We loved our visit to the US Coast Guard Cutter Ingham Maritime Museum in Key West. Touring one of the most decorated Coast Guard ships in history was fascinating and totally worth the time. The self-guided tour lets you explore the ship's quarters, radio room, galley, and even a barbershop at your own pace and really gives a great sense of what life was like on board. The ship is very well preserved was amazing to see. Just a heads up that the stairs throughout the ship are narrow and quite steep, which is something to keep in mind if mobility is a concern or you're visiting with young kids. It's a unique, educational experience and an easy 5-star stop if you're in Key West and want something a little different from the usual tourist spots. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me

What an interesting tour! You get to walk around the ship and experience its history. It's so cool to see what it was like to live on the ship many years before. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something to do! read more

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Active duty military discount! Definitely a great 15-20 min tour. Steep steps and partial air conditioning. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me

We visited the ship to do the tour and then returned to partake in their weekly happy hour. The ship is a beauty . During your self guided tour there is audio that plays as you walk through the guts of the ship and see where the crew worked , slept , ate and prayed (there are even some former crew who chose their final resting place to be on the ship - their urns are located in the chapel). To fully enjoy your time , plan to spend 30 minutes to an hour touring the ship (there's lots to read so this may make your tour longer). The ship closes at 4pm and on Thursday , Friday , Saturday they open back up to offer a sunset happy hour. Be aware , they do not serve liquor (or at least didn't when we visited ) and the beer and wine selection is not the best . However , the sunset views are breathtaking and you get to drink and view the sunset on an over 80 year old highly decorated Coast Guard cutter! You can also bring your own food on board or purchase snacks from their bar. They do have a paid parking lot and there's also a playground with public restrooms nearby . Definitely worth a visit ! read more

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Just Wow! We visited during our vacation. Museum is amazing. I highly recommend this museum. Great tours, and they have weekly happy hours during sunsets. Drinks and beautiful sunsets. You can't go wrong! If you are going to Key West I highly recommend this museum. Check out it's facebook page! www.facebook.com/cgcingham. I highly recommend going for Happy Hours. Unique, and beautiful. read more

This is the real deal. If you can't climb a ladder, stay on the dock. If you want to give your kids an indication of how hard life can be, this is the place to bring them. They will never complain about their room size again. I question if we could even get a crew from the current generation as the living conditions on this vessel are amazingly stark and harsh by today's standard. It's a testament to the men that served on her and the perilous world we lived in during WWII. It is air conditioned inside so you can take your time and enjoy the fantastic displays and live, in a very small way, the experience of serving on such a vessel. It will either inspire you and your kids or appall them, but showing them is essential. Well done to the Museum for keeping her afloat. I can't imagine how you do it. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - The real deal. - Museums Near Me

Hold up! Why was I told to go watch the sunset at Mallory Square when I could've been here on the deck of this ship drinking beer and wine instead of crazy crowds?! Also, they let you volunteer to retire the flag at sunset which was very cool to watch! read more

We toured the ship while on vacation and were very impressed. While purchasing the tickets, the docent asked if we knew anything about the history of the ship. He gave us an overview of the history from the building of the ship to current day which we appreciated. The self tour was fantastic and we liked that we could enjoy looking at the exhibits and rooms at our own pace. The museum at the front of the ship with photos and historical information was excellent. My husband and I both agreed that this tour was a highlight of our time in Key West. read more

Great place to watch the sunset but if you think you'll want a seat rather than standing, you'll want to arrive early as they fill up pretty quickly. They do have happy hour but do not expect high quality wines. Service is good. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me

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My wife and I visited the Ingham on our honeymoon and would definitely visit again if only to support the cause. Ships like this need to be preserved for the public to see what keeps this great countries freedom! The Ingham is a great representation of the men, women and their hard work and we highly recommend adding this to your list of stops when in Key West! read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me

Very cool ship & very nice people! A lot of really neat and important history! Go check it out read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Ship - Museums Near Me

A must see for all and especially younger kids. Lots to see and touch. Reasonable price considering everything is expensive

I'm kinda a history nerd, so I had to check this out. That being said, I started to get a little bored and claustrophobic because it's a long, self-guided tour and it's still a work in progress. However, I learned some interesting things about the history of this ship and other US Coast Guard tidbits. They've done a good job maintaining the ship and keeping it looking its best from the time it was used the most. It also has a number of historical displays from crucial maritime moments. I ended up taking a ton of photos because, while the stories didn't always grab me, the ship itself is very beautiful and complex. I probably wouldn't come back, should I return to Key West, but I think it's worth a look for first timers. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Museums Near Me

A must see stop in the Keys! This boat is a time capsule with lots of history! Fun self guided tour. Like any normal vessel, there are steep steps and narrow passage ways. It's not something you see every day. Takes about an hour to fully see. Price is great approximately $10). On some nights, wine, beer and sangria are served while the sun sets. Great view! Right next to the boat, you'll find the Keys Eco-discovery center ( free parking and free entrance). read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Old coast guard boat! Must see. - Museums Near Me

Loved the tour, which isn't too long and not too short. Amazing to see the insides of a ship left as they were after service. Plenty of parking nearby. Bring your swimsuit, there's a wonderful park for the kids just outside the museum. read more

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If you're looking for a self-guided tour (with employees who need training in customer service) of a great piece of history, this one is for you. As a proud veteran of the Coast Guard, I really enjoyed bringing my wife and kids to see it and to answer their questions. I do think Coasties-both active duty and veteran should be shown some consideration on the admission price though. There were several opportunities to donate around the cutter, and they'd probably make even more money if I felt I had been shown any type of consideration at all. I would've be been more apt to throw some cash in those donation boxes. Now if you're looking to find a little camaraderie with other Coasties, forget it. When trying to engage the two gentlemen who work there about my being a fellow Coastie, and wanting to find out their stories, they obviously couldn't have cared less. It was all about taking our money and telling us not to trip or fall. When my wife had mentioned I was also a Coast Guard veteran, they completely ignored that fact. They were borderline rude. We were the only ones entering at the time, so it's not like they were slammed or anything. The cutter is also in pretty bad shape. Much of it could be fixed pretty simply and inexpensively. It makes one wonder where the 10.00/person admission money is going. The museum does see a pretty good amount of tourists overall and the donation boxes were pretty full, so it's not like they're hurting for money. Even the RHI they have on it needs some serious maintenance. It'd be really easy and inexpensive to fix that up, but....‍ read more

WORTH THE STOP! There are some great volunteers who serve on the boat, be sure to ask questions. They make this a great museum. Lots of things to see and gives a good overview of what life was life on the ship. We bought some t-shirts in addition to our donation & admission. read more

Very pretty interesting tour. Love naval history and responsibility priced, something unexpected in Key West

3.5 to 4. Much better than I had expected. We spent about 2 hours, although you could do it in as little as 1. One of the docents walked us through and talked about the history--built in 1936, a major player in WWII, D-Day, Vietnam, and the Mariel Boat lift. The most highly decorated ship in US fleet. The highlight was when they let us train the 5 inch gun on the Carnival Cruise Ship. A perfect shot amidships, she went down in minutes. A treat for the whole family! LOL Who would like this--history and military history buffs read more

I had a blast with me and my Boy Scouts group in key west and would highly recommend it and the service was the best and I almost wanna go back to key west just for the service!!! read more

It's a decent tour and a fair price that goes to the preservation of the ship. As a prior service USMC I'm a little biased but I enjoyed the tour. read more

Yea Coast Guard! Glad to see this historic ship being open to the public for tours. Its limited, but the guy who runs this ship truly has a passion for it, the history, and CG. Needs more care to up keep it, but that means quite a bit of money. Was worth seeing. If only the walls could talk. read more

A jewel of a historic site. The self guided tour of this Coast Guard cutter is incredible and a must see in Key West!

Super cool tour to take in Key West! So neat to see an authentic piece of history so well maintained. Price is very reasonable to get on and volunteers on board are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Great family opportunity to take an interesting tour and do something different. Simply a must if in the keys! read more

I'm an ex-Coast Guardsman so this is a bit partial but this ship is worth the visit and serves to display a a great piece of history for young and old. The museum section on the lower deck is fantastic and includes a story about the capture of a German U-Boat during WWII by a sister ship. The volunteer hosts were very helpful and eager to talk about the ship and museum. Please visit this site and donate to a good cause. read more

This is a great stop for some history. The ship was decommissioned about the same time my ship was commissioned so it was surprisingly similar. They have captured the essence of what that ship was like perfectly. A lot of cool artifacts from its life throughout multiple wars and conflicts. This is a must see for sailors, seamen, squids, guardsmen, and old salts alike. read more

Great tour! We got there at 4:03pm and saw it was closed :(, so we went back the next day and had a great time touring the ship. So... I've posted the hours below just in case anyone checks this before they go. Admission & Hours USCGC INGHAM Single Adult: $10 Child under 12 Free Child over 12 $6 Active Duty Military $6.00 Vets/Ret Monday thru Saturday (6 days) 10:00 am - 4:00 pm read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - Picture from their website: http://www.uscgcingham.org/ - Museums Near Me

Pretty neat attraction, although we went for my husband's sake and not for mine. It was cool to see how well-preserved the ship is, and all the ancient artifacts from the 1980s (a lot of which you will still see in your parent's home!). Beware, there are a lot of narrow, steep stair/ladders involved, so if you're not able-bodied it's not a lot of fun. The ship was kept comfortable with lots of fans, which I appreciated. My husband had a blast, it was a good way to kill an afternoon. The place is run by volunteers, so if you're on the receiving end of some weird comments (like we were) don't let it ruin your day, they aren't being paid to be there. Visited September 2014 read more

Amazing to see this, and right next to it is an amazing water park and playground for the kids. Coming to the keys, check this out, the kids will love it! read more

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The ship was well worth a visit however the docent "Captain Bill" was awful. He was opinionated, condescending, argumentative, and overall made the visit much poorer than it should have been. Some examples -I asked what the flag was that was flying at the bow and said I had never seen this before. The conversation went like this Cap Bill "Yes, you have", Me "No, I haven't", Cap Bill "Yes, you have" me "I don't remember ever having seen that flag" Cap Bill "It was invented by Lord Nelson at Trafalgar" (by the way I am a Brit) me " I have never seen this flag" Cap Bill "Yes you have" me "I haven't" Cap Bill "The Union Jack" (side note the flag I was asking about was the stars without the strips, I know what a Union flag looks like) so this was not the "Union Jack". Cap Bill finally said that the flag was the flag flown by vessels entering port and showed the nationality of the ship and crew. Cap Bill also referenced the mess the country was in, followed immediately by talking about President Carter and the huge influx of immigrants he allowed with the harbour being filled with Cuban refugees (no comment from me). He also went on to reference a discussion between US and Ally Generals during WWII when the US general was asked "what is the most potent weapon you have" and he replied "A pissed-off marine with an M1 carbine" which I took as hubris. The ship merits a 5-star review, Captain Bill made this a 2-star review. If he was my captain, mutiny would be a fantasy I would indulge. Go see the ship -avoid Captain Bill. read more

Very Educational. Its awesome to see a WW2 ship so well preserved. Highly recommended if youre a history buff like me

This is a great stop while in Key West. The boat was labeled and the self guided walking tour was fantastic. It truly was preserved exactly as the soldiers left it- really informative, historical and mostly, interesting. read more

A great piece of history in Key West. Wonderful view of the sunset so a great place to be for the show on Friday or Saturday evenings.

There is a lot of history here. To think it was rescued from the scrapyard is scary. If you are a military history buff, don't miss this.

What a terrific, self-guided tour! We were entertained, educated and inspired. Very neat to be able to tour the actual ship and see the living quarters and ship operations. Lots of cool photos and mementos too. Highly recommend. read more

Absolutely awesome!!!! The history is incredible. I'm amazed how decorated the ship is. The only Coast Guard ship to sink a U-boat! Do yourselves a favor and go. It's a short walk to get there read more

The USCGC Ingham is a fantastic, fully intact museum ship. When the ship was pulled from active service it was like the crew just got up and left whatever they were doing in place. The Ingham has a tremendous history with service in both WW II and Viet Nam. In times of peace She performed rescue and drug interdiction operations. She was saved from scrapping by a group of volunteers who fight every day to keep her in good shape. A Navy Dad, I have toured numerous famous vessels such as the USS Midway in San Diego and the USS Iowa in San Pedro CA. The Ingham is one of the best preserved ships I have ever toured. Admission is about $10 per adult, Children 6 and under were free, Members of the Military receive discounted rates. All the money goes towards the ship. The Volunteers aboard are friendly, informative and dedicated. Experience living history firsthand, help support this deserving Ship that protected Our Country for over 50 years at sea. Overnight aboard programs also available for JROTC and Scouting Units. The Ingham can also facilitate special events. Oh, and I am not affiliated with the USCGC Ingham, I just love history and the USA. A visit to the USCGC Ingham Museum Ship is a great way to experience both. read more

USCGC Ingham Memorial Museum - USCGC Ingham from the bow, Key West Florida - Museums Near Me

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Must see!!! Most decorated ship in history! Built in 1936, this ship is amazing and has a very rich history of involvement during every major war since 1936 Take the tour at your own pace. Stay as long as you like. It's worth it. read more

Self guided tour of the ship. $10 for adults. Interesting if you are a naval person. It is a work in progress where they are preserving the ship but trying to add historical displays revolving around the ship and the conflicts in which it served. Not a bad experience but you have to have an interest in history and ships. The man at the ticket booth was friendly and informative. read more

Visited the Ingham 5/2018. This is a must see in Key West if you have any interest at all in the particpation of the USCG from WW II through the Mariel Boat Lift. This ship was on active duty for 52 years. It's a time capsule of life on a ship and full of historical documents and information. Had 6 other people along on our visit and we thought we would spend a hour touring before headin back to DuVal street. Actually it was so interesting that we spent over 2 1/2 hours on the self guided tour and all came out impressed with the service history of this ship. If you have any interest in history from WW II on, a not to be missed tour while in Key West. read more