Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum Ironclad displays. Giant wooden ship models. Military weaponry & artifacts. ALL ABOARD FOR MUSEUM HISTORY

Ironclad displays.

Portsmouthโ€™s navy yard is the nationโ€™s oldest, dating back to Colonial times. Our exhibits tell the story of the huge role it played in building the U.S. Navy, then bringing it into the nuclear age โ€“ and so much more! OUR MISSION

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum researches, preserves and promotes the history of the City of Portsmouth, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and the armed forces in Hampton

Roads. The museum accomplishes its mission by offering exhibitions, publications, lectures and educational programs.

๐Ÿฆ† DUCK, DUCKโ€ฆ MUSEUM! Some rubber ducks are making their way through Portsmouth Museums this September and we need YOU t...
09/05/2026

๐Ÿฆ† DUCK, DUCKโ€ฆ MUSEUM! Some rubber ducks are making their way through Portsmouth Museums this September and we need YOU to find them!

Every day that our museums are open in September, one of the Portsmouth Museums will hide a rubber duck somewhere in its galleries or exhibits.

๐‡๐ž๐ซ๐ž'๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ:
๐Ÿ”Ž ๐…๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐…๐š๐œ๐ž๐›๐จ๐จ๐ค & ๐ˆ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ฆ. Each participating museum will share a clue or a sneak peek of the duck in its hiding spot!
๐Ÿฆ† ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ & ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ! Keep your eyes peeled as you explore.
๐ŸŽ ๐…๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐ฎ๐œ๐ค! The lucky finder can take home the duck!
๐Ÿ”„ ๐€๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ข๐Ÿ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐›๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ญ! The duck will be replaced throughout the week, giving multiple visitors a chance to find it. With five museums participating, you never know where the duck will turn up next!

๐Ÿ›๏ธ ๐๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐œ๐ข๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฌ:
โ€ขChildren's Museum of Virginia
โ€ข Lightship Portsmouth Museum
โ€ข Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center
โ€ข Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum

Follow along, watch for the clues, and get ready to ! ๐Ÿฆ†

โš“๏ธ๐Ÿˆ LETโ€™S GO, MIDSHIPMEN! ๐Ÿˆโš“๏ธItโ€™s game day! On September 5, the U.S. Naval Academy kicks off a new college football seas...
09/05/2026

โš“๏ธ๐Ÿˆ LETโ€™S GO, MIDSHIPMEN! ๐Ÿˆโš“๏ธ

Itโ€™s game day! On September 5, the U.S. Naval Academy kicks off a new college football season, and weโ€™re cheering them on from Portsmouth!

From the shipyard to the football field, the Navy tradition runs deep. Hereโ€™s to a great season for the Midshipmen!

โš“๏ธ On This Day in History On September 3, 1964, Lightship LV-101 was donated to the City of Portsmouth, beginning a new ...
09/03/2026

โš“๏ธ On This Day in History

On September 3, 1964, Lightship LV-101 was donated to the City of Portsmouth, beginning a new chapter in the vesselโ€™s long history of service. The ship was renamed the Lightship Portsmouth and, in 1967, opened as a museum where visitors could step aboard and learn about the men who served on lightships and the important role these vessels played in maritime history.

Today, the Lightship Portsmouth remains a unique piece of Portsmouthโ€™s maritime heritage and a reminder of the cityโ€™s deep connection to the water.

โš“๏ธ Want to step aboard and experience this piece of history for yourself? Visit the Lightship Portsmouth Museum, open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come explore the ship and discover what life was like aboard a working lightship!

We're thrilled to welcome you back to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum at the end of the month!Be sure to stop by an...
09/01/2026

We're thrilled to welcome you back to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum at the end of the month!

Be sure to stop by and see our temporary exhibit America's Shipyard:

In honor of our nation's 250th anniversary, discover the ten most important ships built, modernized, or repaired at Norfolk Naval Shipyardโ€”vessels that made naval history and shaped our nation's story. From the first ship dry docked in the Western Hemisphere to groundbreaking ironclads and battleships, explore how generations of skilled workers and crucial innovations at the shipyard helped build, defend, and advance the United States.

โš“ Mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 30th!

08/28/2026

Ever wonder how it's made? Meet local artists, craftspeople, engineers and creators who love sharing their knowledge and passion.

Watch live demonstrations, ask questions and discover everything from woodworking, pottery and glassblowing to coding, robotics and 3D printing. You might even find your next hobby.

Maker Fest is tomorrow, August 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Museum Mall outside the Children's Museum of Virginia. Free and open to all: https://brnw.ch/21x5hE2

โš“ On This Day in HistoryOn August 26, 1854, the USS Constellation was launched at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (then calle...
08/26/2026

โš“ On This Day in History

On August 26, 1854, the USS Constellation was launched at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (then called Gosport Navy Yard) in Portsmouth, Virginia. She was the last sail-only warship built by the U.S. Navy and would go on to serve for more than a century in a variety of roles.

Built during a period of transition from sail to steam, Constellation represents an important chapter in the history of American shipbuilding and naval technology. Today, her legacy lives on as a reminder of Portsmouthโ€™s longstanding connection to the U.S. Navy and maritime history.

๐ŸŽจ Artifact of the DayStanding tall over the Norfolk Navy Yard, the Hammerhead Crane is one of the most recognizable land...
08/22/2026

๐ŸŽจ Artifact of the Day

Standing tall over the Norfolk Navy Yard, the Hammerhead Crane is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Elizabeth River. This painting, The Great Crane at Norfolk Navy Yard, was created by artist John Landry around 1970 and captures the massive structure towering over the shipyard.

While the Hammerhead Crane is no longer in active use, it still stands at the shipyard today connecting the present-day Navy Yard with its long history of shipbuilding and innovation.

Next time you see the โ€œGreat Craneโ€ along the Elizabeth River, take a moment to appreciate the landmark and the generations of shipyard workers who worked beneath it.

โš“ SHIPBUILDING 101: WHAT IS A DRY DOCK?Ever wondered how workers repair the part of a ship that's normally underwater?Th...
08/19/2026

โš“ SHIPBUILDING 101: WHAT IS A DRY DOCK?

Ever wondered how workers repair the part of a ship that's normally underwater?

This is the first installment of Shipbuilding 101, where we'll break down the tools, technology, and terminology behind the ship building that has been a vital part of Portsmouthโ€™s History for nearly 300 years.

โš“ What shipbuilding term should we explain next?

All Images Courtesy of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum
Image 1: USS Delaware entering Dry Dock No. 1, Lithograph by J.G. Bruff, c. late-1800s
Image 2: Unknown ship in a dry dock at Norfolk Navy Yard, c. 1900s
Image 3: Dry Dock No. 2 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, c. 1801
Image 4: Torpedo boat in dry dock at Norfolk Navy Yard after a collision, c. 1905-1914
Image 5: Multiple ships getting worked on in Dry Dock No. 2 at Norfolk Navy Yard, c. 1905

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Artifact of the DayBefore bridges and tunnels connected Hampton Roads, ferries were an essential part of daily life. ...
08/15/2026

๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Artifact of the Day

Before bridges and tunnels connected Hampton Roads, ferries were an essential part of daily life. This ticket, likely dating to the 1930s, was used on the Norfolk County and Portsmouth City Ferries, which carried hundreds of passengers across the Elizabeth River each day.

Whether commuters were heading to work at the Norfolk Navy Yard, families were visiting loved ones, or shoppers were traveling between communities, the ferry was a vital transportation link long before the Downtown or Midtown Tunnels existed.

Today, this small ticket offers a glimpse into a time when crossing the river meant stepping aboard a ferry instead of driving through a tunnel.

Have you ever ridden the Elizabeth River Ferry? Share your memories in the comments!

๐Ÿšข Did You Know?The Norfolk Navy Yard is older than the U.S. Navy!Established in 1767 by the British Loyalist Andrew Spro...
08/12/2026

๐Ÿšข Did You Know?

The Norfolk Navy Yard is older than the U.S. Navy!

Established in 1767 by the British Loyalist Andrew Sprowle as Gosport Shipyard, the shipyard predates the creation of the United States Navy by 31 years. When the U.S. Navy was established in 1798, the shipyard became one of its earliest and most important facilities.

Over the centuries, the shipyard has built, repaired, modernized, and maintained thousands of vessels from wooden sailing ships to today's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. Through wars, technological advances, and more than 250 years of history, it has remained a vital part of America's maritime story.

โš“ Did you already know this piece of history? Let us know in the comments!

Address

2 High Street
Portsmouth, VA
23704

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+17573938591

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum:

Shortcuts

Share

Category