Be sure to look up as you walk under the Ohio (the largest class of submarine) hull ring and the Holland (the first submarine class) hull ring. The outdoor exhibits, including the “ 42 for Freedom” which lists the first group of ballistic nuclear submarines, and the NR41 aka “The Little Sub that Could”, the smallest nuclear powered submarine ever built, which was in service from 1969 until 2008. My Family’s Five Favorite Parts of the Base:ġ. There are picnic areas outside no food or large backpacks are allowed inside the museum or on the Nautilus. Visitors need to be able to climb VERY steep staircases climb up, in, and through tight openings and be comfortable with hallways that can only fit one person at a time and are no more than six feet tall. Strollers are not allowed, there is no handicap accessibility, and it’s tight down below- after all, it is a submarine. The HS Nautilus is not as (younger) child or handicap friendly as the museum. There is a 80 person auditorium which shows a 50 minute film on a loop. The library is closed to the public because it still has classified information. Make sure children pick up a scavenger hunt from the docent desk. Aside from the open staircase, children should be safe exploring freely, with several hands on exhibits. The exhibits inside the museum are fun for even younger children. Strollers are allowed in the museum, and restrooms are located near the entrance.Īccess to the HS Nautilus is through the museum, and you exit the complex through a gift shop. The museum is two floors and does have an elevator. I would plan on about 90 minutes to two hours to explore (30 hour inside the Nautilus, one hour inside the museum, and some time to explore the outside exhibits).Īdmission is free, although donations are gladly accepted. While the actual Naval Submarine Base in New London is closed to the public, keep driving past the base until you hit the waterfront: On the left is the library, museum, and gift shop straight ahead is the HS Nautilus and to the right is the parking lot and various memorials. A new chapter in naval history, launched today in Connecticut history.When I mention I live in Connecticut, many people will exclaim “Oh you must know a lot of maritime and submarine history having the sub base nearby.” I’ve driven by Groton for the past 38 years and yet, until recently, I had not visited the area, known as the “Submarine Capital of the World.” On a spring break trip to nearby Mystic, Connecticut we stopped for the morning in Groton to finally explore the Submarine Force Museum, and tour the HS Nautilus. Naval Base in Groton and is open to the public year round as a floating museum. Today, it is permanently docked at the Submarine Force Museum on the U.S. The Nautilus was decommissioned in 1980 and, three years later, was designated the official ship of the state of Connecticut by the General Assembly. Three years later, the Nautilus became the first vessel to sail over (or rather, underneath) the North Pole, and the submarine continued to shatter speed and endurance records throughout its 26 years of active service. That trip immediately became the longest single submarine journey in history. For the next year, the sub would endure a rigorous series of testing and trials before officially embarking on its nuclear-powered maiden Naval voyage from New London to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Navy vessels as she broke a bottle of champagne across the Nautilus’ bow, which was draped in layers of patriotic bunting. Eisenhower kicked off the now storied tradition of first ladies christening U.S. As the first vessel in the world to be powered by a nuclear reactor, the Nautilus could travel much farther and faster than traditional, diesel-based submarines with nuclear-powered state-of-the-art air and water purification plants on board, the sub could go for months without replenishing supplies or even surfacing for air. Only a year and a half later, the revolutionary sub was ready to begin its first trials in the water. In the summer of 1952, then-President Harry Truman had traveled to the Groton submarine shipyard to lay the keel of the Nautilus. At 10:57a.m., the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine, slid off a dry dock at General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, officially launching the United States Navy into the nuclear era.įirst Lady Mamie Eisenhower christens the USS Nautilus moments before the submarine was officially launched into the Thames River. On January 21, 1954, hundreds of spectators, including General Dynamics employees, military brass, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, and scores of reporters gathered along the banks of the ThamesRiver to witness a momentous occasion.
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