It was...uhh..ok. We recently planned on visiting the museum on Saturday, as it was a rainy day and what better to do then go to one of our nations great museums....wrong. Let's start out with the redeeming factors: -we're members of another science museum so admission was free -the place was practically deserted, there were only probably 25-30 people that were actually inside the museum that day so we basically had the place to ourselves. -on the second floor there is a hands on exhibit where you can watch and touch some awesome oceanlife. -that about wraps it up folks Instead of listing everything that disappointed me, well nevermind, I'll list: -you have to walk two blocks to get here from the parking garage, the walk didn't bother me as much as the walk in the RAIN. -the entire third floor is a mock up of a battle ship, I understand that maritime refers to all things related to the sea but since when did the sea only include ships??? I'm pretty sure this place used to have awesome exhibits...not anymore. -There is the USS Wisconsin parked right outside of the museum and you're free to explore the deck but if you'd like to explore more, it's almost $20. mmhmm -Here is the kicker, there is a photographer before you walk onto the battleship, ours got two pictures of us and we figured it'd be one of those things where when you left she'd show you your picture and decide if you want to buy it. NOPE,when we left the ship, she gave us a bag and said here are your pictures...I was kinda shocked as she never asked to take a picture of us nor ask if we'd like to buy them...and then she said it'd be $20. When we said "no", she informed us that her "supervisor" has told her that she had to sell them because the pictures were already printed, blah blah blah [inset said sop story here]...you know, the two cheap looking pictures she printed us in the bag. I didn't feel like arguing and just handed her my visa, how convenient. On a closing note, this place is not what it seems, maritime exhibit-wise, and there is something wrong when a musuem is almost completely deserted on a rainy day, the best time to go to museum. Won't be visiting this place again. read more

Awesome place! My teenage boys, and parents enjoyed the experience. The museum has so much to see, and you can interact with the exhibits. Definitely worth going to see! read more

I'm a history junkie, so a stop at the museum was key. My friends and I sprung for the self-guided tour of the U.S.S. Wisconsin, a huge-assed battleship. It's something like 700-800 feet long. I appreciated that we could explore freely, rather than be guided through with an actor in period clothing (this was my experience in Boston, aboard the Constitution - not all bad, but this was better). read more

The museum was fun. I really like the marine wildlife portion. The fishes are so cute. But the best part is the battleship Wisconsin. Not only is it a museum that helps you gain an understanding of history and sailor culture but it is also a workout. I got in my 10,000 steps on the ship, plus all the ladders I had to climb, and all the high knees I had to do to avoid the knee knockers. BEWARE THE KNEE KNOCKERS! There is so much to explore on the ship. There's the deck, the living quarters, the kitchens, the mess hall, the med bay, the post office, and so much more. And it feels like something straight out of a video game. The only thing that could make it better was if the ship doughnut shop actually sold doughnuts cause man was I hungry when I was done. read more

It is a huge museum and it tricks you into thinking that it has so many exhibits. That did not stop us visiting this place, anyways. There are some neat exhibits that you will learn about the ocean life you never knew. I did really learned more about the ocean life, even though I grew up all my life by the ocean. There are many exhibits that you will get to touching the mammals and it is really fun experience. The tickets are fairly expensive, but it is worth to visit for just once. The foods at this museum sucks, so please save your money for somewhere else. read more

Great place! Husband and I had a good time exploring the ship and looking at all the museum displays. The staff was very helpful and friendly. With military discount, it was about 25 for 2 people for the basic ticket. read more

Love going here!!! Fun for the whole family!! Especially like exploring the battleship. That's a must do! read more

Nauticus - The mermaid outside! - Museums Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Ive walked through this museum twice, once without kids and once with kids and both were great experiences. We spent a really nice morning in the museum. There were a few places for our toddler to stop and play with things. The real treat is the USS Wisconsin itself. Walking both the deck and hull was very interesting. It tends to get pretty hot down below deck during the summer months but I would still recommend this experience to any visitor. read more

Very nice people and a fun experience. Only thing I would warn others about is the heat in the ship. Yes, they have airconditioning in portions of the ship but it still gets crazy hot and stuffy in sections. If it's hot outside I wouldn't suggest little kids or elderly people try to venture far from the air conditioned parts of the ship. read more

After years of talking about going, we went to Nauticus this past week. The only mistake we made was not allowing enough time. Walking through the museum and touring the USS Wisconsin make for a great day for families with something from everyone. Being able to go onto the battleship was a highlight for me. read more

Great info. Excellent workers. Where else can you actually tour a battleship (named after my home state no less). So many different sections to learn about and it was extra special since my husband is in the Navy currently and can tell me the differences of what they do now and what they did. I got to pet a shark, see pufferfish and horseshoe crabs! Really great place to take the family to. read more

Handsomely put-together museum. Lots of interesting and fun stuff to look at. The children's museum+aquarium was delightful and had many interactive exhibits and there was plenty of hand sanitizer wherever you went. Exhibits throughout were well-lit and engaging. Food in the cafe was great! Going around the Wisconsin was amazing but it is poorly marked both in directing visitors to areas they can view (almost missed that you could climb inside one of the turrets because the entrance was unmarked!) and in providing actual information about the ship (I often found myself looking at some very interesting looking pieces, parts and machines and yet finding no answers for what purpose they served!). I was also disappointed to find several pieces in the Naval History Museum which had been labeled twice with conflicting information, or once with inaccurate or outdated information. Additionally, the music in the lobby, and sound in the theater playing a video about the Wisconsin, and the music played just outside that theater were quite loud and bled unpleasantly into other galleries. The music on the deck of the Wisconsin was also quite loud and I could not speak to my family without shouting. That said, worth the time and the effort to visit! read more

A beautiful museum that will be enjoyed by any fan of maritime wonders! Interestingly enough, EVMS has rented their space multiple times for school dances and parties because they have a great space on the second floor. Additionally, they have a touch pool of horseshoe crabs! Pretty cool! After the museum, you can then quickly walk across the street and enjoy the many restaurants of downtown Norfolk! read more

For a Naval museum, this place is pretty well done. You get to see all sorts of historically artifact in a very well kept place. You get to walk and tour a Naval ship and there generally aren't a lot of other people to get in the way. This place is pretty cheap too . This area has quite a bit to do and see, and this museum adds greatly to it. read more

Best museum in Norfolk for kids! Lots of delightful displays! They are informative, entertaining, and easy to comprehend. Don't miss the USS Wisconsin! read more

The actual museum part isn't all that but the Wisconsin is something else. Now you have to take into account that this was a war ship built in the 40's and has been stripped down but at one time had 2900 men on her. A kid may not be able to appreciate this. What she's seen or done. I'd have liked to have spent the night on board. Do the guided tour to really get a feel for this ship. read more

Amazing place. Take the time to stop and watch the short videos offered around the tour, well worth the time to gain understanding of what's on display. It will give you a personal point of view...from those who served as well as sacrificed . Food court/cafe is TRASH....not worth your hard earned $$$, maybe if you're thirsty.... read more

We only had a few hours to try and take in this visit so we weren't able to see everything, but our main plan was to visit Wisconsin and that we were able to do. Because of the cold and the ice, our "tour" group was under 20 people and this made the experience really wonderful. Everyone could hear, no one was crowded, plenty of time to absorb the environment. If you do nothing else, you really should see this ship and get a glimpse into history. The only downside of the visit was that we only had time to see one of the movies, and the feature that was playing didn't interest us. Well done Norfolk! read more

We are clearly adult, and brought another adult (33) friend, who came to town here.. and had a blast. We went on a Friday (during the day) is was super not crowded... which was nice.... really enjoyed ourselves... :) read more

Nauticus is a great experience if you enjoy naval history. If you are a history buff, by all means go ahead and visit. Just be sure to take your time at each exhibit, otherwise it can go by pretty fast. But absolutely be sure to go check out the battleship! read more

Great tour of the USS Wisconsin. The nauticus portion was interesting to learn the history of Norfolk and the naval history museum was also great exhibiting the different types of ships and technological advancements over time. I would recommend better signage upon entry of the museum to buy tickets. I recommend buying those online if possible... save yourself the headache.parking across the street was convenient at about $6 for the 2.5 hrs we were there. read more

Definitely some really neat Naval history stuff here. It's really quite incredible to see. The touch pools with the horseshoe crabs are fun. So many of the exhibits you can see and touch, it really brings another level to the history. The USS Wisconsin is pretty incredible. They say that there is an additional charge to explore more than the main deck, however, today at least they were allowing everyone with museum admission to explore all areas of the ship that are open to the public. Count of at least 2 or 3 hours to see everything. And, unlike another reviewer claimed, the parking garage is across the street, not two blocks away (there are parking garages further away, but those aren't the ones the signs direct you to). Biggest downside is that the layout is a little confusing, so it's easy to end up in the same place more than once or not find entire sections. Also disappointing was that (considering this is a mostly military history museum) the military discount on the admission is fairly minimal. All in all, it was a fun way to spend the afternoon. read more

We loved this museum. Came on vacation to VA beach to visit family. We come from a huge Navy family and all found this museum very cool! The USS Wisconsin was very interesting... a true time capsule portraying American Naval engineering and power. read more

Really enjoyed this museum and battle ship tour with my daughter. One of the many "must do's" in the Norfolk - Virginia beach area! Just walking distance from restaurants and shopping! read more

We came here with my father-in-law (retired Naval officer) and my uncle-in-law (a retired Naval Commander). We did the Spy Ship tour with our 3 boys and it was great! My uncle-in-law know everything about everything so it was great hearing the history and having someone to answer the questions we had. I highly recommend the spy ship tour if you have kids. Great way to keep them entertained and still learn history! read more

Fascinating tour given by Chipper and Frank! Every aspect of the boat left us in awe and the personal stories these guys had were fun to listen to. As if the boat tour wasn't enough, we got to pet sharks when we toured the Nauticus Museum! An all around great day! I wouldn't bring little kids but school age kids would love this! read more

Great experience with the exhibits and on the USS Wisconsin. Recommend to anyone interested in naval history or even US history. They sure don't build them like that anymore. read more

We repaid $33 for a 5:00pm tour on September 29 of the Drakken Viking ship (after 10 days of attempting to get the refund after it was a rescheduled due to Hurricane Florence). The tour was advertised as having a "village" which included a video history of the attraction, food, drinks, games, etc. We arrived at 3:05, after an hour and a half drive, and the village was mostly non-existent, there was no historical movie, or food, or drink. The diner inside had closed the grill. The ship looks to be interesting but we are sitting here with three kids under the age of ten for two hours having invested at this point $66, hungry, bored, waiting for the actual ship tour, bored because the events promised closed 5 hours before the day should be over. I will not be returning to this museum and definitely do not recommend anyone wasting their time or energy. read more

It had been years since we visited the Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin, but with family visiting, we decided to go back. What a great facility! Great for kids and adults, very interactive. There are many fun activities for kids, and so much to see, both in the Nauticus and on the battleship. read more

Lots to see and do; the exhibits and films were fun and educational. So much history in the naval history museum. I also enjoyed the NOAA weather display and the aquatic life, they even let you pet a shark. The staff was welcoming and answered questions. The best part of the visit was touring the USS Wisconsin, impressive! Nauticus should be on your list of places to visit if you live in or visit Norfolk. read more

My coworkers and I did the escape room as a team building exercise and one of the ladies who directed us was a bit more than rude and non encouraging. She also told us we shouldn't have "messed up" the room even though we helped put everything back. We turned over the rug for clues. It was a lot of fun except for every time she interjected and discouraged us. No clues were given and she was extremely condescending. She took the fun out of a very fun activity. I would recommend the escape room but not the small lady with glasses. The guy that was helping us was extremely nice. read more

We went to The Nauticus Museum with our four year old son on Sat 2/9. Lots of hands on activities for children and very informative for older children/adults. Could not get him away from the many knobs/gadgets early on; then, steering the tug, working the robotic arm, viewing the marine life including a six foot yellow moray eel and finally walking around the outside and inside of the ship. He asked to go back multiple times on Sunday and Monday (true sign of a winner!). Great floorplan layout, multiple informative exhibits, awesome Battleship Wisconsin, clean restaurant. The Living Sea was also a great show on a huge panoramic screen that opens at the end to a view overlooking the water. Can't wait to return and also do the boat tour of the ships. -John in Wake Forest, NC read more

Starts out with a thrilling escalator ride up to the third floor and the fun doesn't stop there! The 3-D movie "Oceans" is the must-see of the season--I think it's up for 3 Academy Awards. The battleship Wisconsin (nicknamed "Wisky") is scuttled here from when it came under enemy fire in the first Gulf War. Exploring the ship was super interesting. I'd highly recommend the berthing unit! To add to the mystery we took a wrong turn somewhere and got trapped in the ship and then some guy with a drill was wandering around and the whole thing got real scurry. Then we found our way out and were like no thanks we don't need a picture of our family in front of the ship for $20. read more

Loved taking the kids here on our visit to Virginia! Lots of great history that they were actually curious about and we were able to take it slow and read about everything. A must visit with the family if you're around the area! read more

Great place! Took out of town family to visit and it was a great experience. Very informative with great exhibits and videos. Totally recommend! read more

your website needs to be looked at, I have been trying to purchase some tings from the store and i can not because it does not work and gives messages there is no form of payment for your state (Really) the state you are located in, you have everything else in great shape how about doing something about your website. read more

The battleship Wisconsin and the accompanying Nauticus museum at Norfolk, VA is a must see if you are in the area. The ship itself is magnificent. It's all fine and good to read our military history, but to visit an actual battleship puts it in perspective for you. The cramped quarters, the weeks at sea, the eminent danger, all seem more real having been on a ship like this. The museum itself is home to so much history, and a wonderful staff happy to talk with anyone and share stories. We had the distinct pleasure of talking at length with a kindly gentleman who was an actual pilot in WWII. He shared with us some stories we had never heard before concerning not only WWII but the Civil War as well. I wish I could remember his name, he was a wonderful man to talk to. I hope anyone who visits here takes the time to actually talk to the volunteer veterans here, it is so much more interesting hearing their stories than walking around reading walls. They are a treasure. read more

My late grandfather (one of my favorite people) was on this ship for 2 years in the 1940s serving in WWII. This ship meant the world to him. When he would talk about his time spent on this ship we knew that it was two of the greatest years lived in his life. Since his passing I have been to visit in 2008 and 2012. The Nauticus Museum has grown even better in that duration of time. The exhibits are exciting and packed with information. The staff is full of heart and soul. In particular, I had a brilliant encounter with Abby Dotson from the Education Department after seeing my grandfather in the "Forward for Freedom" movie. After speaking with an ex-Navy officer working on the ship itself, I was brought to Abby. I came to her in tears as I inquired about the origins of the video and you couldn't have found a kinder soul nor someone who cared more about her job and the people her work affects. I will continue to champion the efforts of preserving this fascinating ship and relic of American history and I will always be grateful for the experience of the warmth of the staff. Thanks for helping me connect to my grandfather and making me understand why he loved this ship so much. read more

This museum is perfect for not only kids but adults as well! It is a very clean museum with a lot of hands on activities and stuff to learn. If you are visiting Hampton Roads this is a must-do!!! read more

The tour was interesting and given by actual Navy sailors who shared their experiences with us.