Only a 30-minute ferry ride from Kingston, and Bainbridge Island, Wa. nestled between Poulsbo and Bremerton, makes visiting the museum in Keyport, Wa. easy. Home to over 39,000 artifacts, the Naval Undersea Museum is a significant repository for information and items related to undersea weapons, submarine technology, submarine diving and salvage artifacts, and undersea vehicle technology. The museum’s exhibits are noteworthy and provide a comprehensive introduction to the Navy’s undersea history and operations.
Comprised of more than 5,700 artifacts, including complete torpedoes, torpedo sections, components such as exploders and gyroscopes, torpedo tubes, fire control systems, technical manuals and reports, technical drawings, blueprints, photographs, negatives, slides, and models, among other objects; the museum’s torpedo technology exhibit is part of one of the most comprehensive collections of torpedoes and supporting documentation in the world.
One of its newest exhibits is the “Saving Submariners: Submarine Rescue and Escape,” which explores the history of submarine rescue and escape from 1900 through today, details the changes to submarine rescue and escape over time, and why the U.S. Navy strongly prefers rescue over escape as the safest, most reliable method of saving submariners. Museum visitors can witness examples of historical and present-day equipment used to rescue the submariners that risk their lives to protect the nation. There is also an online version of the “Saving Submariners: Submarine Rescue and Escape” exhibit on the museum’s website.
The Naval Undersea Museum offers a variety of public programs to engage visitors with the Navy’s rich undersea history. “Science Saturdays” is one of the museum’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. Hosted on the first Saturday of each month during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, the museum offers a new hands-on activity for visitors. To learn more, visit https://bit.ly/3fWtLPL.