Mariners' Museum - Newport News, Virginia

Address:100 Museum Dr.
Newport News, Virginia
Tel: (757) 596-2222

At the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, you'll find the largest international maritime history museum in the world. Riddled with prized artifacts and celebrating the spirit of seafaring adventure, you'll love the over 60,000 square feet of galleries, figureheads, ship models, Civil War artifacts, paintings, small crafts from around the world and much more.

The International Small Craft Center features 150 boats from 36 countries while the Miniature Ships exhibit highlights exquisitely detailed miniature ships unparalleled in their craftsmanship. You'll love the Age of Exploration exhibit that chronicles the history of shipbuilding, ocean navigation and cartography development from the 15th to the 18th centuries.

The USS Monitor Centre is a brand new $30 million addition to the Mariners' Museum. A high-definition battle theatre will really let you experience the seafaring battles and visitors will have a chance to walk on a full-scale replica of the Monitor. Interactive hands-on exhibits await you at this fascinating new exhibit including a walk down a mock dock between a wooden sailing frigate and the CSS Virginia.

Collections of scientific instruments, photographs, as well as fine and decorative arts are also impressively on display at the Mariners' Museum. Highlights include stunning paintings of yachts and artifacts, and even a pocket sundial from 1680.

The museum store has everything from books to jewelry to toys, as well as paintings and stationery with wartime imagery.

To reach the Mariners' Museum, take the I95 south and take the I295 bypass around Richmond. Take the I-64 east towards Williamsburg and then exit 258-A. Travel 2.5 miles to the intersection of Warwick Blvd. and J. Clyde Morris Blvd. (Avenue of the Arts). Continue straight through the intersection and take your first left onto Museum Drive. The Museum entrance is directly ahead.

Set on a 550 acre woodland park, take in the museum and enjoy a backpack exploration or climb on the wooden ships. A wonderful day is in store for the entire family.

Take a daily tour of the USS Monitor Center's conservation area and view the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor's turret, steam condenser and engine. These three artifacts are unavailable during the regular Museum tour due to their location in the construction area of the Center. Along the way you'll get a chance to see our progress on building the Center, a $30 million addition to the Museum opening March 9, 2007. Tour participants must register at the admissions desk upon arriving at the Museum, be able to wear an adult-sized hard hat provided by the Museum, and are asked to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.