Armistead Plaza

An overview of what to see at Armistead Plaza.

• Armistead Plaza is located right next to the parking lot and visitor center. The bronze statue made to the likeness of George Armistead sits atop a concreate foundation. Surrounding the monument are benches and gardens.

Baltimore National Heritage Area

Baltimore’s concentration of historic, cultural, and natural resources makes the city a truly unique place. The city has been witness to events that have dramatically altered the course of the nation’s history. Over the centuries it has also been witness to more subtle changes in the way Americans work, play, and live. With heritage area designation, both the state of Maryland and the U.S. Congress have acknowledged Baltimore for its capacity to tell these important stories.

Barracks No. 1

Barracks No. 1 features several exhibits to help visitors learn and experience life inside the fort!

• Barracks number 1 is a long rectangular brick building that is two stories tall. The first story has three doors to enter, each leading to different museum exhibits. The second story is closed to visitors, but the outside has a large porch running the length of the building with three different doors leading to the porch. The building also features windows throughout.

Barracks No. 2

Barracks No. 2 today houses multiple exhibits as well as serving as the site of public restrooms within the star-fort historic zone.

• Barracks number 2 is a large rectangular brick building that is made of bricks. There are two stories to the building but only the first story is open to the public. The second story has a wooden porch with three doors leading to it. The first story has multiple rooms with the room on the left having a small ramp leading to it, and the rooms on the right being public restrooms. The men's public restroom is on the right, and the women's public restroom is on the left.

Bastion 1

Bastion 1 is a piece of Fort McHenry's defense system that has rich history beyond the War of 1812 and a captivating view of the City of Baltimore.

• Bastion 1 is one of the grassy pentagon-shaped points of the star fort structure. All sides of the bastion, except the one visitors enter, is comprised of an approximately 2 foot high red brick wall. On top of the wall grows high grasses. The point of the bastion faces three tall and slender trees, of which the top halves are clearly visible.

Bastion 3

Bastion 3 saw some of the most horrific scenes during the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814.

• Bastion 3 has a large grassy area with a brick wall that holds up the grassy mounds of the ramparts, bringing the walls to one of the fort's five points. The bastion looks over one of the memorial groves of cherry trees towards the Ferry Branch of the Patapsco River.

Bastion 4

Bastion 4 is part of the historic defensive structure of Fort McHenry and overlooks the end of the peninsula.

• Bastion 4 is a point in the main defensive walls of the star fort structure. The point over looks cherry blossom trees and looks out towards the Patapsco River.

Bastion 5

Bastion 5 is a scenic location on the main defenses of Fort McHenry.

• Bastion 5 is one of the points of the fort walls that create the star shape of the fort. beneath it is the outer battery of the fort with large rodman cannons that date back to just after the American Civil War. If a visitor looks from bastion to the left they will see the city of Baltimore in the distance. In the right they will see the Patapsco river with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the distance.

Brick Foundations

Visitors often ask about the brick foundations, that represent support buildings of various functions for the fort.

• When standing on the paved path leading towards the fort there are three sets of rectangular brick foundations. There is one on the left, and two on the right of the path.

Cherry Blossom Groves

Fort McHenry's cherry blossoms add to the scenic beauty of the park but have their own history rooted in segregation.

• The east cherry blossom grove is right next to the seawall trail the grove then extends into the east lawn of the park which has the historic star fort in the background.

Chesapeake Map

The Chesapeake offers a great opportunity for visitors to get oriented to the region important to the history of the park.

• The Chesapeake map is a circular concrete slab with black paint that draws a map of the Chesapeake Bay region.

Civil War Guard House

An overview of the Civil War guard house and exhibit.

• The Civil War Guard House is comprised of red brick and makes up the right side of the main entrance structure. Inside the main room the floors are wooden and the walls hold multiple interpretive signs. In the middle of the floor sits an old stove. To the right of the entrance sits the prison cell corridor that holds 3 cells that continue upward to the right of a small set of stairs.

Civil War Powder Magazine

An overview of how to visit the Civil War powder magazine.

• The Civil War Powder Magazine is a large brick building with an outer wall. The inner structure is a brick vault.

Commanding Officer's Quarters

The commanding officer's quarters is a modern day exhibit about George Armistead.

• The commanding officer's quarters appears as a rectangular brick building with two stories. the second story has a white wooden porch on it. There are three wooden doors on the ground level, the left most door opens to an exhibit area that encompasses the first floor of the building.

Flag Pole

The flag pole over Fort McHenry provides for the iconic view that Francis Scott Key would have seen following the bombardment of the fort in 1814.

• Located next to the parade ground the sally port, this flag pole rises 90 feet into the air. The pole is styled like one that would hold a ship's sail. There are rope lines at the front and back of the pole. The base of the pole has a stage. On the pole various sizes of the historic Star-Spangled Banner flag or modern day President's flag fly depending on the weather and time of day.

Junior Officers' Quarters

The junior officers' quarters provides a stark contrast in living conditions between enlisted men and officers stationed at Fort McHenry.

• The junior officers' quarters is a rectangular brick building that is two stories tall. the second floor is closed to visitors but has a white wooden porch attached to it. The first floor has three white doors. The door on the left is closed at all times, the door in the middle leads to an exhibit area that is open during park hours, and the door on the right leads to an exhibit that is open when staffing allows.

Main Gate

An overview of the park entrance gates.

• There is a long road leading up to the gate. There is a Main Gate, wide enough for a car to pass through flanked by two smaller gates on either side. The smaller gates are wide enough for pedestrians to walk through. Each gate is made of vertical iron bars. The gates are connected to a brick wall.

Orpheus Statue

The large Orpheus statue greets visitors on their way into the park. Learn more about the statue and its meaning.

• A large concrete base bears the image of Francis Scott Key. On the base is a large bronze statue of Orpheus, a Greek figure, playing a lyre.

Outer Battery

The outer battery of Fort McHenry displays one of the largest collection of original Rodman guns, as well as preserving the historic structure of the fort's 19th century outer defenses.

• The outer battery is located just outside the walls of the original star fort structure, between the star fort and the Patapsco river. the outer defenses of the battery (facing the river) are large earthen mounds, reinforced by brick walls on the side that faces the star fort. the outer walls have a brick path on top of them that allows visitors to walk along them, as well as several underground powder magazines, of which one is open for the public to enter. Up against the outer batter walls are several large Rodman cannons, original to the site, that face towards the water. Between the cannon and the fort is a brick path that allows visitors to walk in the outer battery area.

Sea Wall Trail

The sea wall trail at Fort McHenry NM & HS is a scenic walk around the park that gives the visitor a general overview of the park.

• The sea wall trail is a paved path that makes a loop around the park. If leaving from the visitor center the Patapsco River will be on the visitor's left with various trees on the right. The star fort structure will also be in view in the distance to the visitor's right. Towards the end of the trail there a large bronze statue of the Greek muse Orpheus situated on a concrete foundation.

Star Fort Historic Zone

The Star Fort Historic Zone is the centerpiece of the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. The area features the original fort structure that was bombarded in the War of 1812 inspiring the National Anthem. It also features the historic outer battery with original Rodman cannons dating back to the 1860s. Inside the fort are historic structures that include various exhibits and museums.

• When entering the star fort historic zone there is a brick path that leads into the area. It forks and to the left it leads to the outer battery, a region with large earth and brick mounds and large historic cannons. To the right the path leads into the brick structure that is the star fort. Inside the star fort are five buildings that are open to be explored. There is also the large 90 foot tall flag pole.

Star Fort Powder Magazine

The powder magazine is what made forts effective. Without secure way to store gun powder, forts' guns would be rendered useless, thus rendering the fort useless.

• The powder magazine is a square brick structure with a domed roof. There is only one door to enter the magazine and the interior room looks a lot smaller than the building due to the thickness of the walls to protect the powder that would have been stored there.

Water Battery

The water battery is reconstructed to give an idea of some of the outer defenses of Fort McHenry. The site today also provides opportunities for living history demonstrations.

• The reconstructed water battery has a wooden deck that has a wooden wall in front of it. the wall is built into an earth mound. The wall and mound have four openings for guns to to be placed. There are four large iron guns on wheels with ropes and pully systems attached to them. Seasonally there are also reconstructed cannon balls and artillery implements out on display.

Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center

• Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center
• The Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center is open daily from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm. Inside the visitor center is an introductory museum, a movie (plays every 30 minutes), the park bookstore, restrooms, and water bottle filling station. The visitor center and museum are free to visit. Visitors interested in purchasing entrance passes to the Star Fort Historic Zone or an America the Beautiful pass can do so here.

• Fort McHenry's Defenders
• This year, Fort McHenry celebrates its 100th anniversary as a National Park Service site! On this program we'll explore the many defenders of Fort McHenry, from those who proteced Baltimore and inspired the writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the War of 1812, to the U.S. soldiers who preserved the Union during the Civil War, to those who led the movement to preserve Fort McHenry as a national park in the early 20th century. 

• Weapons Demonstration
• Learn about the weapons of the War of 1812 from the park's living historians! *Please note that these programs may include firing demonstrations, but firings are not guaranteed. **Programs are weather dependent.

• Living History at Fort McHenry
• Learn about how to experience living history at Fort McHenry.

• Ranger's Choice Programs
• Daily programs being offered at Fort McHenry NM&HS!

• Battle of Baltimore
• Join rangers for this program giving an overview of the Battle of Baltimore.

• Fife and Drum Music Demonstration
• Hear the sounds of Fort McHenry's past with a fife and drum music demonstration!

• Flag Talk
• Join rangers in a program about the American flag.

• American Bastille
• Join rangers to explore the role of Fort McHenry in securing Maryland for the Union during the Civil War, and to examine how its role as a prison and center of martial rule in Baltimore help us to consider the delicate balance between ensuring national security and safeguarding civil liberties.

• Flag Change Programs
• Join the park for its morning or evening flag change programs!

• War on the Chesapeake
• A free daily program that will cover the 1813-1814 Chesapeake Campaigns.

• Walk the Seawall Trail
• Find out how to walk the park's main trail!

• Visit The Star Fort Historic Zone
• Learn how to visit the Star Fort historic zone!

• Fort McHenry Park Gift Shop
• An overview of the Fort McHenry park gift shop.

• Fort McHenry Audio Tours
• Learn how to take an audio tour of Fort McHenry!

• Fort McHenry Movie
• Fort McHenry's introductory film is one of the most popular activities at the park.

• Picnicking at Fort McHenry
• Learn about the best ways to picnic at Fort McHenry!

• Bird Watching at Fort McHenry
• Fort McHenry's water front makes for an ideal birding location. Learn how birders can come enjoy their hobby within the park!

• Ride Your Bike at Fort McHenry
• Learn how and where to safely enjoy riding bikes at Fort McHenry.

• Walk Your Dog at Fort McHenry
• Learn about how pets can enjoy the park just as much as human visitors!

• Explore the Star-Spangled Banner NHT
• Learn about how to explore more of the story of Fort McHenry and the creation of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by following the Star-Spangled National Historic Trail!

• Become a Junior Ranger for the Star-Spangled Banner Trail
• Kids of all ages can participate in the Star-Spangled Banner Trail Junior Ranger program. The Junior Ranger booklet is full of activities that can be completed to earn a Junior Ranger badge.

• Become a Fort McHenry Jr. Ranger
• Information on how to become a Fort McHenry Junior Ranger!

"Bombs Bursting in Air" War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner

Learn how the bombardment of Fort McHenry in September of 1814 inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star-Spangled Banner, today's National Anthem, making Baltimore and Fort McHenry the original "Home of the Brave."

"The American Bastille" The Civil War at Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry served three major roles during the American Civil War: an active garrison, a hospital, and a prison. Learn the many stories that happened at Fort McHenry during the most devastating war in American history.