The Submarine Force Library & Museum
Home of the USS Nautilus
Submarines have fascinated people from Alexander the Great to the Beatles, from Jules Verne to John Holland. You'll find out why when you visit the nation's finest displays and collections of America's submarine heritage.
The Submarine Force Museum, located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, maintains the world's finest collection of submarine artifacts. It is the only submarine museum operated by the United States Navy, and as such is the primary repository for artifacts, documents and photographs relating to U.S. Submarine Force history. The museum traces the development of the "Silent Service" from David Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to the Ohio and Virginia class submarines.
Originally established as "The Submarine Library" by Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation in 1955, the Submarine Force Library and Museum soon gained respect for its archival and research value. In April 1964, the entire collection was donated to the Navy and relocated to the Naval Submarine Base, New London, Groton, Connecticut. The name "Submarine Force Library and Museum" was officially adopted in 1969.
The museum's collections include more than 33,000 artifacts, 20,000 significant documents and 30,000 photographs. With so many holdings, the displays change frequently and a return visit will be a new experience. The 6,000 volume reference and research library is a world-renowned collection relative to the history of U.S. submarines and is open to anyone looking for information on submarines or submarine history.
Visit the Submarine Force Museum and peer into the lives of the men who sail the ocean depths in their "sharks of steel." Trace the development of the "silent service" from Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to the modern Los Angeles, Ohio and Seawolf class submarines. Look through one of three operating periscopes and perhaps you'll see one of the Navy's newest submarines going by on the Thames River. Relax in one of our two mini-theaters and enjoy films of submarines past and present. Even learn how a submarine operates on an interactive computer display.
Aboard NAUTILUS, experience first-hand the thrill of being a submariner as you walk the decks that made Naval history: the world's first nuclear powered vessel, first ship to go to the North Pole and first submarine to journey "20,000 Leagues under the sea." Explore the spaces where the crew of this amazing ship worked, ate, slept, and entertained themselves on their long voyages far beneath the ocean's waves.
We hope that you will find these pages insightful and enjoyable. Please plan to visit the museum the next time you are in Southeastern Connecticut.