The First Gallery
For those who enjoy the ultimate in the art of building ship models, a visit to the new model exhibit at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum is a must. The museum has been closed for redesign and renovations since 2007 and will reopen officially in August 2009, but the expanded "Ship Models from the Age of Sail" exhibit on the museum's second floor was ready for visitors during commissioning week.
This long overdue improvement has been worth the wait. For those unfamiliar with the Rogers Ship Model Collection, it is comprised primarily of Royal Navy dockyard models of warships built in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are in superb condition down to the finest detail and represent the various sizes and types of vessels that sailed under the White Ensign, from first-rate ships of 100 guns and more, down to schooners and cutters.
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