Swine, a BBQ place. After lunch, we drove over the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge to the Mount Pleasant area where Patriots Point is. We also had reservations at a Best Western there, so if downtown Charleston seems a little pricey, Mount Pleasant is a good alternative.

After we visited Patriots Point, we went back over to historic Charleston and the battery. That evening, we had dinner and walked the beach at Sullivans Island. If you are into Edgar Allan Poe, you must try Poes Tavern. Its such a cool place! We took the first ferry over to Fort Sumter National Monument from Liberty Square in downtown Charleston in the morning. That afternoon, we visited Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. For our first taste of Charleston, we hit a lot of places. Im ready to go back!

The Fighting Lady Caf

The Fighting Lady Café serves lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. seasonally. Menu options include appetizers, sandwiches, salads, barbecue platters and desserts. Located in the original CPO Galley, the cafe is climate controlled and offers table-side service. * Hours of operation modified seasonally.

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How Long Will You Spend At Patriots Point

Patriots Point features three Navy vessels to explore and the USS Yorktown has six guided tours alone so it will take a while to explore the complex even if you only do a cursory walkthrough.

I recommend first-time visitors plan to spend the day at least eight hours. There is a café on the USS Yorktown serving café-style food, and there are plenty of places to take a break from walking and standing.

If you only have a few hours, I recommend doing one or two of the self-guided walking tours on the USS Yorktown, the Medal of Honor Museum on the aircraft carrier, and a walkthrough of the Vietnam War Experience.

Winding In And Out Through The Passages Of The Uss Yorktown

Once wed explored outside, we headed back in to see what life was like inside the aircraft carrier.

Kristin liked this part best because it feels like youre part of the crew.

The galley area is fun.

The displays help you imagine what life was really like for the people stationed here.

When we explored the galley and the bunk areas, we were essentially alone. It felt a little eery to think no one else was around on this big ship.

Other people were exploring, but we didnt see them much. The rain probably kept the crowds away. Still, it was nice to have a lot of the areas to ourselves.

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Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Patch courtesy of Tommy Trampp

USS Yorktown was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pa., on June 27, 1970, aftermore than 27 years of service, and was mothballed at Bayonne, N.J. Much of her still useful equipmentwas removed and installed on other, commissioned ships. For almost three years she remained there, presenting a sad sight of growing rust and corrosion, until her name was finally struck from the Navylist on June 1, 1973.

But in 1974 the Patriots Point Development Authority of South Carolina requested the Navy Departmentto make “The Fighting Lady” available for a Museum. At a ceremony in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 1975, Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf II signed the documentthat turned the ship over to her new owners. No longer able to steam under her own power the ship was towed out of Bayonne on June 9 and arrived in Patriots Point, her present berth, on June 15, afteran 800-mile trip.

Restored and gleaming in new paint, Yorktown was formally dedicated as the first ship of the Naval and Maritime Museum at Patriots Point, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, on a most fitting date: October 13, 1975, the 200th Anniversary of the U.S. Navy.

The Ship Store: Open From : 00 Am

Located landside of the YORKTOWN, the Ship Store offers a wide variety of military memorabilia, shirts, caps, unique gifts and souvenirs. Check out the extensive collection of military books, unique Charleston mementos, fine jewelry, and more.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is not affiliated with Spiritline Cruises or Fort Sumter. Both Fort Sumter tours and Spiritline Cruises depart from Patriots Point. You can find information about Spiritline Cruises here.

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An American Heroine From Wwii To Vietnam

The USS YORKTOWN was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. Under construction as BON HOMME RICHARD, this new Essex-class carrier was renamed in honor of YORKTOWN sunk at the epic Battle of Midway . Built in an amazing 16 ½ months at Newport News, Virginia, YORKTOWN was commissioned on April 15, 1943. World War IIs famous Fighting Lady would participate significantly in the Pacific offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. YORKTOWN received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II.

In the 1950s, YORKTOWN was modernized to operate jet aircraft as an attack carrier . In 1957, she was re-designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier , and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam . The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule . YORKTOWN was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve.

In 1975, this historic ship was towed from Bayonne, NJ to Charleston to become the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

Warplanes And Radar Equipment

Exiting the focsle deck and ascending several levels of the ship through the crews berthing area, the tour takes you up to the flight deck and 10 of the most significant aircraft in U.S. carrier aviation history, including the AD-4N Skyraider, F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat and SBD Dauntless. Depending on how much of an aerophile you are, you can spend a few minutes or a couple hours wandering among them, and even climb inside the SH-3G Sea King, an anti-submarine helicopter.

Once youve had your aviation fix, take in the views of Charleston Harbor, Patriots Point and Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which spans the Cooper River and connects downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant.

Our small group splits here to do more exploring on our own. On my way back down to the main deck, weaving up and down narrow staircases, I come upon the radar room on Level 4 and feel compelled to pause. Here, sailors manned scopes on three types of radar equipment: air traffic control, fire control and surveillance. After checking them out, I look out over the harbor, somehow feeling at peace.

Leaving the ship, I check a text from my dad. Id messaged him before I boarded the Yorktown but didnt have reception on the ship to see his reply. What was Grandpas job on his Navy ship? Id asked. My heart skips when I read his response: Radar man.

Andrew Vodolazhskyi/Alamy Stock Photo

Recreation of a Vietnam War era MASH unit on display in Patriots Point.

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Patriots Point To Relaunch Popular Camping Program As Operation Overnight

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum will relaunch its historic overnight program and begin taking reservations on Friday, January 7. Now called Operation Overnight, groups can spend one or two nights aboard the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and sleep in the same bunks as sailors in World War II.

Patriots Point has one of the longest-running overnight museum ship experiences and attracts visitors from across the country. Guests enjoy sleeping in traditional Navy berthing compartments, after-hours access to the museum, and a movie night in the ships theater.

We guarantee this will be an unforgettable adventure, said Operation Overnight Director Sarah Edmiston. We see adults visit who slept aboard when they were a child. They had so much fun that decades later they are bringing their children to share in those memories.

Included with Operation Overnight is a new immersive Live Like a Sailor program. Through Live Like a Sailor, groups will take guided tours of the USS Yorktown, USS Laffey, and Medal of Honor Museum. They will learn history, naval terminology, and heroism as they discover the stories of those who served on these ships.

Edmiston said, When guests leave Operation Overnight, I want them to say: I learned about honor. I learned about patriotism. I learned how to be brave. I hope this is an experience they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Vietnam Experience At Patriots Point

The 3-acre Vietnam Experience is something a bit specialand not because it is in no danger of sinking!

Basically they have re-created typical US military installations A brown water Navy support base. A Marine fire artillery base from the Vietnam war and filled them with authentic pieces of equipment from Quonset huts, to ambulances, field artillery, a number of helicopters and a river patrol boat.

There are explanations of what you are looking at, and personal stories from soldiers who served there. Theres an interesting exhibition on the little-known indigenous native Montagnard fighters from the central mountain region who fought alongside the US Special Forces.

Medivac UH-1H Iroquois

Kaiser Jeep M725 Ambulance

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More History To Take In

Engage further with Charlestons military history by exploring PPNMMs four other components, without having to get in your car and drive to them.

Medal of Honor Museum: Here, interactive exhibits pay tribute to American heroes whove received the Medal of Honor, from the Civil War through the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its home to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, as well the countrys highest award for military valor. Read stories surrounding the history of the Medal of Honor, and see lists of all the recipients in our nations history. Youll find the museum just inside the entrance to Yorktown, to the left of the front desk.

USS Laffey: See the most decorated World War II-era U.S. destroyer still in existence, berthed in front of the Yorktown. The 376-foot-long ship supported the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and served throughout World War II and the Korean War before being retired in 1975.

USS Clamagore: Step down into the only preserved GUPPY III submarine in the country, which served for 30 years during the Cold War. Measuring 322 feet long, it came to rest just south of the Yorktown in 1981 after its decommissioning. It has been closed to the public since Spring 2020 but will reopen to visitors in June. Not for the claustrophobic or mobility impaired.

Plan Your Trip

Location: 40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Visit: Daily from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

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Patriots Point Naval Museum Wants You To Live Like A Sailor For A Weekend

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC — Have you ever wanted to know what its like to be a Navy Sailor?

Well thanks to a South Carolina museum you can experience that first hand.

That program is called Operation Overnight and its being relaunched by the folks here at Patriots Point Naval Museum.

It provides perspective to know that people fought and died on this ship so that I could work here, says Sarah Edmiston, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.

Sarah Edmiston is the Director of Operation Overnight.

I took over the program in 2016 as the coordinator. During the Covid shutdown, that gave us time to really think about what were doing, why were doing it and look at ways to improve, says Edmiston.

The program allows groups to spend one or two nights aboard the USS Yorktown over the weekend.

Youll also get to sleep in the same bunks as sailors in World War II.

There are plenty of sleeping quarters for space.

At one point this ship had nearly 3,000 sailors.

The ship was originally name Bon Homme Richard but was changed to Yorktown in honor of a carrier lost at the battle of midway in June 1942.

In 1945 the Yorktown and her sister carriers began striking the Japanese homeland.

Thats a day that really affected the crew.

A Japanese plane came under the clouds and dropped a 500 pound bomb on the deck of the Yorktown. It passed through it detonated just above the hanger ended up killing 5 men, wounded 17 others, says Edmiston.

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