Fort McHenry opening hours

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the grounds open at 7:00 a.m., closing at 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 6:00 p.m. at weekends. The registers that sell star fort entry open at 9:00 a.m., last entry is 4:45 p.m. on weekdays and 5:45 p.m. at weekends, and the star fort, visitor center, gift shop and restrooms all close 15 minutes before the park itself. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1. Outside that summer season the hours change and our sources do not state them — check the Park Service before you travel. Costs are on what is free.

Mon–Fri7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Sat–Sun7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Registers open9:00 a.m.

Last entry4:45 p.m. / 5:45 p.m.

Buildings close15 min early

ClosedThanksgiving, Dec 25, Jan 1

Summer hours, Memorial Day to Labor Day

Grounds: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Registers selling star fort entry: from 9:00 a.m. Last entry: 4:45 p.m. on weekdays, 5:45 p.m. at weekends. Star fort, visitor center, gift shop and restrooms: closed 15 minutes before the park.

Read that as two different opening times, because it is. The free park runs on the first set of hours and the paid fort runs on the second, and the gap between them is two hours every morning when the seawall is open and nothing is selling.

Winter and off-season

They are not stated in our sources and I will not invent them. Fort McHenry is open year-round apart from Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1, but if you are going outside the summer season, check the National Park Service page for Fort McHenry for that week’s hours rather than trusting a page like this one. It is the one part of the timetable I cannot stand behind.

Insider tip

“Open until 5” and “you can still get in at 5” are two different things here. Last entry on a weekday is 4:45 p.m., and the fort closes at 4:45 p.m. too.

Is Fort McHenry still closed?

The park is open year-round other than those three holidays. If you have read otherwise, you are probably looking at an old notice; the current position is on the National Park Service page for Fort McHenry. For what the hours mean in practice, see the best time to visit, and for what you pay once you are through the gate, tickets and prices.

Activities that run to their own timetable

Baltimore harbour activities keep their own hours, which rarely match the park’s. The 45-minute sightseeing cruise passes the fort from the water. None of it includes entry to the star fort. That is a National Park Service ticket, sold at the gate and nowhere else.

Check dates for the harbor cruise

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure on most tours — book now, decide later.

Frequently asked questions

What are the visiting hours for Fort McHenry National Monument?

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the grounds are open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at weekends. Registers selling star fort entry open at 9:00 a.m.

What time is last entry at Fort McHenry?

4:45 p.m. on weekdays and 5:45 p.m. at weekends in the summer season. The star fort, visitor center, gift shop and restrooms close 15 minutes before the park.

Is Fort McHenry ever closed?

It closes on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1, and is otherwise open year-round. Winter grounds hours are not stated in our sources, so check the National Park Service page.