What to See and Do at Liberty Square, Charleston
History buffs flock to Charleston to learn about Lowcountry history. If you want to know more about the city’s storied past, you can’t miss stopping by Liberty Square.
A public park established in the early 1990s, Charleston’s Liberty Square is one of the most beautiful parks in the city.
It’s home to the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center and offers access to the nearby International African American Museum.
Find out everything there is to do in Liberty Square, Charleston, how to get there, and a little bit about this park’s storied history.
What is Liberty Square in Charleston?
Liberty Square is a public park in Charleston that was established in the early 1990s and dedicated to the history of the transatlantic slave trade, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War.
The park is free to visit and is home to the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, which details the history of this site as well as Charleston’s role in many important U.S. historical events.
Liberty Square History
Liberty Square is near Gadsden’s Wharf, which was built in the late 1700s and was the first point of entry to the U.S. for more than 100,000 enslaved Africans in the 1700s and 1800s.
It was used as a slave ship dock until the 1860s.
Across the harbor from Gadsden’s Wharf sits Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.
In the early 1990s, Liberty Square was created as part of a revitalization program. Educational sites were built to help visitors understand the role Charleston played in the Revolutionary War, the transatlantic slave trade, and the Civil War.
How to Get to Liberty Square
Liberty Square is located on the Cooper River, just east of Marion Square in Downtown Charleston.
Walk or drive down East Bay Street and take a left on Calhoun Street.
Parking is available in the Charleston Aquarium Parking Garage and costs $1 per 20 minutes (up to a $24 daily maximum).
If you want an experienced guide to take you to Liberty Square, we recommend booking a private tour of Charleston.
Liberty Square Visitor Information
Liberty Square is located at 340 Concord Street and is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the education center is also free.
Things to Do in Liberty Square
Liberty Square is a public park that spans about four square city blocks. Even though this park is relatively small, there is a lot to see and do here.
From the moment you walk through the Philip Simmons Gates, you’ll be transported back in history.
Visit the Fort Sumter Education Center, enjoy views of the waterfront, tour the International African American Museum, and take the ferry to Fort Sumter.
If you need more context of the history of the city, take our Charleston public history walking tour to get a better understanding of the timeline of the important events in the Holy City.
Enjoy Views of the Waterfront
Liberty Square is located right on Charleston’s waterfront, so it’s the perfect park to enjoy views of Charleston Harbor and the Cooper River.
You’ll also be able to see Fort Sumter from this vantage point, so even if you don’t plan to visit this historical Charleston site, you’ll still be able to enjoy it from afar.
If the weather is nice, find a bench, take a seat, and enjoy the view.
Appreciate the Philip Simmons Gates
One of Charleston’s most famous iron workers was Philip Simmons.
An African American craftsman, Simmons was responsible for creating more than 500 iron gates, fences, balcony railings, and grills around Charleston.
At the entryway to Libery Square, you’ll find one of Simmon’s crowning achievements. It was dedicated to Simmons in 2001.
If you want to see more of Philip Simmons’s work, you can always take our Hidden Alleys and Passages Tour, which includes some of the ironwork credited to Simmons featured along Charleston’s hidden alleyways.
Visit the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center
The Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center is a small museum that is dedicated to teaching visitors about the role that Charleston played in the transatlantic slave trade and the history of slavery in the U.S.
It features several permanent exhibits as well as special exhibits, demonstrations, Civil War talks, and special programs to commemorate important dates.
The education center also educates visitors on the history of the Civil War and Fort Sumter’s significance as the site where the war officially began.
Learn About the History of Gadsden’s Wharf
Gadsden’s Wharf was where approximately 40% of African Americans who are descended from enslaved Africans can trace their history.
More than 100,000 enslaved Africans arrived at Gadsen’s Wharf over the 1700s and 1800s.
If you want to learn more about the history of this wharf, you can book a private tour. Or, you can learn about the wharf’s history at the International African American Museum.
Visit the International African American Museum
The International African American Museum of Charleston opened in 2023.
It details the history of African Americans in Charleston and throughout the U.S. It also explains how Africans arrived in the U.S. in enslavement and the impact of slavery across the world.
This museum is open to the public six days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If you want a deeper understanding of Charleston’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, the history of Gadsden’s Wharf, and the cultural heritage of African Americans, you should definitely add the International African American Museum to your itinerary.
Take the Ferry to Fort Sumter
If you’re planning on taking the ferry to Fort Sumter, you can do so right from Liberty Square, as it is one of the points of disembarkment for the Fort Sumter Ferry.
Although Liberty Square and the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center are free to visit, you’ll need to pay for a ticket to get to Fort Sumter.
We also recommend booking your ferry tickets in advance, as ferries book up quickly during peak seasons.