Hatteras Island museums will introduce you to a world of history and maritime culture. Hatteras Island museums are small and simple, but they share a wealth of information about life-saving, lighthouses, shipwrecks and Native American culture. Much of the Hatteras Island history ties into bigger stories of United States history, such as colonialism, the Civil War, World War II and more. These museums are some of the most popular things to do in Hatteras.
Featured for Your Visit
Museums in Hatteras
23645 N.C. Highway 12, Rodanthe
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the life-saving stations that were built along the Atlantic coast in the late 19th century to attend to shipwrecks and to rescue survivors. The 1874 Station was the first operational U.S. Life-Saving Service station built in North Carolina, serving until 1954. Chicamacomico has been partially restored, thanks to numerous volunteers who formed a nonprofit organization to save it, and it is now a fine museum and historic site; all structures are original buildings.
On a visit here you’ll see the 1874 Station, the 1911 Station, two cookhouses, water tanks and a cistern, a stable, a tractor shed, the smaller boathouse and a village home built in 1907. In the museum, you’ll learn about the U.S. Life-Saving Service Station and some of the rescues that occurred here. Artifacts, uniforms, rescue equipment, displays, video presentations and self-guided tours help complete your knowledge of place and history. These stations have many stories to tell. Life-Saving crews at Chicamacomico performed many daring rescues, including one of the greatest rescues of WWI, that of the British tanker Mirlo in 1918. When the Mirlo was sunk by the German submarine U-117, Chicamacomico’s crew rescued 42 of 51 British sailors. The gift shop is full of unique nautical items and works by local craftspeople plus books and old-fashioned toys.
The historic breeches buoy demonstration is held every Thursday at 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 100th anniversary of the Mirlo rescue was commemorated on August 16, 2018, with a centennial event.
Check their website for special program information, admission fees and hours of operation and to see what is happening on any given day. Chicamacomico is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit raising all of its own funds; it has no federal, state or other budget.
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the life-saving stations that were built along the Atlantic coast in the late 19th century to attend to shipwrecks and to rescue survivors. The 1874 Station was the first operational U.S. Life-Saving Service station built in North Carolina, serving until 1954. Chicamacomico has been partially restored, thanks to numerous volunteers who...read more
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the...read more
Museums in Hatteras
23645 N.C. Highway 12, Rodanthe
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the life-saving stations that were built along the Atlantic coast in the late 19th century to attend to shipwrecks and to rescue survivors. The 1874 Station was the first operational U.S. Life-Saving Service station built in North Carolina, serving until 1954. Chicamacomico has been partially restored, thanks to numerous volunteers who formed a nonprofit organization to save it, and it is now a fine museum and historic site; all structures are original buildings.
On a visit here you’ll see the 1874 Station, the 1911 Station, two cookhouses, water tanks and a cistern, a stable, a tractor shed, the smaller boathouse and a village home built in 1907. In the museum, you’ll learn about the U.S. Life-Saving Service Station and some of the rescues that occurred here. Artifacts, uniforms, rescue equipment, displays, video presentations and self-guided tours help complete your knowledge of place and history. These stations have many stories to tell. Life-Saving crews at Chicamacomico performed many daring rescues, including one of the greatest rescues of WWI, that of the British tanker Mirlo in 1918. When the Mirlo was sunk by the German submarine U-117, Chicamacomico’s crew rescued 42 of 51 British sailors. The gift shop is full of unique nautical items and works by local craftspeople plus books and old-fashioned toys.
The historic breeches buoy demonstration is held every Thursday at 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 100th anniversary of the Mirlo rescue was commemorated on August 16, 2018, with a centennial event.
Check their website for special program information, admission fees and hours of operation and to see what is happening on any given day. Chicamacomico is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit raising all of its own funds; it has no federal, state or other budget.
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the life-saving stations that were built along the Atlantic coast in the late 19th century to attend to shipwrecks and to rescue survivors. The 1874 Station was the first operational U.S. Life-Saving Service station built in North Carolina, serving until 1954. Chicamacomico has been partially restored, thanks to numerous volunteers who...read more
The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station is the nation’s largest and most complete existing example of the...read more
Museums in Hatteras
If one thing represents all of Hatteras Island, it has to be the famous black-and-white, spiral-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse has become the icon of the island, representing the hopeful, stalwart, survivalist attitude that is so pervasive among the people of Hatteras. This is one of the most famous lighthouses in the nation, especially since it survived a controversial, precarious move in 1999. The...read more
Museums in Nags Head
The first national seashore in the country, Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches more than 70 miles along parts of three islands: Bodie Island (just south of Nags Head), Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island. It is a place for recreation, immersion in nature and inspiration for humans as well as a safe haven for a variety of wildlife. The beautiful barrier island environment is a place...read more
Museums in Hatteras
The Native American history of Hatteras Island and the Native American culture of our nation are preserved at this must-see museum in Frisco. The building, with one section dating back to 1880, is much larger than it appears from the outside and includes a nationally recognized collection of artifacts, exhibits and natural history displays. Galleries filled with native art, pottery, weavings, baskets, weaponry, jewelry, stone work and...read more
Museums in Hatteras
At the end of N.C. Highway 12 just past the ferry docks, Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum attracts attention with its composite of ship shapes, porthole windows and curved timbers. One of three North Carolina Maritime Museums operated by the North Carolina Division of Natural and Cultural Resources, the museum focuses on the maritime history and culture of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The Outer Banks’ stretch of sea is...read more
Museums in Hatteras
The Hatteras Island Park Store is located on the grounds of Cape Hatteras Light Station. No visit to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is complete without a stop at the Park Store for seashore-related gifts. Lots of parking and restrooms are on site. The Hatteras Island Park Store is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Christmas.read more
Museums in Hatteras
A monument at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras honors Hotel De Afrique, the first safe haven for African Americans during the Civil War. The wooden house was approximately 1.5 miles west of where the museum now stands. A predecessor to the Freedmen's Colony on Roanoke Island and part of the National Underground Railroad, the building and surrounding barracks housed former slaves on...read more
