Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum

The Outer Banks’ newest museum can be found at the southern tip of Hatteras Island. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, which opened its’ doors in 2002, pays homage to the maritime history and folklore of the Outer Banks shipwrecks, ghost stories, Cape Hatteras light keepers, and innovators of this stretch of North Carolina coastline. With hundreds of shipwrecks off of Buxton’s treacherous Diamond Shoals, the museum explores these dangerous waters, and recounts the tales of the heroes who thrived along North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

The museum itself is an architectural attraction and visitors find it hard to miss. Located right next to the Hatteras Village ferry docks, the museum is shaped like an arc, and bordered by a public beach access and ORV ramp. Open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the museum is free to all visitors, but donations are accepted and appreciated, and go towards expanding the museum and exhibits.

At the museum, you’ll be able to admire the original Fresnel lens of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, see artifacts dredged from underwater shipwrecks that still remain in the Atlantic Ocean, and learn about Billy Mitchell, who pioneered air warfare over the waters of Hatteras Island.

The museum also offers an on-premise gift shop, and hosts a selection of speakers throughout the year, recanting lost shipwreck stories and bringing a bit of Outer Banks’ history to life. Previous sessions included talks on the USS Monitor, Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, and the Civil War history on Hatteras Island.

With such proximity to the beach, the ferry docks and Hatteras Landing shops and restaurants, a visit to the museum can be capped off with a fun exploration of Hatteras Village, a small town that’s steeped in maritime history and pride.

So bring your sense of adventure and love of sea-faring tales, and set aside some time during your Outer Banks vacation to visit Hatteras Island’s Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.