U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum
4.5
Military MuseumsShipsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
327 Foot museum ship from WWII and Viet Nam. It is a National Historic Landmark. INGHAM served our country from 1936 to 1988 and in 1985 was the most decorated ship in United States Service as noted in a letter from President Ronald Reagan in the exhibit room. It is the last American Warship afloat to have sunk a German U-Boat (626) in WWII. It served as the Flagship for the seaside operation of General MacArthur's return to Corregidor in the Philippines. She served from 1936 to 1988. The ship is totally intact as if was on decommissioning day. Offering one of the best Sunset viewing venues in Key West on Friday and Saturday Evenings, serving wines and various Beers.
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • Chandra M
    Granbury, Texas5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quick, historical gem to visit in Key West!
    Did a quick drop in on our way to the park beach. Takes about an hour to go through it so it is very well laid out with clear directions & a lot to see. One thing I thought was so cool is that it said this ship is a walking time capsule w/everything that was left behind remaining in boat. I would highly recommend not only for the wealth of knowledge but also the beautiful ocean views up top.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 June 2023
  • Sblouviere
    45 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Knowledgeable staff leads to amazing history lesson!
    This was on my son’s Key West To Do List. So glad that we did it. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable on the vessel and it’s history. Once you enter the vessel, the tour is self guided with pre-recorded information as you enter the different sections. As you step in it is as you have stepped back in time. Many of the areas have been preserved as it was when the last serviceman were serving on the ship. An area of the ship has been turned into a mini museum with many pictures of the ship while it was in service. Wear comfortable shoes that are securely attached to your feet as there are slim stair cases, almost ladders, that you will be going up and down on.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 11 July 2023
  • Devon D
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved It, Worth The Time
    The space you tour by yourself is very long. You can either go slow, or faster depending on your time, but you can easily spend 2 hours on the boat going through everything. The tour is not short by any means if you don’t make it that way. It’s cool to see the inside of the ship, and how everyone lived on it. You would expect it to be an oven in there, but even on hot days there are fans and air coming in that make it easy to deal with. I was surprised. We loved it, and it’s definitely a must for anyone going to Key West, or anyone who just has never done it before.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 August 2023
  • HeritageSoftail14843
    Trinity, Florida204 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden gem in Key West
    This is a hidden gem in Key West! So muc history involved in this cutter, and a must see for anyone who appreciates where the country has come from to be where it is at today. The staff were all very friendly and nice, offering details and answering questions. The entire cutter is toured at your own pace with recordings at different stations. They also have a small gift shop and a bar area where you can buy a beer and sit on the covered deck and enjoy the view after (or before) your tour. They apparently also have happy hours every Friday and Saturday evening. A must do if you live in the area!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Anna H
    14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    MUST SEE in Key West
    Amazingly preserved and well maintained ship from WWII. Very kind and informative staff. The self guided tour with written instructions takes through the whole boat inside out and truly shows the rich history of this ship. You can take as long as you want to explore the ship, at the end you can have a refreshing beverage on the deck overlooking the marina (reasonable prices and no crowds) Very much recommended while in Key West!
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 November 2023
  • gary s
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great piece of history the shouldn't be missed
    This ship is a piece of history, especially as its related to the role of the US Coast Guard in so many aspects of maritime history. It was highly decorated, sank a UBoat in 1942 and was Gen. McArthur's Operations command ship when he returned to th Phillipines in 1945. From Vietnam to the Meriel boat lift among many other missions is explained in this self guided tour. Spend as much time was you can. Many audio and video displays. See how they lived on board. If your lucky, the retired Coastie who saved the ship from the the scrap heap will be on board and help answer any questions along with the knowledgeable staff. Kids love it too. They even got to ring the ship's bell. Light snack bar, beer, wine sodas and small gift shop. Sometimes they do a sunset get together happy hour that is quite nice.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 January 2024
  • Navigate795463
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A fun adventure
    Gary and his wife were so accommodating and sweet. The self guided tour was very informative and incredible to step back in time and see the conditions they lived and worked in on the ship. Everything has been perfectly preserved. This is a must see if you’re in the area!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 January 2024
  • pat l
    Gainesville, Georgia1,127 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great ship tour!
    We took a lengthy tour of this cutter - there was just so much to see! We enjoyed everything about the ship - it was a great museum and everything was really well done. The ship has an amazing history. Definitely worth a visit!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 January 2024
  • Joan R
    230 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great history lesson!
    My husband and I visited the cutter on a Friday. It was so interesting! It was built before WWII and saw battle in WWII and Vietnam as well lots of other deployments! This historical beauty is attended to by all volunteers! They are amazing to keep her up for all of to visit! We spent 2 hours touring and we would have spent longer but they were about to close. We had the ship to ourselves so we took our time reading! One of the volunteers came and found us and answer tons of questions for us. He even took us to see the roped off boiler room! We got to sit in the mess hall and watch a show about the Ingham! Oh the operating table was in the mess hall! Not joking! Please got see this ship! It is an amazing piece of history!!!! If it wasn’t for the volunteers and donations the Ingham would not be here for us to view! Thank you volunteers!!!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 March 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,236 reviews
Excellent
959
Very good
239
Average
35
Poor
3
Terrible
0

Joan R
marietta230 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
My husband and I visited the cutter on a Friday. It was so interesting! It was built before WWII and saw battle in WWII and Vietnam as well lots of other deployments! This historical beauty is attended to by all volunteers! They are amazing to keep her up for all of to visit! We spent 2 hours touring and we would have spent longer but they were about to close. We had the ship to ourselves so we took our time reading! One of the volunteers came and found us and answer tons of questions for us. He even took us to see the roped off boiler room! We got to sit in the mess hall and watch a show about the Ingham! Oh the operating table was in the mess hall! Not joking! Please got see this ship! It is an amazing piece of history!!!! If it wasn’t for the volunteers and donations the Ingham would not be here for us to view! Thank you volunteers!!!
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MALDI-TOF
Georgetown, KY3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
Outstanding! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit in particular because it is so well furnished with items from the day it was decommissioned. It tells the story of life on the sea for the Coast Guard.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KakiBW
Ellicott City, MD502 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
We really enjoyed this unique museum/ship tour. Highly recommend. However, you need to be able to go up and down steep ladders/stairs. I was surprised there was no warning about this before you started the tour.
Written 25 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pat l
Gainesville, GA1,127 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
We took a lengthy tour of this cutter - there was just so much to see! We enjoyed everything about the ship - it was a great museum and everything was really well done. The ship has an amazing history. Definitely worth a visit!
Written 15 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John S
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
This ship displays the most informative and interesting history of any military vessel I have visited. The added displays and original equipment gives you a true feeling of what life was like living aboard this vessel during its historic endeavors.
Written 9 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Navigate795463
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
Gary and his wife were so accommodating and sweet. The self guided tour was very informative and incredible to step back in time and see the conditions they lived and worked in on the ship. Everything has been perfectly preserved. This is a must see if you’re in the area!
Written 6 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gary s
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
This ship is a piece of history, especially as its related to the role of the US Coast Guard in so many aspects of maritime history. It was highly decorated, sank a UBoat in 1942 and was Gen. McArthur's Operations command ship when he returned to th Phillipines in 1945. From Vietnam to the Meriel boat lift among many other missions is explained in this self guided tour. Spend as much time was you can. Many audio and video displays. See how they lived on board. If your lucky, the retired Coastie who saved the ship from the the scrap heap will be on board and help answer any questions along with the knowledgeable staff. Kids love it too. They even got to ring the ship's bell. Light snack bar, beer, wine sodas and small gift shop. Sometimes they do a sunset get together happy hour that is quite nice.
Written 4 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen M
Alabama Mountain Lakes, AL36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
We so enjoyed learning about the Coast Guard and the history and important missions of the Ingham. A beautiful treasure to explore while in Key West. Nice diversion from the usual activities and located in beautiful Truman Waterfront Park.
Written 2 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anna H
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
Amazingly preserved and well maintained ship from WWII. Very kind and informative staff. The self guided tour with written instructions takes through the whole boat inside out and truly shows the rich history of this ship. You can take as long as you want to explore the ship, at the end you can have a refreshing beverage on the deck overlooking the marina (reasonable prices and no crowds) Very much recommended while in Key West!
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HeritageSoftail14843
Trinity, FL204 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
This is a hidden gem in Key West! So muc history involved in this cutter, and a must see for anyone who appreciates where the country has come from to be where it is at today. The staff were all very friendly and nice, offering details and answering questions. The entire cutter is toured at your own pace with recordings at different stations. They also have a small gift shop and a bar area where you can buy a beer and sit on the covered deck and enjoy the view after (or before) your tour. They apparently also have happy hours every Friday and Saturday evening. A must do if you live in the area!
Written 20 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum, Key West

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