Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Maryland
Tonight
🌗 46% moon
6.5 h fully dark
Crowds
low
Open today
Open
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Nov 26 – Nov 26; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Dec 25 – Dec 25; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Jan 1 – Jan 1
Entrance
$15
Building Closed for Preservation Maintenance
As the result of a comprehensive porch preservation effort, the Commanding Officers Quarters (immediately to the right upon entering the historic star fort) will be closed to visitors until work is complete. Please respect the boundaries created by construction fencing and do not enter the work site. All other exhibit spaces remain open for visitors to explore.
We cannot mail out at this time
We do not mail Junior Ranger books; please download from site. Completed books may be submitted digitally. Junior Ranger badges may be mailed once per person per calendar year after completion. We do not mail completed books back.
Official NPS alert →Preservation Work Along Trails
Starting March 18, preservationists restoring the bronze state plaques along the entrance road, and the War of 1812 commemorative markers in the Orpheus Grove. Some of these areas may be temporarily closed while work is in progress.
Baltimore Area Traffic Advisory
Traffic in the Baltimore area has increased considerably in recent months due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge which connected the Baltimore beltway. Please check the latest traffic conditions to plan your travel accordingly.
Motorized Recreational Scooters Not Permitted in Park
For the safety and protection of visitors and park resources, motorized scooters are not permitted within the park. Any vehicles (scooters, bicycles, etc.) that are part of a ride-share program may not be left behind for pick up inside the park
by the dawn's early light, a large red, white and blue banner? Whose broad stripes and bright stars... were so gallantly streaming...over Fort McHenry! The valiant defense of the fort during the Battle of Baltimore on September 13-14, 1814 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words that became the U.S. national anthem. The fort's history holds many other stories too, from the Civil War to WWII.
Activities
Topics
Entrance fees
$15.00 — Entrance - Per Person
$15.00 — Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$15.00 — Commercial Entrance - Per Person
Hours & seasons
Park Grounds and Parking Lot Summer Hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): Monday-Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Park registers for purchasing Star Fort Historic Zone entry or America the Beautiful Passes open at 9:00 a.m. and close one hour before the park closes. The Star Fort, Visitor Center, gift shop, and restrooms close 15 minutes before the park closes. Closing times indicate when the gates will be close; all visitors must exit by this time.
⚠ Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Nov 26 – Nov 26; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Dec 25 – Dec 25; Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: closed Jan 1 – Jan 1
Generally open:
winterspringsummerfallHours are reported by the park — verify before you go.
📞 4109624290
✉ FOMC_Interpretation@nps.govConditions
Quietest months (fewer crowds): Jan, Feb, Oct, Dec
Typical crowds: low
Weather now: ☀️ Clear, 87°F
⛈️ 88°/77°
🌦️ 89°/74°
🌧️ 95°/72°
Typical monthly recreation visits · NPS avg 2023–2025 — orange months are the quietest by crowds.
Quietest months
Relative crowds by month — lighter is quieter; ringed months are the calmest by crowds.
Jan
21%
Feb
41%
Mar
68%
Apr
66%
May
99%
Jun
100%
Jul
94%
Aug
83%
Sep
83%
Oct
41%
Nov
42%
Dec
17%
Log a sky reading
Measured the sky with an SQM meter or app? Add your reading (16 = city glow … 22 = pristine). Opt in under “Travelers like you” to share it on the community leaderboard.
Things to do
Flag Change Programs
War in the Chesapeake
American Anthem: 250 Years at the Home of the Brave
Ranger's Choice Programs
Fort McHenry Movie
Fife and Drum Music Demonstration
Battle of Baltimore
Fort McHenry's Defenders
Visitor centers
Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center
Accessibility
22 audio-described place(s)
Reported by the park — verify before you go.
Parking
Visitor Center Parking Lot · 90 accessible spacesaccessible
Not an official safety source — always defer to NPS.gov and rangers for life-safety decisions.
By the numbers
A visual read on Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — its character, trails, sky, and weather.
Park fingerprint
How this park scores across the dimensions travelers care about.
Trail difficulty
Difficulty mix across this park's trails.
3-day forecast
Daily high and low temperatures (°F).
People & stories
Figures tied to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — each spans a cross-park journey.
Alexander Cochrane
— War Of 1812, Royal Navy, Burning Of WashingtonCharles Ball
— War Of 1812, Americans, African AmericansFrancis Scott Key
— National Anthem, Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, Star Spangled BannerGabriel Hall
— Slavery, War Of 1812, Fort Mc Henry National Monument And Historic ShrineGeorge Cockburn
— War Of 1812, British Subjects, OfficersGeorge Roberts
— War Of 1812, Americans, African AmericansMary Pickersgill
— War Of 1812, Americans, WomenRobert Ross
— War Of 1812, British Subjects, Royal ArmyPassport stamps
Mark the stamps you've collected — they show in your memory and along your routes.
🎫 Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center
Places to see
Armistead Plaza
audio
Baltimore National Heritage Area
Barracks No. 1
audio
Barracks No. 2
audio
Bastion 1
audio
Bastion 3
audio
Bastion 4
audio
Bastion 5
audio
Brick Foundations
audio
Cherry Blossom Groves
audio
Chesapeake Map
audio
Civil War Guard House
audioAudio & media
🎧
🎬
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Learn more
The British 1814 failure to capture Baltimore Harbor helped change the course of the War of 1812 and inspired the American national anthem.
A lot of articles have been written about the history of the National Park Service (NPS) arrowhead emblem. Many recycle the same content and outdated information that has largely come from the NPS itself. Challenging the traditional story has revealed new sources of information—and two previously overlooked arrowhead designs—that rewrite the arrowhead origin story.
Interview with retired park ranger and volunteer Paul Plamann.
Sailor Jerry is a volunteer that has passionately been serving at Fort McHenry since 2003. Learn more about his story
The advanced weaponry of World War I, such as chemical agents and trench warfare, created a uniquely afflicted veteran population not seen before. The medical facilities at the fort included several departments that pioneered new treatment strategies and new technology that were designed to tailor to the needs of the victims of this modern war.
Interns are vital to the mission of the National Park Service by helping protect the landscapes, stories, and communities that shape our shared past and future.
Volunteer Charles and maintenance team member Bud work together each week to keep the parks’ engines humming, to ensure the historic landscapes are beautiful and inviting to visitors, and habitats preserved for the animals that call its meadows and trees home.
As a participant in the National Park Service (NPS) Climate Friendly Parks (CFP) program, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (FOMC), Hampton National Historic Site (HAMP), and Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail (STSP) belong to a network of parks nationwide that are putting climate friendly behavior at the forefront of park operations and resource management. This is the Baltimore Area Climate Action Plan (CAP).
Ranger School
Park-grounded courses you can learn with the Ranger.
Cast Your Vote! Americans and the War of 1812
Open →
Fort McHenry as a Prison: A Soldier's Life
Open →
The War of 1812 - Baltimore's Role
Open →
How Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine connects
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