The United States Coast Guard was born on August 4, 1790. Wait, what? Does that sentence seem to come out of nowhere? And what does this have to do with Alexander Hamilton? I’m glad you asked. Among Hamilton’s many feats, he is also recognized as the father of the US Coast Guard.

At The Mariners', one of our top priorities is serving school-aged children. In response to demand, we’ve recently expanded our focus to include PreK students by creating a new Early Childhood Educator position and implementing several enrichment programs crafted to engage our youngest learners.

Go behind the scenes in the galleries & with staff of the Mariners' Museum during our temporary closure due to the pandemic in this photo series.

The museum would like to take this opportunity to share that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As May draws to a close, please take a moment to reflect on the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have contributed to our understanding of the Pacific Ocean, ocean navigation, and maritime knowledge in general.

On December 31, 1862, USS Monitor was caught in a storm and sank 16 nautical miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in more than 230 feet of water. It is believed the vessel went down stern first, turning over so that its revolutionary 120-ton revolving gun turret separated and became pinned under the ship on the seafloor.

Tribute and memorial gifts are a meaningful way to celebrate special occasions and remember loved ones while supporting the Museum and Park’s renowned collections, exhibitions, and educational programming.