The Mariners' Library and Archives hold the largest maritime history collection in the Western Hemisphere. With its rich collections and international scope, the Library and Archives is a premier resource for maritime research.

Have you noticed our Conservation crew treating the Leifr Eiriksson statue this summer? Work is now complete, so read along with us as we share how we cleaned and recoated him!

Many African American sailors served with distinction throughout the war, continuously demonstrating their skill and bravery during numerous engagements.

During the Victorian period in England, a famous astronomer and mathematician named Janet Taylor (formerly Jane Ann Ionn), made her indelible mark in the male-dominated field of science and navigation

During WWII, many women answered the call of military service through enlistment into the WAVES. Marjorie Pollard was one of those women, and — despite widespread stigma about homosexuals in military service during the 1940s and 1950s— she may have also been part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Something unusual occurred in the early morning darkness of January 31, 1863, when the Confederate ironclad rams, CSS Chicora and CSS Palmetto State, crossed the Charleston Bar and struck the Union ships guarding that blockade runners’ haven.

After the Battle of Hampton Roads, USS Monitor —“little ship that saved the nation” — seemed perfect. But this illusion was shattered after the James River Flotilla's defeat at Drewry's Bluff. Lt. William Jeffers wrote a detailed report lodging his complaints about the vessel, from intolerable ventilation to questionable design choices, leading to a harsh rebuke from inventor John Ericsson. 

The water connects all of us, even the aviators! Learn about a barnstorming aviator’s maritime connection.