Could only see the outside. The website said they were open but must have been closed due to Covid. Could not go in to see the museum or walk around closer to view the USS Cairo.

This was amazing to see... but it was closed so you couldnt walk around the ship like normal. Im not sure how blocking off the walkway helps prevent COVID-19 when allowing people to look from the parking area doesnt.I understand the museum being closed, I suppose. But we really wanted to see up close. Not their fault, just disappointing.

Loved the view from the top of the hill and the history was interesting.

Would have loved to went inside but shut down do to Covid-19 but a very lovely place

It was awesome to see even though the park allows only drive and walk thrus.

The history and reconstruction of this remarkable ship are impressive. The setting is wonderful as it is surrounded by one of the most important battlefields of the Civil War. The museum offers a look at how the ship was excavated and restored. It also displays some of the artifacts that were found which give us an idea of what life on the ship might have been like. This is a must-see in Vicksburg.

We had a great time!! Expect to spend all day to enjoy both the Cairo Museum and National Military Cemetery and Monuments

A great deal of work has gone into restoring this recovered warship. It, the grounds, and the museum are well maintained, with the museum containing many fascinating preserved artifacts of the time. The rangers and support staff are friendly, eager to answer questions. There is no additional entry fee; what is payed at the gate to Vicksburg park covers the museum.

It was really cool to see the ship. However the museum was closed

My family and I, really enjoyed visiting The Vicksburg Military park yesterday. Loved the USS Cairo and the Museum, True History isnt taught in public schools anymore so I took the time to explain to my grandchildren the true meaning of the civil-war, not the show flake version.

Great place to visit my family really enjoyed the time we spent three.

Closed for covid. Couldnt even walk around the boat. Other states national parks are open why not this one.

Amazing history, meticulously kept park. Closed for covid!

This is an excellent small museum for all. The ship is open to walk thru parts and there are information boards. The best thing about this museum is that it gives a lot of information and does not require a lot of time to see it if other members of the party arent interested in history or if you are under travel time schedules.

Awesome piece of history theyve managed to preserve. Amazing to think about how long it sat at the bottom of the river & yet was skillfully reconstructed.

This is probably one of the best reasons to visit Vicksburg. The Cairo is an incredible piece of history that you can actually walk through. I love the easy distinction between new and old at this park and the clear interpretation.Take your time here and appreciate that this ship was only commissioned for 11 months. She is a beautiful vessel for the time.Inside the museum are some pieces found inside the Cairo when she was raised. Wow. Youre going to be amazed!

The restoration and presentation of this civil war battleship is spectacular from bow to stern. The ship is beautiful in itself, but the architecture of the museum and the exhibits in it are unique and informative also.

Really cool park. Seeing the ironclad and being able to walk into it was fantastic. Would definitely recommend if someone plans on going by Vicksburg.

The fact this was saved is amazing and a great benefit to teach our younger generation about technology during the civil war. It was amazing.

I love history. This is a must visit place

What an amazing National Park, spent the day here with my Jr. Ranger and my family, could have spent a week wandering this entire park. Such an amazingly thought out Park, the monuments and drivable tour was a perfect experience for everyone. Its mindblowing that so many had to lose their life over such a simple solution to the end of slavery, a very powerful experience for sure and a great place to road school your kids!

Pretty cool salvage! Amazing how much they brought up from below!

This place is amazing if you love history. They have restored the salvaged the river ironclad and allow you to walk out into the ship. You get a good sense of how big and formidable these things really were.

Was very interesting and educational. I did learn a lot here

This was a place I have wanted to visit for a long time and it didnt dissapoint. They let you get on the only remaining city class gun boat! It has a nice museum right next to it, which is all about iron class and sailors. Plus picnic tables scattered around to eat at.

Must see destination in Vicksburg. Such a cool piece of history. A rare glimpse of an old Ironsides battle ship from Civil War era.we wish we spent some more time around the exhibit but we were on s tight schedule. The rest of the park was also greatness. Let your imagination go wild here as history will come alive!

Exceeded expectations. Highly recommend. Park Ranger Thomas is a rock star!

This is a fascinating look at early naval history during the civil war. It is amazing how well preserved it is and the artifacts in the small museum.

The museum was the highlight of our trip to Vicksburg. We enjoyed the military park as a whole. It the Cairo was the icing on the cake. So many artifacts, a lot of information, and the restoration of the ship was done in a way that allows you to see all the working parts of the ship.

Well its 3 stars because it is closed when it is shown here it is open. Covid 19 I guess. You can see the ship from a distance of about 25 yards but not worth the effort unless u are in the area.

Wonderful place! If you are a history buff this place is a must.

This was somewhat a surprise as we were coming down the hill and there it was. Note to self read up before visit. This is an amazing piece of history, not only how it was built (1 of six that were built in 100 Days), to its destruction from river mine. It is an impressive story which is laid out in an informative manner from its beginning to, its sinking, then finding and its raising to its winding up in its present location. The museum attached is also a wealth of information, we enjoyed this very much, I say well done National Park Service.

Oh my god i am in love whit this place

What a treasure! Cudos to those who dreamed, planned, envisioned and worked to get this priceless exhibit on site. This was excellently displayed and has been respectfully preserved

I never in my life thought I would see an actual iron clad, let alone walk its deck, this is a fantastic piece of history made even better considering you can walk some of it.

Awesome amd well preserved

Any visit to Vicksburg national military Park should include a walk around one of the amazing ironclads that were in service turn the civil war. The national Park service has done a great job in restoring this sunken ironclad that was one of the vessels so important to the union victory at Vicksburg. Being able to walk through it and around it was very impactful, and gave me the sense of what it was like to be a sailor on the vessel...

Very impressive display of the salvaged and assembled gunboat that struck a mine(in the old days they called them torpedos) and sank very quickly but without any casualties. Another gunboat came by and mowed over the smoke stacks sticking out of the water so its location would be harder to find and salvage in case it was attempted. The original wood, some of the metal, and guns were placed back aboard the ship in thier locations. A cradle was built around and thru the ship so it can be walked on as it would have sat and you can see pretty much how life aboard would have been. I loved getting to see what it was like being on board something that size, which was bigger than expected. After looking at the crew list too, you notice everybody was under six feet tall. A mighty impressive display of what was history.

Small but very informative. Seeing the ship and being able to explore the inside of it was awesome.

The USS Cairo Museum is part of the Vicksburg Battlefield, I did not know this when we arrived. The USS Cairo Museum was the unexpected surprise that make these trips worth their weight in gold.The USS Cairo Museum was an Civil War Ironclad ship. In late 1862, the USS Cairo was sailing up the Yazoo River near Vicksburg, MS when she was suck by the Confederates. Ironclads get their name from the iron plates used as armor to ward off cannon balls. Ironclads were nearly immune to cannon fire, but torpedo and water mines were another story. Apparently this was how the USS Cairo was sunk. Later she was raised and brought to Vicksburg and put on display.By visiting the USS Cairo a person can truly get a sense of how big these ships were. Without any apparent reason I had always assumed that they were on the smaller side.The USS Cairo Museum as part of the Vicksburg Park entrance fee.

Love the history a must for all.

One of the best restorations and historic displays in the country

The full exhibit of the ship was outside, although the museum was not open.

This is an awesome exhibit and my third visit. When you go, notice the concentric brick paving. Find the center of the concentric circles. This point is only a few feet from the bow of the boat. This is where the mine exploded and sunk the Cairo.

Visiting the USS Cairo is a must-do if youre in the Vicksburg area...especially if youre visiting the Vicksburg National Military Park nearby. Were pleasantly surprised visiting the USS Cairo. It was the best part of our visit to Vicksburg. We had no idea that there are any of the ironclads that are still in existence much less be able to get in and walk through the skeleton of what is left of it. The size and scope of the USS Cairo was amazing and very impressive.The museum itself was fascinating as we learned from the artifacts that had been recovered little bit about life on the USS Cairo if you were a crew member.

Excellent displays of items from the ship. There isnt much of the actual ship left, but its still cool!

Extremely informative from construction to what we see today...

An interesting stop as you tour Vicksburg National Military Park. The visitor center has bathrooms (often much needed) and displays of artifacts taken from the Cairo.

A piece of history that most will never see. The museum, itself, is small but the Cairo remains are truly impressive. I highly recommend.

Wonderful to see that they were able to raise the USS Cairo for all of us to see

Mostly closed, probably due to COVID but there wes no sign with there was no entry fee too.

Great artifacts, great layout, and knowledgeable staff on site. The history of the ship is so interesting. Take your time while youre here and ask the guides a lot of questions. Theyre glad to talk about the battles, the ships history, and its preservation.

Interesting your of history.

Restricted access due to COVID-19

Assumed there was just going to be an exhibit about the USS Cairo. NOPE. Not only can you see the USS Cairo in all its glory (looking like some steampunk sci-fi/western military vehicle), you can actually walk through part of the boat! Was driving through and thought Id check it out, so glad I did. The staff at the museum are very knowledgeable and gave great suggestions for things to see in the area.

We stopped at the Vicksburg battle field to look at the monuments. We had no idea that this exhibit was here. By far the best part of the tour. We loved being able to stand on this boat. The artifacts recovered from the boat were very interesting.

Very cool place to stop at. The history you learn is very interesting. I wo hi old recommend.

I would like additional information signs during covid

Nice piece of history and a great way to spend a day.

This is an excellently displayed exhibit. The engineering on this old iron-clad is marvelous. The signage is loaded with fascinating historical information as welll as illustrations. It is situated immediately in front of the military cementary, which adds an extra element of solemnity to it. So worth seeing.

If you enjoy history & mechanics, youll love it! The museum has really cool artifacts and displays that will surely feed the curious side of you! I took time to watch the history video.. Im glad i did!

The most beautiful park in Mississippi, and the most amazing staff/volunteer crew. The tours are a must-do, and an amazing way to learn more about the history of, not only Vicksburg, but the United States as a whole.

Visited for the first time 20 yrs. Ago. This time a new canopy protects it. Lots of information about the ironclad and its preservation.

A fascinating return visit.

Very interesting. Real relics from the past.

Great Museum!And the Park Rangers I met (Lela, Daniel) were extremely helpful in answering my quesions. Top professionals.I highly recommend making time for the Cairo.

The battlefield was something, but this ship and museum was the highlight of my day. Simply wonderful.

Very cool. Was worth it just to walk through it. To bad our National Parks are being forgotten. So many repairs needed.

The displays were great - inside and out ! The walk ways in the ship really helped to see all the big guns

Wonderful exhibit. Lots to learn and see.

This is an absolutely fabulous piece of history. Very well presented, accessible and easy to experience for everyone, young or old. Highly recommended!

It is difficult to believe that seven of these gunboats were built in one hundred days. The workload had to be tremendous. I found the Cairo to be fascinating. To be on the deck of such an important piece of history was awe inspiring.

One of the Ironclads of the war between the North and South. This the only one existing

This river boat would be a very unwelcoming sight to see if you were in the CSA Navy. I can imagine men abandoning ship after spotting the USS Cairo coming down the river. Now it is preserved and folks during our time can walk through USS Cairo and around it and see original meshed with perfect restoration, and you can see there is a boundary between what is original and what is reconstructed. The original ship boilers are included, the entire hull is a museum! Its an open area around the USS Cairo, so you can imagine and see where and how the mine sunk this vessel.

Really amazing piece of history. The reconstruction of the ship is partial the is still original sections. You can walk thru the vessel and see what it was like to be on it with her 13 monster cannons. There is also a really nice museum with artifacts recovered during the salvage.

Nice museum in the park. My first time to tour it. I have been to the park many times. Plan on going back.

Awesome history and you can get so close to the ironclad you can almost reach out and touch it.

Awesome! If your a civil war buff, you have to visit this!

Amazing. This piece of history was brought up from the river in three pieces. We are now in a tech age. When you can actually see what these men are out of and the way they groomed it is just unreal to us in this day and age.

A window into history! They salvaged it from the bottom of the river and it came out in wonderful shape. Very fun to look at, its shaded, and has a museum and gift shop.

Amazing place to visit for military enthusiasts

This was a unique experience. Not only can you look at a Civil War ship, you can walk inside it (or, whats left of it). The inside of the museum holds all manner of unique items that were found on the ship after it was recovered. Each item is labeled so you know exactly what youre looking at. If youre visiting Vicksburg Military Park, plan on stopping here. You cant miss it. We hadnt planned on visiting because we didnt realize how close it was to Vicksburg, but it ended up being my favorite stop of the day!

Been trying to see the Cairo for years & finally got to and was not disappointed. It is amazing what the men accomplished on the Cairo.

A little off the beaten path but definitely worth the drive. Gives you a good sense of what the boat was all about. The ship display is the star, the museum is ok if you are really into artifacts from the time period. I would budget 45 minutes or so to walk around everything.

A lot of history, u learn alot about how gun ships played a big part and how they were made.Definately 5 star

So good to find out about some history we dont think about every day. Enjoyed the WHOLE Vicksburg experience

Too bad the museum was closed.

Great for a history lesson

Incredible story of how it went down and then a great story about how they recovered it!

This was an awesome place to visit. We just didnt have enough time to see it all. This site was on the individualized battlefield tour. This was a part of history of the Civil War I had not be aware of. Park Rangers were always around to ask questions.

Amazing!!! Every bit of it was amazing!!! The restoration, the ability to go inside, the story, the museum of item recovered...all amazing!!!

Fascinating place. Where else can you see an iron clad ship.

Within Vickburg National park but worth the trip just to see this ship@

Not every day you can see 1860s Industrial Technology.

Cool piece of history to see and a decent amount of relics from the time to view and read about. Walking on the boat is pretty neat too.

This was awesome! To see nineteenth century technology up close was inspiring. How could they have created such a huge machine back then? But they did and you can see it up close.

Great to see such history.

Very neat museum. Loved seeing the semi restored ship. The museum section was interesting, too! If you like ships, its definitely a good stop. If you only kinda like ships, its still worth stopping.

This is a great historic park. There are lots of monuments honoring fallen civil war soldiers from various areas, and artifacts on display for viewing. There are small reenactments that are period correct, including a canon loading and firing off portion. The video of the ship discovery and recovery is great. Definitely the best Civil War park and museum that weve visited.

Outstanding! If you like civil war history, and particularly naval history, youve got to stop here. The salvage and display of this ironclad is amazing.