The Mariners' Museum

The Mariners’ Museum

Located in a 550-acre park in Newport News, Virginia, The Mariners’ Museum was founded in 1930 by Archer M. Huntington, son of the railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington. Mr. Huntington made the mission of the Museum to highlight “the culture of the sea;” all the world was to be represented, and today The Mariners’ Museum continues to fulfill that mission.

The Mariners’ Museum, one of the largest and most comprehensive maritime history museums in the world, houses a treasure trove of more than 35,000 items inspired by human experiences with the sea. The Mariners’ has illustrated the spirit of seafaring adventure, assembling a renowned and strikingly diverse collection of maritime artifacts including figureheads, ship models, navigational instruments, an archives library holding one of the largest collections of photo’s and manuscripts, and more than 11,000 works of art. The Museum is the permanent home for one of the most famous ships in history, the USS Monitor.

Visitors can also explore the 550-acre Mariners’ Museum Park, which features the Noland Trail, a five-mile walking trail with scenic sites overlooking Lake Maury.