Bringing a proud history up to date

The Cold War Gallery will be located in a historic 19th Century building at the Washington Navy Yard that once housed a basin for testing boat models. The Gallery will be fronted by a Vietnam-era Swift Boat.

Nearly half a century ago, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Arleigh A. Burke had the vision to establish a national museum at the Washington Navy Yard to tell the story of the millions of Sailors who had served our nation since the Navy's birth in 1775.

Since 1963, the National Museum of the United States Navy has enlightened hundreds of thousands of visitors with naval exploits from the American Revolution through World War II. The Navy Museum collects, preserves, displays, and interprets naval artifacts and artwork to educate and inspire naval personnel and the general public about the Navy's proud history and heritage.

Now the Navy is planning to recognize a group of lesser known American heroes - the Navy's Cold War veterans - for their selfless service during one of history's most perilous epochs. The Navy has begun work on a new Cold War Gallery at the Washington Navy Yard. In addition to telling the Navy's Cold War story, the Gallery will offer visitors exciting new paths for discovery in math, science, history, and other subjects.