North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort

North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort The museum collects, preserves, researches, documents and interprets the maritime history, culture and environment of coastal North Carolina. The N.C. to 5 p.m.
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This is an official social media account of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Maritime Museum at Beaufort reflects coastal life and interprets lighthouses and lifesaving stations, the seafood industry, motorboats, and more. Studies in marine life, science, and ecology are available for all ages. The Beaufort museum is the repository for artifacts from Blackbeard’s wr

ecked flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, among them cannons, grenades, belt buckles and beads. The Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center teaches boatbuilding for all ages. For more information, visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com. Free admission to the public. Donations appreciated. The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort is part of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources and is one of seven regional history museums within the Division of State History Museums. In addition to the N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort, the seven regional history museums include:

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras is named in honor of the thousands of shipwrecks that litter North Carolina’s coast, and is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the state’s coastal and shipwreck history, with emphasis on the years 1524 through 1945. Shipwrecks associated with piracy, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and World Wars I and II are the subject of changing exhibits. The museum has remnants of the earliest known shipwreck found in North Carolina waters, dating to 1650. For more information, visit graveyardoftheatlantic.nc.gov. Mountain Gateway Museum
The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center is a regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh and the westernmost facility in the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of State History Museums. Temporarily located at 78-C Catawba Ave. in Old Fort (McDowell County), NC, while hurricane repairs are underway at its permanent location at 24 Water St. in Old Fort, the museum is open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. The museum is closed Sundays, Mondays, and state holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit mgmnc.org. The Museum of the Albemarle
The Museum of the Albemarle is located at 501 S. Water Street in Elizabeth City, NC. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is closed Sundays and state holidays. Serving Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington counties, the museum is the northeast regional history museum of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums. The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues in Fayetteville, N.C. The complex is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. As of June 1, the new operating hours will be Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. To 5 p.m. The museum operates under the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. To learn more about the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, visit museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov. North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport
The N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport tells the story of the Cape Fear region and its people. The museum is at the intersection of the mighty Cape Fear River and the vast Atlantic Ocean. It shares tales of pirates and pillage, blockade running and riverfront archaeology, and other nautical adventures. Ongoing educational programs for children and adults about this area that was a haven for blockade runners and also a pirate hideout are available. For more information, visit ncmaritimemuseumsouthport.com. To***co Farm Life Museum
The mission of the To***co farm Life Museum is to preserve the history of the eastern North Carolina farm family and to interpret and present this legacy to the public. The museum includes a 6,000 square foot exhibit gallery and education space, six historic and recreated 20th century structures, and several outbuildings. For more information, visit tobaccofarmlifemuseum.nc.gov. About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina: its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit dncr.nc.gov.

Feathered Friday Ospreys have a unique outer toe that can reverse to help them hold onto slippery fish, resulting in a “...
08/28/2026

Feathered Friday
Ospreys have a unique outer toe that can reverse to help them hold onto slippery fish, resulting in a “two toes forward and one toe back grip.”

These birds of prey are incredible fish loving raptors you can spot along the North Carolina coastal waterways. They’re one of the easiest birds of prey to observe thanks to their big, attention‑grabbing nests built on dead trees, channel markers, and even other human‑made structures.

Ospreys are protected, nongame birds that stand over 21 inches tall with wingspans reaching up to 6 feet. They’re dark brown on top, bright white underneath, with a striking white head and a bold brown stripe through the eye. If you see a bird flying with crooked, M‑shaped wings and dark patches under the wings, you’ve likely found an osprey.

They’re also the only raptor that dives feet‑first straight into the water to grab fish, using their sharp, spiny foot pads to hold onto slippery prey.

Image: Osprey, Carteret County, May-June 2026. ( NC Maritime Museum at Beaufort images).

On August 27, 1812, North Carolina privateer Otway Burns and partner Edward Pasteur receive official Letters of Marque f...
08/27/2026

On August 27, 1812, North Carolina privateer Otway Burns and partner Edward Pasteur receive official Letters of Marque for the vessel “Snap Dragon.” This authorized the private vessel to attack and capture enemy vessels during the War of 1812.

Image: An oil painting of Otway Burns by F. Mahler, ca. 1875-1895. (Image courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of History).

Image: Painting of “Snap Dragon” by Irwin John Bevan. (Image courtesy the Mariners Museum).

Water skiing may have been invented in the 1920s, but it didn’t take hold in North Carolina until the 1950s, when motorb...
08/25/2026

Water skiing may have been invented in the 1920s, but it didn’t take hold in North Carolina until the 1950s, when motorboats became widely available. Soon, water‑ski exhibitions popped up across the state, and coastal communities like Southport even built water ski ramps right in the harbor.

One incredible example of the sport’s rising popularity was reported by the Carteret News Times on August 25, 1959. The article reported that a young couple from Goldsboro skied all the way from Washington in Beaufort County down to Charleston, South Carolina (335 miles!). They’d already completed a Washington‑to‑Morehead City run the previous summer.

Want to dive deeper into coastal recreation? Visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort, where you can explore beach culture, historic surfboards, sailing lore, and spearfishing history.

Image: Waters skis, ca. 1960. These skis were used on White Lake, North Carolina. (Part of the NC Maritime Museum at Beaufort Collection).

Image: Article from Carteret News Times Published August 28, 1959. (Image courtesy DigitalNC).

Go Back to School with the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort! As a new year of teaching gets underway — whether...
08/24/2026

Go Back to School with the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort!

As a new year of teaching gets underway — whether it’s in a traditional classroom, early college, homeschool or year-round setting — the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort is here to support your curriculum with fun, free, and deeply educational experiences for your students!

Our online form (link in comments) makes planning your visit a breeze! Whether you choose an on site adventure or want us to bring the Maritime Museum to you, you can select an experience that fits your group’s size and age range. Our programs, which align with North Carolina standards, will keep your students engaged while exploring archaeology, marine animals, the area’s ecology and more.

We’re excited to partner with you this school year to make learning hands on, engaging, and full of discovery!

Fish Friday The Atlantic spadefish is a flat, spade-shaped silver-grey medium-sized fish. The spadefish can grow up to ...
08/21/2026

Fish Friday
The Atlantic spadefish is a flat, spade-shaped silver-grey medium-sized fish. The spadefish can grow up to 36 inches long and weigh up to 20 pounds. Locally these fish are probably best known as the inspiration behind the NC Aquariums’ logo.

The largest Atlantic spadefish caught in North Carolina weighed 11 pounds and 3 ounces. The fish was caught off Hatteras Village in 2009 by Steven C. Chadwick.

Image: Steven C. Chadwick with his state record spadefish. (Image courtesy NCDEQ).

Image: North Carolina Aquariums logo.

08/20/2026

The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is hiring, and we are looking for an Associate Educator!

The Associate Educator will assist the Curator of Education and Outreach with museum programming, both on and offsite, for the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport. This position also will book, plan, and implement educational programming for Pre-K through 3rd grade.

Tasks will also include:
• Facilitating and implementing educational programming for school groups and the public.
• Scheduling groups and maintaining contact database.
• Working cooperatively with Museum curatorial and visitor services staff and volunteers.
• Assisting with daily operations.

Applications must be submitted online at https://nc.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/NC_Careers/job/Associate-Educator-60083667-MOH_JR-122362-1

Posting closes at 11:59PM on September 2, 2026.

On August 20, 1924, crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Chicamacomico were each awarded the USCG Gold Lifesav...
08/20/2026

On August 20, 1924, crew members from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Chicamacomico were each awarded the USCG Gold Lifesaving Medal for the rescue of survivors from the British tanker SS “Mirlo” six years earlier.

On August 16, 1918, SS “Mirlo” was torpedoed by a German submarine, causing the ship to sink. By the time the Chicamacomico lifesaving crew—John A. Midgett Jr., Zion S. Midgett, Arthur V. Midgett, Leroy S. Midgett, Clarence E. Midgett, and Prochorus L. O’Neal— reached the seamen, nine already had died. The life savers brought the remaining six men to safety. .

Image: Clarence E. Midgett of Rodanthe, N.C. shown standing in uniform. (Image courtesy NC State Archives).

Image: Leroy S. Midgett of Rodanthe, N.C., wearing a suit and bowtie, (Image courtesy NC State Archives).

Image: Prochorus L. O’Neal of Rodanthe, N.C., wearing his Coast Guard uniform and award. (Image courtesy NC State Archives).

On August 19, 1862, Union troops led by Col. Thomas G. Stevenson burned a small Confederate fort on Huggins Island near ...
08/19/2026

On August 19, 1862, Union troops led by Col. Thomas G. Stevenson burned a small Confederate fort on Huggins Island near Swansboro. Built in 1861 to protect local salt works and naval stores, the fort had already been abandoned. The company and the cannons were removed months earlier when Confederate troops left to join Brig. Gen. Lawrence O’B. Branch in New Bern.

After the Union landing, the fort’s barracks and ammunition magazine were destroyed, leaving only the earthen embankments behind. Amazingly, those earthworks survived over 160 years of development and erosion. Today, this hidden piece of Civil War history is preserved on the island, part of Hammocks Beach State Park and accessible only by boat.

Image: Brigadier General Thomas Greely Stevenson. (Image courtesy Library of Congress).

On August 18, 1587, Virginia Dare became the first child born in the Americas to English parents. Her parents, Eleanor a...
08/18/2026

On August 18, 1587, Virginia Dare became the first child born in the Americas to English parents. Her parents, Eleanor and Ananias Dare, were part of the Roanoke Colony, an early attempt by the English to establish a permanent settlement in the New World. Her birth was recorded by her grandfather John White, governor of the colony, before he returned to England seeking supplies. It was three years before he could secure passage back to Roanoke Island, and upon his return he found the colonists, including his young grand=[daughter, had vanished.

Image: Illustration by William A. Roache of Philadelphia, upon which the 1937 five-cent Virginia Dare stamp vignette was based. (Image Courtesy of the Smithsonian).

Address

315 Front Street
Beaufort, NC
28516

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+12525047740

Website

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