Submarine Force Museum Home of Historic Ship Nautilus
Teachers Guide - Page (1)
Historic Ship Nautilus and the Submarine Force Museum, located adjacent to the Main Gate of Naval Submarine Base New London, is the Navy’s official submarine museum. The museum’s primary exhibit item is the Historic Ship NAUTILUS. NAUTILUS is the world's first nuclear-powered submarine and the first ship to go to the North Pole. It is a National Historic Landmark and Connecticut's State Ship. The submarine is open for visiting by the general public, and is suitable for children of all ages.
The Submarine Force Museum opened in 1986, and contains the nation's finest collection of submarine material. The exhibits interpret submarine history from Bushnell's Turtle (used in the Revolutionary War) to today's modern nuclear-powered vessels. The museum library serves as the repository for the records and history to the U.S. submarine force. New books, photographs, and documents are being added daily. The library is open to researchers on weekdays, except Tuesday’s in the winter only. The museum completed an project in April of 2000, which provides the museum with more exhibit space, a larger gift shop, a 71-seat theatre, a classroom and a new research library.
What follows is a teachers guide to the exhibits located onsite.
Upon Arrival
Upon arrival to the site, the first object students are likely to notice is a sail from USS George Washington (SSBN 598), which was the U.S. Navy’s first ballistic missile submarine and was commissioned in 1959. The GEORGE WASHINGTON was completed five years ahead of schedule and incorporated into a single weapon system. Many of the great scientific developments which have so revolutionized warfare – the nuclear warhead, the ballistic missile, nuclear propulsion, inertial guidance for navigation, and atmosphere regeneration.
Sturgeon Anchor
This is a STURGEON class submarine anchor. Fitted under the bottom of the submarine, it was secured by cable and chain attached to the submarine. The USS STURGEON (SSN 637) was the lead ship in a series of attack submarines that performed a variety of missions for the Navy, including underwater operations in the Arctic.
Hull Rings
Upon entering the museum, the first objects students are likely to notice are the two rings which represent the diameters of the U.S. Navy’s first submarine in 1900 (the smaller ring), and the U.S. Navy’s largest submarine in operation today, the USS OHIO.
Submarine Missile Hatch
To the left of the rings is the hatch cover and upper portion of a Poseidon missile tube. This is a portion of a ballistic missile carrying submarine.