ECW Weekender: The Portsmouth (VA) Naval Shipyard Museum
My family was in Portsmouth, VA, for a Kiwanis convention this past weekend (my wife is heavily involved in our local Fredericksburg chapter), and as my son Maxwell and I went out exploring, right next to the hotel we found the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum.
It proved a great little find, and at only $3/person, the deal was hard to beat.
The museum tells the extensive 250-year history of the shipyard, from colonial days to the present. For Civil War buffs, there’s a good selection of naval stuff to look at, with a particular emphasis on the CSS Virginia (and its pre-conversion days as the USS Merrimack).
There’s a small but neat collection of ship models, too, as well as an assortment of naval artillery.
I snapped a few photos of the Civil War displays to give you a taste of the museum’s holdings, but it’s worth a stop in person if you’re in Portsmouth. Plan 30-45 minutes.
Portsmouth Naval Hospital has a nice little park attached to it that has some historical markers and artifacts in it. The markers explain some of the evolution of the hospital and other things pertaining to the area. It’s been awhile since I’ve checked it out but I always enjoyed going there.
Thank-you! Worth a visit!