Museum Hopping in Hampton Roads, Virginia

Five or so hours south of Washington, D.C. and its world-class museums, Virginia's Hampton Roads area might seem like a sleepy, tucked-away region nestled along the quiet shores of the Chesapeake Bay. But the Hampton Roads is not only a bustling metropolitan area---generally encompassing the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake---it's chock-full of its own museums which simply should not be missed.

In addition to the fascinating history on display in Colonial Williamsburg and the Yorktown Victory Center, visitors to the area could spend a week or more feasting on the sights and sounds of The Mariners' Museum, Jamestown Settlement, Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, the Lightship Portsmouth museum, The Old Coast Guard and Life-Saving Station, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, and Old Cape Henry Lighthouse.

And that's just for starters!

The Mariners' Museum

At over 60,000 square feet of gallery space, the Mariners' Museum is "one of the largest international maritime history museums filled to the crow's nest with prized artifacts that celebrate the spirit of seafaring adventure." It also houses the nation's preeminent Civil War attraction, the USS Monitor Center. The film detailing the epic, heart-pounding battle of the ironclad USS Monitor and the USS Merrimac is exceptional and riveting.

Besides the USS Monitor Center, other permanent collections are the International Small Craft Center and The Miniature Ships of August F. Crabtree. The Small Craft Center is a gorgeous and varied display of boats along with interpretive photographic art by celebrated photographers. In a nook flush with the sound of ocean waves, a boat no larger than a riding mower testifies to the courage of two people who climbed aboard one dark night on the shore of Cuba, heading for freedom. A filmed interview with one of the "sailors" on that boat is unforgettable.

The Mariners' Museum has a scale replica of the deck of the USS Monitor. The museum is adjacent to a 550-acre park on Lake Maury, perfect for picnicking and strolling on the five-mile Noland Trail.

Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown Settlement is a museum adjacent to the historic Jamestown archaeological site. Film, galleries, and living history venues tell the story of a group of 104 English men and boys who settled on Virginia's James River in 1607.

The truly wonderful thing about Jamestown Settlement is that, since it is a recreation, visitors can interact with any and all elements of the life-sized colonists' fort (with its thatched-roof, waudle-and-daub buildings, cooking fires, firearm demonstrations and wandering roosters), the Powhatan Indian village, and the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery---the three amazingly compact ships that brought the colonists over the open sea from England to Virginia.

If there's a book in a drawer, visitors may take it out and leaf through it. Pick up a broom and sweep the stomped path. Steer a ship with the whipstaff or tiller, or pile into a sailor's bunk for a night at sea.

Visitors to Jamestown Settlement can also try on soldiers' armor or play a few rounds of ninepins or quoits.

Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin

Just standing outside the Nauticus Museum on Norfolk's beautiful harbor sweeps visitors into a seafaring mood. (Check out the Nauticus webcam for your adventure!) This contemporary museum, co-located with the USS Wisconsin, tells the story of U.S. maritime operations, as well as U.S. naval operations.

The digital high-definition film Gateway to the World, for example, pays tribute to the Port of Virginia, the largest natural harbor on the planet by showing its awesome dance of trains, cranes and massive container ships. It is an awesome display of men mastering the machines of giants.

Two unique interactive experiences available at Nauticus are the Aegis Theater and Design Chamber: Battleship X. In the Aegis Theater, visitors enter a specially designed command center that comes under simulated attack. Visitors participate in making command decisions in a battle environment. In Design Chamber: Battleship X, visitors match wits with expert shipbuilders in a race to build the greatest battleship ever.

The USS Wisconsin, the "Whiskey," is one of the largest battleships built by the U.S. Navy. Berthed at the Nauticus, visitors can explore the deck and talk with "shipmates" knowledgeable about this World War II hero.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum heralds what the British, during the Revolutionary War, called "the most considerable shipyard in America." The shipyard's strategic significance was such that retreating armies actually burned it to the ground not once, not twice, but three times. The first ironclad in battle (CSS Virginia / Ex-Merrimac), the first U.S. battleship (USS Texas), and the first aircraft carrier in the world (USS Langley) were built in this historic shipyard. During World War II, the shipyard teemed with almost 43,000 workers.

The Lightship Portsmouth

The Lightship Portsmouth is a museum ship that served the U.S. Lightship Service begun in 1820. Lightships bore a light similar to those in lighthouses, and had a similar mission---helping sailors avoid dangerous shoals or to reach safe harbors in the otherwise black nights at sea.

Essentially a portable lighthouse, the Lightship Portsmouth was built in 1915 and served 48 years off the coasts of Massachusetts, Delaware and Virginia. Walking the ship, visitors get a real feel for what the life of the 15-man crew must have been like during the ship's long times at anchor.

The Old Coast Guard and Life-Saving Station

The Old Coast Guard and Life-Saving Station is a small gem on the Virginia Beach boardwalk. A towercam keeps watch over the beach. The museum is housed in the 1903 Life-Saving Station---a fascinating artifact in and of itself. The Lower Gallery is the old boat room. Exhibits there depict rescues and methods of the Life-Saving Service. The Upper Gallery is where the surfmen slept. Exhibits there tell the tales of shipwrecks off Virginia's coast, as well as the Battle of the Atlantic during WWII.

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is home to harbor seals, loggerhead turtles, North American river otters, great horned owl, cownose ray, and sand tiger sharks. There are many interactive displays, including touch tanks for skate and horseshoe crabs, oyster boats, and a submarine command center. A beautiful outdoor walk leads to an aviary and various boat rides. One whale-watching trip looks for humpback and fin whales off Virginia Beach---all the while seabirds such as double-crested cormorants, northern gannets, and brown pelicans feed on schools of fish.

The whale-watching trip also treats visitors to landward views of the historic Cape Henry Lighthouse, international shipping traffic, and even occasionally U.S. Navy and Marine Corps maneuvers.

Cape Henry Lighthouse

The Cape Henry Lighthouse stands at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, near where Captain Newport offered great thanksgiving for safe crossing of the wild Atlantic in 1607. The Cape Henry Lighthouse was a major step in making the Chesapeake navigable and safe for trade. The climb to the top of the lighthouse is well worth the breath-taking views of the Bay and the coastal wildlands. Cape Henry is open seasonally. Since it is inside a U.S. military installation, Fort Story, visitors should allow a little extra time to be cleared for entry.

An historic visit to the Hampton Roads

For those whose idea of a good time is a good museum, the Hampton Roads area of Virginia can't be beat. The sheer depth and wealth of its many museums provide many hours of satisfying strolling. And all within a short distance of beautiful beaches and opportunities for outdoor adventure. It's an unbeatable---maybe even historical---combination!

Sources:

The Mariner's Museum.

Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center

Nauticus

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum

Lightship Portsmouth

Old Coast Guard Station

Virginia Aquarium

Cape Henry Lighthouse