Nautical History Gallery & Museum

Located in the historic Dick Laub NTC Command Center at Arts District Liberty Station is the all-new Nautical History Gallery & Museum. This 800 sq. ft. gallery is a panoramic history of the U.S. Navy, its ships and how they have evolved over time from the Revolutionary War period, through the Civil War, into the Spanish-American War, then World War I and World War II, including the beginning of naval aviation.

Your kids will love the FUN interactive elements and you’ll love the detail and craftsmanship of the scratch-built ship models that tell the history of the Navy and the sailors who lived and died aboard these mighty vessels. The exhibit includes models, artifacts, photographs, uniforms and toys detailing the history of the Navy, including the Marines, and naval aviation from the 1760s through the 1940s.

While on site, you’ll see model ship builder and curator Joe Frangiosa in action working on his newest project. He scratch built every ship on display, and is happy to share the history of each and every element of the museum. Frangiosa joined the Navy at 19, becoming an aviation boatswains’ mate and spent his four-year career on the U.S.S. Roosevelt. He said his term on the ship took him to the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Caribbean, and many other places that allowed him to visit more than 13 countries. He said he missed the Navy and wanted to go back, but it was not selecting prior sailors, so he finished his 20-year career by joining the U.S. Marines.