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Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

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Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

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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: Arts and Crafts · Arts and Culture · Biking · Birdwatching · Bookstore and Park Store · Citizen Science · Compass and GPS · Craft Demonstrations · Cross-Country Skiing · Cultural Demonstrations · Downhill Skiing · First Person Interpretation · Food · Geocaching · Gift Shop and Souvenirs · Guided Tours · Hands-On · Hiking · Historic Weapons Demonstration · Junior Ranger Program · Kayaking · Live Music · Living History · Museum Exhibits · Paddling · Park Film · Picnicking · Reenactments · Road Biking · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Shopping · Skiing · Theater · Wildlife Watching

Published entrance fees

Entrance - Per Person

$15 · Access to the historic zone (where the star fort is located) requires an entrance fee.

Entrance - Non-commercial Groups

$15 · There is no group rate for the entrance fee. All groups must pay $15 per adult. Children in the groups are free, however, they must be accompanied by an adult in the historic zone. Interagency passes are allowed to be used to assist with group entry fees.

Commercial Entrance - Per Person

$15 · All commercial groups wishing to visitor Fort McHenry NM&HS must first obtain a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA). Groups with an active CUA are subject to the same $15 per person fee to enter the historic zone, however their employees conducting business (tour guides, bus drivers, etc.) are not subject to the entrance fee. Interagency passes may be used to assist with fee payment.

Published passes

Annual Entrance - Park

$45 · The Fort McHenry Annual Pass covers the pass holder plus three adults to enter the Fort McHenry NM & HS Historic Zone for 12 months. The pass is both available at the park visitor center, or a digital version is available on recreation.gov. In order for the pass to work, it must be physically on the passholder with a valid photo ID. To purchase the pass, visit the visitor center desk which is open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on weekdays, or 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends during the summer.

Published operating hours

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine · Park Grounds and Parking Lot Fall Hours (Labor Day to September 30): 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Park registers for purchasing Star Fort Historic Zone entry or America the Beautiful Passes are open from 9:00 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Star Fort, Visitor Center, gift shop, and restrooms close 15 minutes before the park closes. Closing times indicate when the gates will be closed; all visitors must exit by this time.

Fees, facilities and activities are the 2026-10-03 NPS snapshot. Historical visitation describes recorded visits, not crowding forecasts or present conditions.

Plan your visit

Temperatures and weather in the spring and fall months tend to be mild. Ice, snow, and freezing temperatures can occur during winter. Extreme heat can occur during the summer months. Inclement weather may impact park hours of operation year round. Refer to the park alerts or call ahead to confirm operating hours.

Campgrounds (0)

Official NPS information and current conditions ↗