Mariners Museum & Park
Do you love ships, boats and naval history? The Mariner’s Museum and Park connects people to the world’s waters because that is how we are connected to one another. This is a great place to walk through nautical history whether you are a sailor, ‘landlubber’ or history buff. Plan to spend at least several hours to tour this Smithsonian quality museum all about naval history.
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Mariners Museum & Park
Within the Museum itself you will find 90,000 square feet of exhibition galleries including the prestigious International Small Craft Center, and the award-winning USS Monitor Center. This state-of-the-art exhibition and conservation lab houses 210 tons of artifacts from the Civil War ironclad Monitor, which were recovered from NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.
The Mariners Museum is massive and can take all day to enjoy and appreciate all of the exhibits.
When you visit the Mariners Museum you discover stories from naval history all the way back to the Civil War.
USS Monitor Center
The USS Monitor Center showcases the final home of the legendary ironclad. You can walk the full scale replica of the Monitor and see artifacts including the revolving gun turret.
There are interactive exhibits that help you learn the story of the USS Monitor.
You can even see the conservation process where the staff is restoring and preserving other artifacts from the Monitor.
Miniature Ships of August & Winnifred Crabtree
Don’t miss the August & Winnifred Crabtree Gallery with 16 miniature vessels that show the evolution of the sailing ships. These ships may be small but the attention to detail is incredible.
Model Ship Gallery
Enjoy the massive collection of model ships from all time periods. Take your time and appreciate the detail and craftsmanship of these model ships.
There is even an area for young ship builders.
Have you ever visited the Mariners Museum and Park? What is your favorite part of naval history?
$1 Admission
Admission to the Museum is only $1 per person.
Located just across the parking lot from the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, the Mariners Museum is a great place to spend the day learning about naval history.
Find the Mariners Museum
The Mariners’ Museum and Park
100 Museum Dr, Newport News, VA 23606
River Discovery Center
Looking for other museums that celebrate our connection to the rivers and naval history. Check out the River Discovery Center in Paducah, Kentucky!
