"U.S. Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard" Topic

One of my sons took me to this fascinating museum last week for my birthday before heading to the ballpark for our first look at the new Nationals stadium. If you have never been to the Washington Navy Yard before, plan to add this to the itinerary for your next trip to D.C.

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It's well worth an extended visit!

There are a few dioramas, including one of the building of the CSS Virginia and other items of interest to the wargamer.

Also, there is a nice display of small metal models of World War II ships and vessels that reminds me of modern wargaming models.

Went years ago, when making regular trips to visit with some of the squinky folks in the Navy Yard. It's an excellent museum.

Allen

I work at the Navy Yard and on stressful days I've been known to oggle some stuff. The ship models themselves are mostly 1/48 and huge. The NAVSEA building down the street is filled with more models, more of the transport type. I dream of buying one and running a modern pirate game!

Joey

Isn't it sad that all the other branches of service have a national museum, but the National Army Museum is STILL trying to raise money.

I do VIP tours at the Navy Yard as a collateral duty – great fun! In addition to the things mentioned in Scott's link, we have a WWI 14" Railway gun, the Trieste, a Swift Boat, the US Navy Art Museum (featuring Astronaut and Navy IA art last month), a great parade grounds in front of the CNO's house with an impressive cannon collection, the Naval Historical Society, and a museum expansion under construction for the Cold War. This will be in the old David Taylor building next to the current museum and is supposed to feature a 1:1 scale Vietnam waterfront exhibit with a PBR floating quayside. I understand that they are seeking more donations to finish the project. Parking can be difficult on the Yard, but there is a lot immediately outside the Main Gate for $8 USD per day. No charge to visit any of the Navy historic exhibits. Y'all Come!

Lost Pict

I visited last year with a colleague from Carderock, although we were on a schedule and I missed the Swift boat (a great pity, since Ihave a thing about riverine craft). Sounds like, with the new expansion and the PBR, that I ought to organise a return visit in a few months :)

I posted a few more photographs of the U.S. Navy Museum in today's entry on my Cannonball blog…

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FWIW, there used to be an excellent Navy museum in Norfolk, Virginia, and there is also a Confederate Navy museum being built in Columbus, Georgia.

portcolumbus.org

Museum is good. I was mainly on site to do research at the Navy Department Library and Photographic Section. I certainly recommend doing research at the library.

There's also (or use to be) a Japanese Long Lance torpedo
on the grounds.

The museum in Norfolk is still there, but downtown as part of Nauticus. hrnm.navy.mil

The Civil War Museum (formally the Confederate Navy Museum) at Columbus is wonderful, and although out of the way, is well worth the visit for those interested in the naval side of the ACW.

Scott, thanks for the photos of my former office building. I work for the same organization (Naval History and Heritage Command – history.navy.mil/) that runs the Navy Museum in DC, and my office was in the old commandant's office for about 10 years. The Brooke rifles that are in the front yard of the building are indeed from CSS TENNESSEE captured at Mobile Bay. Museum weblink: link

My favorite ACW naval artifact in the museum is the stern rudder post of USS KEARSARGE with the unexploded shell (now inert) embedded from CSS ALABAMA – one of the great "what ifs" of the Civil War.

Not to be picky, but the frigate USS MERRIMACK from which CSS VIRGINIA was built used a variant of the river spelled with a "k" on the end as did two other vessels with that name. There were two different ships named MERRIMAC, without the "k". The histories of all these, for anyone who is interested can be found at: link

Also, as Schlesien suggested, it is a great place for Navy library collections, photographs, art, and post-WWII archival material.

Mark