The recent $21.5 million transformation at Nauticus is full of interactive and cutting-edge technology showcasing advancements in maritime exploration and innovation.
Visitors who have been to Nauticus before will have a completely new experience in the new 25,000-square-foot educational space, which features five galleries, said Catherine Taterway, associate director of marketing.
Visitors begin their Nauticus journey in The Goode Family Atrium, a bright space illuminated by a skylight. The media wall offers an engaging preview of the museum.
The very interactive Design, Build, Sail! gallery gives visitors a chance to learn about hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and buoyancy.
Visitors are encouraged to touch, turn knobs, and pull ropes. A standout feature is a wall-sized digital display, framed like a piece of museum art, which reacts in real time to guest interactions, such as turning a ship wheel or shifting on a balance board, dynamically changing its colors and design elements.
Learning about the forces of the wind, The Push and Pull exhibit demonstrates the principles of lift. Visitors manipulate real sails as a giant fan simulates being pushed downwind or pulled upwind. Visitors must harness the wind to change direction.
“This was a huge hit on opening day,” Taterway said.
A life-sized Habor 20 sailboat allows visitors to pull sails in and out to see how to work with the wind’s power.
Be A Sail exhibit, gives the feeling of being on a sailboat where the wind is the power. It shows that when the sail is positioned correctly, the boat goes forward. The gallery has an extensive pulley display to show how different pulleys work. Visitors can also create a sailboat, and a sail symphony.
“This is all designed to teach the principles of sailing,” Taterway said.
The gallery’s huge window overlooks the Sail Nauticus program sailboats. The exhibit is a learning lab for the program’s students which teaches local underserved youth about sailing as well as leadership and academic skills.
The gallery Our Port explains a major cornerstone of the Hampton Roads economy. Part of the exhibit is like an advertisement for port jobs: Visitors have a chance to weld and attempt to load a container on a ship. Cargo that is coming and going at the Port of Virginia is displayed in real time, Taterway said.
Visitors can even pick up a line that is exactly like the ones dock workers use to haul in cargo ships.
“People are really struck by how heavy these lines are,” she said.
While the U.S. Navy is full of weapons and ships, the Heart of the Navy gallery showcases the human side. A large comic book tells the stories of three real-life sailors and their experiences in Navy life.
A special section is dedicated to the Navy SEAL team because Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek is one of the few homes to the elite force.
The Norfolk in Time interdisciplinary exhibit tells Norfolk’s story of resilience going back centuries. It combines history, culture, science, technology and industry. By emphasizing environmental stewardship, it aims to encourage visitors to appreciate and protect Hampton Roads’ natural resources, Taterway said.
For little ones, Aquaticus offers children a playful chance to discover local waterways in an engaging, hands-on environment.
Admission to Nauticus includes a self-guided tour of the U.S.S. Wisconsin docked nextdoor. Prior to boarding the ship, visitors can view it through a panoramic window. There is also an electronic guide.
For more information and tickets, visit Nauticus online.
