The Puget Sound Navy Museum sits just feet from the Puget Sound Shipyard on the waterfront of Bremerton, Washington—one of only two operated by the Naval History and Heritage Command in the Pacific Northwest. Despite its small size, it offers visitors the opportunity to scrutinize more than 18,000 artifacts that represent an entire century of the shipyard’s history.
In 2006, after moving multiple times, the museum found a permanent home in Building 50 on land donated to the city of Bremerton by the shipyard. Built by the U.S. Navy in 1896, the building itself is a historic structure. On display in front of the museum is the sail of the submarine USS Parche (SSN-683). Also docked nearby is Bremerton’s “Mothball Fleet,” which includes three decommissioned aircraft carriers: the Ranger (CV-61), Independence (CV-62), and Kitty Hawk (CV-63).
The Puget Sound Navy Museum’s first floor is dedicated to the “Heritage of Excellence” exhibit, which details the history of the local shipyard, from its establishment in 1891 to its current role in the Ship-Submarine Recycling Program. The shipyard was the principal one on the West Coast during World War II, so the exhibit features photographs of it throughout the years, a replica of its iconic hammerhead crane built in the 1930s, and information about its service as the repair facility for the U.S. battleships damaged at Pearl Harbor. The exhibit also includes artifacts such as a Navy diving helmet, section of a hull, model battleship, uniforms, and informative placards and photographs.
After climbing a white spiral wooden stairway, visitors can make their way to the second floor for an exhibit on the nuclear-powered “super carrier” John C. Stennis (CVN-74), whose homeport is Bremerton. The exhibit describes the daily rhythms of life on board an aircraft carrier as well as the ship’s operations. Museumgoers can view bunks similar to those on board a carrier and pictures of the living quarters, mess hall, control rooms, and flight deck. In the exhibit’s interactive portion, museumgoers can watch videos of contemporary sailors discussing their roles on the ship. A collection of uniforms and a placard explaining how a color-coding system indicates a sailor’s specific role on the busy flight deck of an aircraft carrier are also present.
Naval history as well as “ink” enthusiasts won’t want to miss the museum’s new exhibit, “Skin Deep: The Nautical Roots of Tattoo Culture,” which will remain open for two years, on the opposite side of the second floor. This exhibit demonstrates how modern tattoo culture can trace its roots to the nautical world of yesteryear. The connection between sailors and tattoos started with British Royal Navy Captain James Cook’s South Pacific voyages in 1768. On those missions, sailors discovered tattoos and got them before returning home. This was the beginning of the souvenir tattoo tradition. After 1800 the art form quickly spread to American sailors and became a popular activity for filling the tedious hours on long voyages.
One hundred years later, tattoos had become a well-known aspect of maritime life. Parlors sprung up in American port towns, and the exhibit estimates that by 1900 every major American city had a studio dedicated to ink. Around this time, tattoo culture began to spread beyond port towns as a sideshow attraction in circuses and carnivals. In this part of the exhibit, visitors can view tattoo machines from that time. Other artifacts include needles, scrimshaw, photographs, ink, stencils, and drawings of early tattoo designs from the Civil War.
The exhibit also features biographical placards describing famous tattoo artists throughout the years. Many were sailors, but some got their start in parlors in American ports. Famous tattoo artists whose collective careers covered 1885 to 1989 included Norman Collins (also known as “Sailor Jerry”), Bert Grimm, George Fosdick, C. J. “Danny” Danzil, and George Burchett. The exhibit concludes that tattoos are now a part of mainstream culture, no longer exclusively associated with the maritime.
When leaving the museum, visitors can stop by the gift shop, conveniently located on the first floor, look past the gates into the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard next door, or visit the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington, about a 25-minute drive north of Bremerton. A little farther away is downtown Seattle, easily accessible with a one-hour ferry ride from the Bremerton Ferry Terminal.
251 1st St, Bremerton, WA, 98337
(360) 479-7447
Open: Mon.–Sat., 1000–1600; Sun., 1300–1600 (Closed Tues. Oct.–April)
Admission: Free
www.pugetsoundnavymuseum.org
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