Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum-About

The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum is located in Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend Washington. Fort Worden is one of three forts comprising the Triangle of Fire which controlled ship access to Puget Sound. Construction at Fort Worden started in 1898 with the first guns manned in 1902 and the majority of the structures on the Fort predate WWI.

The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum was established in 1976 to preserve and interpret Coast Artillery history with special emphasis on the Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound as they existed and functioned from the late 1800s to the end of World War II. The Museum also has exhibits showing the History of Fort Worden from it's beginnings in 1897 through it's use as a military base, a State Diagnostic and Treatment Center for adolescents, and finally as one of the premier State Parks in Washington.

Hours:

The museum is located in Building 201 (one of the original 1904 Barracks) next to the Park Office at Fort Worden. It is open 365 days/year 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission: Effective April 1, 2013 rates are $4 adults, $2 ages 6-12, and a $10 family value package covering 2 generations. Admission is free for children ages 5 and younger and active duty service members. Effective August 15, 2014 partners and dependents of active duty military service members pay half price. Discounted group rates are available by prior arrangement.

Our Mission Statement

The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, founded in 1976 in partnership with Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend is dedicated to the mission: "...to interpret for the benefit of present and future generations, the story of the coastal fortification of Fort Worden, and Puget Sound and those who manned them."

The museum is a non-profit, volunteer based organization that relies on museum admission prices, sales in the museum, donations, membership dues and the cooperation of Washington State Parks to operate. Contributions to the operations or the Sustaining Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, may be sent directly to the Museum, are fully tax-deductible, and most appreciated.

From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend Museum Volunteers provide guided tours of the fortifications on Saturdays. The Harbor Entrance Command Post is open from 11-3 and a Walking Tour of Artillery hill starts at 1 PM at Memory's Vault on top of the hill. Special group tours of the Museum or the hill are available on request, please call (360) 385-0373 to arrange it.

We are always interested in new volunteers to help with projects, guide tours or help in the Museum. If you have time and are interested please contact the museum. We are happy to help arrange special projects for groups on a one time or repeating basis.