The National Museum of the Navy in Washington will move into a new, modernized and more accessible space, not far from the old museum located in a military zone. The location of the new venue was announced by the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) during a ceremony on October 21. Work will begin in October 2025 for the 250th anniversary of the Navy, and the new museum is expected to open in 2030.
Unlike the current museum, which is located inside the Washington Naval Shipyard, the new building will be located in a busy part of the city, at the intersection of Tingey Street and M Street. The new building of almost 22,300 m² will be built by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the winning architectural firm of the competition launched for the design of the museum. Large bay windows will illuminate the facade of the building with aerodynamic lines. Inside, materials inspired by the navy, planes and suspended airships will set the tone to immerse spectators in the world of the Navy.
The museum, a little dusty, will make way for a vast modernized campus including a museum section, a conference center, a space in memory of Navy soldiers and a shop. The scenography of the exhibition spaces will be brought up to date with immersive installations alongside objects from the collections. The museum’s programming will also be updated: the exhibition rooms will present the history and American naval heritage but also the current operations of the US Navy. “The museum will showcase not only the legacy of the past, but also the Navy’s global operations today, defending the freedom of the seas on which our freedom depends.”said Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy. The museum will offer educational programs to educate younger generations about the history of the US Navy.
The bell from the USS Jacob Jones, the first American submarine sunk by the German navy in 1917, may be among the exhibits, reports Sea Power Magazine. The bell was recovered in 2022 by the British Ministry of Defense and was recently transferred to the United States Navy.
The new location will facilitate access to the museum and attract more visitors. In the former museum’s military enclave, security protocols made it accessible only during pre-approved visits. The current site also does not allow visitors to park their vehicles. The museum is located in an old gun factory within the old Navy Yard. Created in 1961, its collections of art, naval objects and underwater archeology are managed by the NHHC, the museum administration service responsible for American naval heritage. The NHHC oversees 10 museums in different states, the Department of the Navy Library and the Navy Archives.
The budget for the work, to the tune of $500 million (around 460 million euros), is financed by the Navy with the support of the Navy Museum Development Foundation, a non-profit organization for the preservation of naval history American. The US Navy has not yet raised the funds necessary to finance the entire work.
The new museum expects 1.5 million visitors per year, while it currently welcomes 90,000 annual visitors.