Entrance - Per Person
$15.00Access to the historic zone (where the star fort is located) requires an entrance fee.
MD
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
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Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine at a glance
- Best time
- March–May, October–November
- Trip length
- 2–3 days
- Don't miss
- Walk the Seawall Trail
- Nearby city
- Baltimore, MD
Explore this park
About Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
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.
Weather Information
Temperatures and weather
- 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.
Entrance Fees
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$15.00There 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
$15.00All 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.
Operating Hours
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.
- Monday9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Tuesday9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Wednesday9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Thursday9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Friday9:00AM - 5:00PM
- Saturday9:00AM - 6:00PM
- Sunday9:00AM - 6:00PM
Entrance Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$45.00The 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.
Common questions
Planning Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
Reservation rules vary by season and activity for Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Check the Permits tab on this page and Recreation.gov before you travel — campground, tour, or backcountry permits may apply even without park-wide timed entry.
See Permits tab →
