Public Opening of New Fort Fisher Visitor Center, Earthworks, and Archaeology Lab Postponed

Originally set for Sept. 27, the public opening of the site has been postponed. The event will be rescheduled for a future date to be announced.

Fort Fisher temporarily closed to the public in mid-April 2024 to allow staff members to relocate offices, artifacts, and exhibits to the site's new and long-awaited 20,000 sq. ft visitor center. The new visitor center is expected to serve more than 1 million annual visitors.

Known as the Gibraltar of the South, Fort Fisher protected the port of Wilmington during the American Civil War until it fell to US forces in January 1865. In 1961, the site was designated a National Historic Landmark. Its original visitor center was built to accommodate an expected 25,000 visitors a year. It is part of the Division of State Historic Sites within DNCR.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.