Physical / Mobility

By Disability Type

• Accessibility
• Deaf / Hearing Loss
• Blind / Low Vision
• Service Animals

Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter welcome all individuals with a disability! Explore the accessibility pages for relevant information categorized by disability type. Please contact us with any questions or for help planning your visit.

Fort Moultrie is located on Sullivan’s Island near Charleston, SC. Fort Sumter is located on a small island in the mouth to Charleston Harbor and can only be accessed by boat.

See more information about each of these sites below. 

 

Fort Moultrie

Fort Moultrie is located at:
1214 Middle St

Sullivan's Island, SC 29482

Parking

This large parking lot has:

• 3 accessible spaces
• 1 van-accessible space
• 2 bus/RV spaces
• 75 other spaces

Paths

From the parking lot there is a sidewalk that leads to a ramp to get to the restrooms and visitor center entrance.

Restrooms

The restrooms are located outside of the visitor center, to the right of the main visitor center doors.

Men

• 1 wider stall intended for wheelchair users
• 1 standard stall
• 2 urinals
• A changing table
• Sinks and hand dryers

Women

The entrance to the women’s room is very narrow and awkward to navigate with the door placement.

• 1 wider stall intended for wheelchair users
• 2 standard stalls
• A wall-mounted changing table
• Sinks and hand dryers

Drinking Fountains

There is a drinking fountain with a water bottle filling station near the restrooms.

Visitor Center

The visitor center has an information desk, exhibits, a park theater, and bookstore.

Information Desk

The information desk is located to the right as you enter the visitor center. There is a lowered section for asking questions and purchasing items from the bookstore.

Bookstore

There are various items available for sale including t-shirts, hoodies, books, pins, and other collectibles. Staff at the information desk can assist with reaching items on higher shelves.

Theater

The theater is located to the left past the information desk. The park movie plays every 30 minutes; you can ask at the information desk for it to be played. There is space at the front of the theater for wheelchairs. The rest of the seating is stadium style with a steep ramp leading to the other rows.

Exhibits

There are exhibits about the fort’s evolution during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War I. There are tactile models of cannons, the Palmetto trunk walls of the original fort, ammunition, and other period pieces. There is room to navigate around the exhibits. The exhibit rooms are a dimly lit.

Fort

The fort was reconstructed to show what it may have looked like at different times throughout its long history. The fort is across the road from the visitor center. The closest parking is located at the visitor center.

Restrooms

There are no restrooms within the fort. The nearest restrooms are located across the street outside of the visitor center.

Paths

Inside of the fort, the paths are a mix of brick, cement, and grass. These paths are often very steep and narrow or involve steps to get to different levels of the fort.

Battery Jasper

The US Army constructed Battery Jasper from 1897-98. The US Army hurried construction after the outbreak of the Spanish American War. The structure was named for Sergeant William Jasper, a hero of the Battle of Sullivan's Island.

Battery Jasper has four gun positions (called gun enclampments). One of the gun positions is open to the public and includes a magazine, utility room, and shell hoist. These rooms support the gun deck on the second floor, which is closed to the public.

To enter the gun position there are the following barriers:

• A couple of uneven steps
• Cracked and uneven sidewalk

Beach

There is a sidewalk circling the fort with views toward the beach. Off of this sidewalk are many social trails leading through the grass and over the dunes to the beach. The social trails are sandy, uneven, narrow, and require scrambling over large boulders.

 

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter is located in the middle of Charleston Harbor and can only be reached by boat. There are two locations where visitors can catch the boat to Fort Sumter:

Fort Sumter Visitor Center in Liberty Square
340 Concord Street
Charleston, SC 29401

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum*
40 Patriots Point Rd
Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

*At this time, the ferry departing out of Patriots Point is not accessible.

Fort Sumter Visitor Center in Liberty Square

This area has a city-owned parking garage, a visitor center, restrooms, and access to the boat out to Fort Sumter.

Parking

There is a large, multi-level, city-owned parking garage located at: 24 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401. Check the city website for more information about parking. It is a short walk between the parking garage and the visitor center (approximately 0.1 mile).

Passenger Drop-Off

There is a passenger drop-off area near the visitor center at the end of Calhoun Street. After dropping off passengers, drivers can park their vehicles in the parking garage.

Paths

The paths from the parking garage to the visitor center are paved and mostly even and level.

Visitor Center

The visitor center is in a brick building that is lifted 1 story off the ground on supports. There is a staircase at the front of the building and long winding ramp at the back of the building leading to the back door. There is an elevator under the building, but it is not currently functional.

Boat Tickets

The ticket office is just outside the front entrance doors of the visitor center. Visitors will need to climb the stairs in front of the building or take the ramp at the back of the building to reach the ticket booth.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located in the visitor center, toward the back of the building. The restrooms have power-assisted doors activated by a button.

Mens

• 2 urinals (1 lower)
• 2 standard stalls
• 1 larger stalls for wheelchair users
• Sinks and hand dryers
• Child-size changing table

Womens

• 3 standard stalls
• 1 larger stalls for wheelchair users
• Sinks and hand dryers
• Child-size changing table

Exhibits

Learn about the role of Fort Sumter during the many wars it has seen. The exhibit space is dim and there is space to navigate around the panels.

Boat from Fort Sumter Visitor Center

Tickets

To purchase tickets, visit Fort Sumter Tours. Tour boat schedule is subject to change and cancellation at anytime. Please call Fort Sumter Tours at 843-722-2628 for more information.

Gangways

There is a gangway leading to the floating dock and another leading from the dock to the boat. There is also a gangway ramp used to deboard the boat at Fort Sumter.

At high tide the ramps are mostly flat, but at low tide the ramps can be incredibly steep. When the tide is low the ramp used at Fort Sumter is very narrow and has a step. When the tide is high, the gangway ramp used at Fort Sumter is wider and does not have a step.

If you use a mobility device, please contact the boat company to find out which boat times are best for navigating the gangway ramps.

While on the Boat

There is a lift to move people from the top deck (the floor you enter from the gangway) down to the lower deck. Please ask the ranger or one of the crew members for assistance using the lift.

There is a portable gangway used on the top deck to bypass two steps. Seating on either deck is provided with movable chairs.

Restrooms

Accessible Restroom
There is a single-user restroom on the top deck (the floor you enter from the gangway) that was designed to be accessible. There are grab bars on the side and rear of the toilet.

Lower Deck Restrooms
Additional restrooms on located on the lower deck. These restrooms have very narrow doorways.

Mens

• 2 standard stalls
• 2 urinals that are not working
• Sinks
• Room on the counter to use as a changing table

Womens

• 3 standard stalls
• Sinks
• Room on the counter to use as a changing table

Snack Bar

There is a snack bar available on the top deck. Snacks and beverages are available for purchase. The snack bar counter is at bar height and there is no lowered section.

Fort

A park ranger is available to provide a history talk and answer questions.

Restrooms

There are no restrooms in the fort, but the accessible restroom on the ferry remains open while the tour is at the fort.

Levels

There are three levels to the Fort:

• Parade Grounds
• Middle
• Top

From the boat, there is a long walkway that leads to the entrance to the fort. At times, part of this path experiences flooding from rain or high water levels. When water levels are high a temporary walkway is brought in to cross the low section.

Once through the fort entrance, you’ll reach the ground level of the fort.

Parade Grounds Level
Directly inside the front entrance you’ll be met with an open area with a three-story building, called Battery Huger, across from the entrance. The parade grounds are open and have some paths made of brick and others of crushed shells and open grassy areas. There are some exhibits and information in the small casements around the perimeter of the fort.

To reach the upper levels of the fort there are a series of stairs and a set of three lifts to move between the levels. The lifts hold one person at a time and are open to the elements.

Middle Level - Battery Huger
Battery Huger houses the museum, park store, water fountains and water filling stations, and the observation deck (top level). This level can be reached via a set of stairs or a lift.

The bookstore has books, t-shirts, stickers, and gifts as well as the park passport stamp. The bookstore space is narrow and may be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. Staff are available to help with questions or to retrieve items for purchase that may be out of reach.

The museum is to the left of the bookstore and has timeline of events critical in the fort’s history serving in many wars over the years. A museum guide is available upon request featuring all of the museum text, images, quotes, and pictures of artifacts on display in the museum and the upper level of Fort Sumter.

Top Level
The top of the fort is open to the elements and has views looking in every direction around the harbor. To reach the top level of the fort there are a series of staircases as well as the lift. At the very top of the lift there is a flat area to look around. Next to this is a lower grassy area. There is no ramp leading down to the grassy area and the drop from the roof down to this area is excessively steep.

Questions?

If you have questions or need help planning your trip, please email us.