A must-see on your way to the Cape Hatteres Light house. An interagerl piece of history documenting the effort to save lives, just as important as the light houses. Thousands of historical artifacts from the Lyle Gun (Cannon) to breeches used to rescue seaman from clutches of death in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The original buildings, life boats and observation tower were outstanding, with views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Sound.

We have been coming to Hatterss Island for more than 30 years and I am so glad we finally visited this special museum and watched the enactment of their life saving drill. HThere is a cost ($10 or less per person) which goes toward the upkeep of the buildings. I had a 3 and 5 year olds that enjoyed watching the enactment and visiting the various buildings. It was fun showing my kids items similar to what I remember from grandparents house. The museum gift shop had items for all ages. Great to visit for souvenirs to take home. I will visit the gift shop each year for unique gifts and to support their project. Everyone working wanted to share the history. I enjoyed learning about the history of this area and these brave people. Tip: Go and visit on a day they reenact (this was on a Thursday for us).

From the time that we walked into the gift shop/ticket sales, the volunteer taking care of us was welcoming and conversational. She was extremely knowledgeable about the museum as well as the surrounding area. She was also inquisitive and asked questions to understand where we were from and helped us know how to pronounce some of the local towns and areas. From there, the museum was a self-guided tour including several out buildings, and there were very helpful signs and informational placards to explain what we were looking at. The museum was extremely well done, helping us understand just what the various men and women did 'back in the day' to rescue others who were in distress at sea. Amazing and courageous!