North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort

Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, ran aground in 1718 near Beaufort. Nearly 300 years later in 1996 it was recovered from under the waves. Now artifacts from the infamous pirate’s vessel are on display at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort. 

The artifacts from Blackbeard’s ship include weapons from the heavily fortified ship that was the terror of the colonial coast and the Caribbean, as well as objects from everyday pirate life. 

The small museum is part of the North Carolina Museum of History, which also has maritime museum branches in Southport and Roanoke Island. Its focus is on maritime heritage, with plenty of curios like an impressive shell collection, models of fish, and even some small historic watercraft. Also worth a look is the preserved heart of a sperm whale, whose skeleton hangs from the ceiling.