Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum

Riggs Ward Design partnered with the North Carolina Department of Cultural History, Clark Nexsen, and the North Carolina Maritime Museums to create award-winning, immersive exhibits for the 7,000-square-foot Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, NC. The design brings to life the dramatic stories of vessels and mariners who faced war, piracy, and the powerful forces of nature along the North Carolina coast.

Visitors engage with a dynamic mix of artifacts, environmental graphics, soundscapes, and interactive experiences. Highlights include a 26-foot surfboat, a digital map tracing thousands of shipwrecks, and hands-on displays exploring maritime preservation techniques, weather prediction technologies, and modern lifesaving tools.

By combining scale, storytelling, and interactive engagement, the museum offers a compelling journey through North Carolina’s maritime heritage. The design balances educational rigor with immersive experiences, inviting visitors to connect with the challenges, innovations, and human stories that have defined the state’s coastal history.