Created by the US Navy & Homeported in Our Nation’s Capital
A Unique Opportunity to Inspire the Next Generation
. . . Sailor. . . Engineer . . . Leader.
For more than 200 years, the U.S. Navy has served as the shield of the republic. Our nation’s freedom has depended in large part on the freedom of the seas, which comprise 71 percent of the Earth’s surface. Keeping the seas open for trade has been a pillar of the Navy’s mission since its founding. Today, with 80 percent of America’s goods imported by ship, that mission is more important than ever. To better share this legacy, the Naval History and Heritage Command has embarked on an exciting journey to create a new national flagship Navy museum in the heart of our nation’s capital. The Navy will be the only military service with a national museum in Washington, D.C.
The new National Museum of the United States Navy presents an unparalleled opportunity to tell the Navy’s story and inspire the next generation of sailors, citizens, and leaders that our country needs. The museum will energize public awareness of the Navy’s integral role in defending freedom around the world and preserving America’s economic prosperity.
As part of an extended Navy campus, it will provide a home for naval ceremonies and functions to celebrate historic anniversaries and individual achievements. As a center for inspired storytelling, it will become an internationally recognized forum for innovative thought leadership, education, and training.
The Navy Museum Development Foundation has been selected and endorsed by the U.S. Navy to achieve one mission—and only one mission: to secure the funding required to build a state-of-the- art national Navy museum.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY COMMITMENT
The NMDF project is firmly endorsed by the Department of the Navy, with Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations fully committing their support.
- The Navy has secured $39.5 million in funding to launch the project.
- The Naval History and Heritage Command has established a program office and begun hiring operational staff.
- On October 18, 2024, the Secretary of the Navy publicly announced the selection of a strategically valuable site near the Washington Navy Yard. He was joined by Foundation leaders, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and members of Congress and the District of Columbia government.
- The Navy is committed to working with all stakeholders to fulfill this vision.
