Exhibits
Much Tide Has Passed...
The North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport
reopened July 4, 2011 in our new location at Fort Johnston, located on the corner of Moore and Davis Streets.
The Museum houses a collection of memorabilia pertaining to the vast nautical history of the "Lower Cape Fear" area of southeastern North Carolina. You can easily follow the self-guided tour throughout the exhibits and on-site Research Library.
View a 2,000 year-old 54" Indian canoe fragment ...
Read Gentleman Pirate Stede Bonnet's touching pleas for clemency, before he was hanged ...
See artifacts from the important colonial port of Brunswick...
Touch the chevrons of an old pine tree "boxed" for naval stores ...
Our Civil War Blockade exhibit will take you back to a time when ...
Enjoy the extensive collection of delicate ship models, including those built by the late Col. Herbert Franck ...
The "River Pilots, Rescues and Aids to Navigation" section offers a variety of nautical instruments, including a 48" Coast Guard nun buoy ...
The shipwreck City of Houston display will bring back memories of great-grandmother's home of 1878. See our rescued treasures from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, near the Frying Pan Shoals. Newly retrieved additions are a continuing delight...
Commercial and sport fishermen posing with their "catch of the day" display a grand variety of fresh seafood from the waters of the Lower Cape Fear...
A local net expert has made a 9' model of a shrimp-boat net for our Museum, complete with "doors"...
A shark tooth panel board and a rare speciman of black coral await your discovery, a beautiful addition to our Lower Cape Fear maritime story...
The research library/classroom provides an abundance of material for study and program presentations...
Learn about hurricanes and listen to the weather forecast on marine radio...
The exhibits will guide you through our maritime history, from the earliest settlers to modern sailors...
Please sign our visitor's log as we wish you a bon voyage...
Up Periscope!
A momentous event has happened at the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport! For the first time in our state’s history, a cultural institution has a working periscope. Through the kindness, hard work and dedication of volunteers and the Friends of the Museum, patrons may now view the waters of the Lower Cape Fear and discover her history and geography. Please join the museum in celebrating this significant occasion with programming for all ages. 
