North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport

North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport Our mission: To collect, preserve, and interpret the maritime history of the Lower Cape Fear region. Coast Guard. The N.C. to 4 p.m. Free admission to the public.

This is an official social media account of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport discusses cultural history of the Lower Cape Fear region from the first Indigenous Mariners to the present day U.S. For more information, visit www.ncmaritimemuseumsouthport.com. Please see our events calendar for Adult, children, and family p

rogramming available for all interests and abilities. For school groups and civic organizations that would like to schedule tours and programs, please call 910-477-5153. Maritime Museum at Southport is open Tuesday thru Saturday from 10 a.m. Donations appreciated. One historic coast...Three unique museums! In addition to the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport, the other two maritime museums include the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort and The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras.

The NCMMSPT is on the road this morning at the inaugural Venus Flytrap Festival! Join us today (May 30) from 10am - 2pm ...
05/30/2026

The NCMMSPT is on the road this morning at the inaugural Venus Flytrap Festival! Join us today (May 30) from 10am - 2pm at 1 Leeds Rd., Boiling Spring Lakes for the festivities (and also the chance to make your own flytrap puppet to take home with you)!

Can you identify these devices? You would be able to if you were an 18th century sailor! Join us TODAY (Wednesday, May 2...
05/27/2026

Can you identify these devices? You would be able to if you were an 18th century sailor! Join us TODAY (Wednesday, May 27th) for ANCHORS AWEIGH: School of the 18th Century Sailor from 11am - 2pm and get your hands on history!

Looking for a meaningful and flexible volunteer opportunity? The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is currentl...
05/26/2026

Looking for a meaningful and flexible volunteer opportunity? The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is currently looking for volunteers to work on Saturday afternoons from 1:00-4:00 PM!

No weekly commitment is required. Whether you’d like to volunteer once a month, twice a month, or more often, we would love to have you join our team. Volunteers help us create a welcoming experience for visitors, especially children and families, while supporting the museum and sharing the Lower Cape Fear region's maritime history with the community.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys history, meeting new people, and spending time in a fun and engaging environment. Training is provided, and we’re happy to work with your schedule!
If you’re interested or would like more information, please send Volunteer Coordinator Toni Foster a message at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Less than one week until extended hours begin!Starting in June, we’ll be open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m....
05/26/2026

Less than one week until extended hours begin!

Starting in June, we’ll be open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. As part of the North Carolina Regional History Museums’ standardized hours, North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport visitors will enjoy one extra hour each day to explore everything our museum has to offer. We will remain closed on Sundays, Mondays and most state holidays.

We look forward to welcoming you to Southport this summer to explore the stories, artifacts, and history that make North Carolina unique.

This is Memorial Day. Today is the day when we the living take time to remember those who, in Abraham Lincoln’s words, g...
05/25/2026

This is Memorial Day.

Today is the day when we the living take time to remember those who, in Abraham Lincoln’s words, gave “the last full measure of devotion.”

Take the time today to honor those men and women who gave their futures so we can have our present.

It's a busy Memorial Day weekend in the Cape Fear! Stop by the NCMMSPT today (Saturday) from 11am - 3pm to learn about a...
05/23/2026

It's a busy Memorial Day weekend in the Cape Fear! Stop by the NCMMSPT today (Saturday) from 11am - 3pm to learn about about the history of currency in North Carolina during our DEEP DIVE INTO HISTORY Coin of the Realm. You can also join us in our front yard and plant a "poppy" in remembrance of those who have paid the ultimate price in service of our country.

On May 22, 1819, the steam ship "Savannah" departed the port of Savannah, GA intent on crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The ...
05/22/2026

On May 22, 1819, the steam ship "Savannah" departed the port of Savannah, GA intent on crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The Savannah was the first ship of its kind to successfully cross the Atlantic driven by steam (in addition to sail) power. It would be another 30 years before a ship driven by steam and sail would cross the Atlantic. Due to this historic first, May 22 was chosen in 1933 as National Maritime Day. A day to celebrate the maritime industry, the U.S. Merchant Marine, and the people whose work keeps ships, ports, cargo, and maritime services moving.

On May 22, 1942, nineteen shipyards around the nation participated in marking National Maritime Day by launching 27 different types of ship in one day. The North Carolina Shipbuilding Company launched US Maritime Commission Hull #153 out of slipway #3 into the Cape Fear River at 4:40 pm. Christened the SS William Moultrie, the liberty ship was delivered to the US Maritime Commission on June 11, 1942. Its first mission would be as a part of Convoy PQ-18 sailing from Loch Ewe, Scotland to Archangel, Russia loaded with war supplies. As a member of the convoy, the ship dodged at least 4 torpedoes and shot down five German torpedo bombers and damaging six more. The William Moultrie and it civilian merchant marine crew were awarded the US Maritime Commission’s highest award “The Gallant Ship Award” for actions as a part of the convoy.

Today, we take the time to recognize all those who work in our maritime industries and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, in war and peace, to keep the maritime service moving.

Photo #1: The Wilmington Morning Star. May 22, 1942. Page 1
Photo #2: The Wilmington Morning Star. May 23, 1942. Page 1
Photo #3: An Allied convoy underway in the Atlantic Ocean near Iceland in 1942. U.S. Navy photo 80-G-72409

A bit of non-maritime history for you... On May 14, 1933, a long contentious debate in the North Carolina State Legislat...
05/14/2026

A bit of non-maritime history for you... On May 14, 1933, a long contentious debate in the North Carolina State Legislature finally came to an agreement.

Earlier in the month, the Senate and the House passed resolutions to appoint the Carolina Chickadee as the official state bird. The appointment met with approval from the 50,000 member State Federation of Women’s Clubs. But it soon became apparent to the Legislators one of the names for the Carolina Chickadee is the “Tomtit.” Fearful of being called the “Tomtit State,” after a week the State rescinded it official designation. Ten years later, the Legislature returned to the idea of an official state bird choosing the Northern Cardinal.

The word Tomtit has its origin in Old English as meaning a small songbird. In James Mooney’s book, “Myths of the Cherokees and, Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees,” the Carolina Chickadee (known as Tsikilili) was seen as a truth teller. It was an omen of the hearing from an absent friend or even danger from an enemy. The small even bird helped the Cherokees defeat an evil mountain witch that was killing the Cherokee people.

Today at the NC Maritime Museum at Southport, we have three baby Carolina Chickadees investigating the world around them and using us as their home. Be on the listen for the Chick-a-dee-dee-dee noises in the area.

On May 11, 1942, the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company delivered, to the US Maritime Commission, its eighth Liberty Sh...
05/11/2026

On May 11, 1942, the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company delivered, to the US Maritime Commission, its eighth Liberty Ship built by the company.

The SS John Penn followed the pattern of naming ships for famous people of North and South Carolina. Penn represented North Carolina as a delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a signer the Articles of Confederation.

The Penn set a national record as the fastest ship from launching to delivery setting the pace for the North Carolina Ship Building Company to be a leader in the country. Penn’s maiden voyage sailed from New York Harbor to Loch Ewe, Scotland. There it was to become a part of Convoy PQ-18 ordered to sail for Murmansk, Russia. On September 2, the convoy left and right into the waiting German Navy. On September 13, the Penn’s was struck by two torpedoes, one in the engine room and one on the bow. The order to abandon ship was given, and the crew were immediately picked up by rescue ships. The ship sank fully loaded with Lend-Lease materials for the Soviet Army. Three men were killed in the explosion in the engine room.

Photos
The Wilmington Morning Star, May 15, 1942, Page 1.
The North Carolina Shipbuilder May 1, 1942, Page 3

Address

204 E Moore Street
Southport, NC
28461

Opening Hours

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

Telephone

(910) 477-5151

Website

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