The navy is cool, but the museum sure isn't

[the_tyrant]

So i just came back from the Navy museum in Washington DC

My impression, it sucks
The navy museum is buried deep within the navy yard. No signs or anything to mark its location.
You cannot go into the navy yard without a pass. And the visitor center is located in an odd location, again, no sign to mark its place.
It seems like the navy museum does not want visitors.

The museum itself is ok, but it lacks guided tours and the gift shop wasn't open.
The actual items on display is interesting, but only for someone interested in naval history and naval culture. The contents of the museum mainly consists of model ships in glass boxes.

When you walk into the National Air and Space Museum(the one near the airport), they have a SR71 right in front of the door. In comparison, when you walk into the navy museum you see parts of the USS Constitution.

While the National Air and Space Museum has the new "high tech" stuff, for example they have a x35. The navy museum is filled with old, ancient stuff. Most of the space is filled with stuff from before the Korean war.

It gives the average tourist the impression that the navy has no future, that the navy is dieing.

I expected to see models and pictures of aircraft carriers, and ballistic missile submarines. Instead, I see ships of the line, ironclads, pre dreadnoughts, and battleships.

Also, when you walk in, there is a sign in book. There was only 6 visitors(including my family) the whole day. Admittingly, today is a Monday. But there was at least 100 people at any time in the National Air and Space Museum this morning.

The is a destroyer that you can go inside. The USS Berry. But the a destroyer from 1955 isn't really interesting. Especially when you cannot visit the interesting sections of the ship.

In my opinion, if you want to learn about the modern navy, go pick up a copy of Dangerous waters.

If you are looking for a good navy museum, visit the Australia maritime museum. Its way better, with many more ships that you can visit. Even an Oberon class submarine!

[AVGWarhawk]

I have not been to this museum. I suspect there is not much visitorship so interest in expanding the museum is poor. For me, a trip to Annapolis for the Navy museum and experience is the place to be.

http://www.usna.edu/NAFPRODV/VC/

See the crypt of John Paul Jones. The most ornate casket you will ever see.




http://uss-rangerguy.com/john_paul_jones_crypt.htm


This is probably you best bet on navy history. If you want modern....go to the Norfolk VA.

http://www.hrnm.navy.mil/


DC is not always the best place for some things. However, the museums on the mall are fantastic and the price is great....free! The Hazy museum in VA for aircraft is simply the best out there IMO.

[nikimcbee]

...that's why you go to the subsim meets! More fun, ton for ton, than you could ever find in DC.

[Sledgehammer427]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

...that's why you go to the subsim meets! More fun, ton for ton, than you could ever find in DC.

Like when Ivank and I were considering going up to the closed-off flying bridge of the USS Salem. too bad we had to leave early though!

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

If you are looking for a good navy museum, visit the Australia maritime museum. Its way better, with many more ships that you can visit. Even an Oberon class submarine!

Thanks for the praise for our Museum! It's pretty good and has a good range of things to show off. I got luck and had some work experience there in 2000 and got to go behind the scenes. They have plenty of great stuff in the storage areas and they do rotate it out on display now and again.

The destroyer (HMAS Vampire) is also a good tour and the sailing ship "James Craig" is a beautiful site as well. Another ship well worth looking at is MV Krait

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Craig_%28barque%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Vampire_%28D_11%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Krait

[papa_smurf]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

...that's why you go to the subsim meets! More fun, ton for ton, than you could ever find in DC.

Talk about a shameless, but well worth plug

[Armistead]

Best two I've visited, New Orleans and Charleston. The Yorktown at Charleston is a floating museum.

For land, the AFF tank museum in Danville is amazing.

[Platapus]

[QUOTE=the_tyrant;1614436]So i just came back from the Navy museum in Washington DC

/QUOTE]

Although I would not agree that it sucked, I would agree with your impressions. It is not one of the more exciting museums.

And of course, why put a museum on a secured facility? It kinda discourages visitors and I totally agree with the location in the Navy Yard.

But I do like the exhibits in the museum, but then I tend to like the older stuff vice contemporary exhibits.

[Geno_Mariner]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Thanks for the praise for our Museum! It's pretty good and has a good range of things to show off. I got luck and had some work experience there in 2000 and got to go behind the scenes. They have plenty of great stuff in the storage areas and they do rotate it out on display now and again.

The destroyer (HMAS Vampire) is also a good tour and the sailing ship "James Craig" is a beautiful site as well. Another ship well worth looking at is MV Krait

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Craig_%28barque%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Vampire_%28D_11%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Krait

I missed out on going on the Oberon many years back when my school class went on a trip due to a rather ridiculous situation (too long to explain) regardless, I was very unhappy.
I'm trying to see if I can go this year.... but no one to go with, I like to go with someone XD My family isn't quite interested in this kinda thing, nor are all my IRL friends I'll get something worked out

Though I've been to the World War museum in Canberra, it's small but interesting. Lots of displays to look at iirc (it's been 6+ years since I last visited). Perhaps worth a visit if you're visiting Canberra.

[Growler]

Midway is San Diego is cool; not that far up the road, in Long Beach, rests the Queen Mary (now a hotel) and an ex-Soviet Foxtrot boat (I think it's a Fox, but I can't be sure.)

Midway was cool; was there oh, maybe two, three weeks ago. Got a chance to stomp around and speak with a few of their docents - a good bunch of guys, it seemed to me, more than willing to engage a visitor in real shop talk if the visitor could hang with it, and simplify things for the kids that were there, too. I met a guy named Jack (iirc) down in one of the Midway's engineering spaces, and if my wife hadn't pulled me out of there, I'd still be talking with him.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Inside the museum:

The Trieste (went to the deepest part of the ocean), and an Ooka.

Plus many other things.

Outside the museum:

the piece of armor plate meant for the Yamato/Musashi/Shinano which had been tested upon by a 16" AP shell

Also, a midget sub and many other things.

I like the museum, personally.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Geno_Mariner

I'm trying to see if I can go this year.... but no one to go with, I like to go with someone XD

Buy me a flight ticket and I'll be there in about 48 hours.

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by Geno_Mariner

I'm trying to see if I can go this year.... but no one to go with, I like to go with someone XD My family isn't quite interested in this kinda thing, nor are all my IRL friends I'll get something worked out

Hope you get there, plan for a whole day there. It will need the time. Also get the full ticket with tours of both destroyer and sub.

Though I've been to the World War museum in Canberra, it's small but interesting. Lots of displays to look at iirc (it's been 6+ years since I last visited). Perhaps worth a visit if you're visiting Canberra.

The War Memorial? It's just finished a major renovation and is brilliant!

[papa_smurf]

A good one I visited last year was Western Approaches Command, Derby House in Liverpool.