Only one remains afloat in America [Albany NY] We learned so much from our docent, Caroline.. this is a guided tour inside the World War II destroyer escort. General admission was $10 each and lasted about an hour. There were 563 built during WWII and the USS Slater is the only destroyer escort left in the US. It has been restored to its original 1945 configuration. We were fortunate to learn about this national historic landmark. The first thing we learned was the history behind the name of the USS Slater (DE 766). The destroyer escort was named after Seaman Frank O. Slater. He was assigned to the USS San Francisco at Pearl Harbor and was killed when a Japanese torpedo bomber he had shot down crashed into his gun position. Instead of leaving his gun and trying to find a safe place for cover he stayed at his position continuously firing until the plane crashed his gun mount. The tour took us to the galley, officers and enlisted mess halls (btw, the officer mess hall doubled up as the operating room, there is a medicine cabinet by the wall), we viewed the chart room and the sonar room, captain's cabin, ship's office, signal bridge... we mounted ladders to get up and down between decks. These are steeper than stairs so it could be challenging for some. Overall, a very educational tour and I enjoyed it. A Destroyer Escort's main job is to defend naval task forces from Japanese submarines and Kamikaze air attacks in the Pacific. Review #3014 read more

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This was a lot of fun. We went on the tour, and our guide was Alan Fox. Very cool guy. He showed us in and around the ship and he had a huge amount of information to give. He also was had a great sense of humor, which made the whole outing even more fun. I would definitely recommend this. It's a small ship, but well worth it for any ship or WWII history buffs out there. read more

This was an excellent experience, especially considering the reasonable price of $12 per person. Andrew L was a wonderful tour guide and we learned a lot. Tour was a little over an hour long and definitely involved climbing in and out of some tight places on the ship so just beware it may be challenging for anyone with physical limitations. Only downside was that the group was a little large- would have been a bit easier with a smaller group. Would highly recommend the tour if you're in the area! read more

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Great experience. Amazing what those sailors did in WWII when escorting convoys. Guided tour guide very knowledgeable explaining life on board. read more

It was a nice place to spend a couple of hours. The docent was great and you could tell he loved explaining and showing off the boat. Next time I'd take the extended tour and go into the bowels of the ship. It's even more impressive since it's the last of its kind. read more

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Dennis was the best! Thank you for your service and the great tour! He was very knowledgeable and had a lot of little fun facts! We didn't want it to end!! read more

USS Slater - Our tour guide Dennis with my team! - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

We took a tour of this ship with Bob W, one of the tour guides. Bob is very knowledgeable of the history of this ship and provided detailed insight to us regarding its purpose during WW II. Bob answered all of our questions and explained the different guns/ammo used on the USS Slater. It's a beautifully restored ship that served an important purpose. Definitely worth stopping for a tour and history lesson. read more

Outstanding visit! USS Slater is kept in excellent condition and is a great stop! Well worth a visit! The tour guides were exceptional as was the quality of upkeep by staff and vvolunteers. Hunter gave us a great tour! Really knows his strustuff as do the engineering tour guides! I have been to many us Naval Ship Museums and this is definitely a new favorite. Thanks Slater crew! read more

Charles S was an amazing tour guide. He was extremely educated about the ship and the tour flew by without even realizing it! Very patient with all our questions and a very nice experience overall. Ship was amazing too. I highly recommend you make a stop should you be in the area and have time! read more

Enjoyable and informative tour by Dennis. A great way to spend a few hours in Albany.

We stopped here on our way to the Adirondacks. Very cool and learned a few things too. My kids enjoyed as well but got a little bored toward the end...tour was 90 minutes. This ship and its history should not be forgotten. Go check it out and learn what our veterans did to protect this country. Highly recommend. read more

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I usually stop for trains and ships thus I ended up here today unexpectedly. I took the general tour ($9) and the engine room tour ($5) and both were excellent to say the least. The tour guides were very good and knowledgeable. I actually passed this ship a few days ago and knew I had to come back. If you enjoy history, military, or ships I'd highly recommend this tour. Awesome afternoon. This is a hidden gem on the Hudson River. read more

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Probably the absolute best example of a restored and maintained US Navy Warship museum I've ever seen and been aboard! She looks likes she is ready to pull the lines, blow the horn and get haze gray and underway. Honestly the best. A great museum shop and I think the reason she is so pristine is the fact she is small, a dedicated group of Navy veterans, civic groups and local interest... Slater got it right. We took the tour and had a young kid escort us, though he never served he was quite knowledgeable about the Navy and ships. I was impressed... the tour group wanted to deep six me, as the guide asked questions all through the tour and no one would speak up! Land lubbers... probably Army vets! Ample parking. Great staff. Small fee for the tour. You cannot roam freely, have to be escorted all the time. Local ham radio guys do a special event during Ship Museum Weekend. Nice ship's store with geedunk and souvenirs. Albany, cool city.. this was the highlight for me. RM2(SW) US Navy read more

John was our tour guide. He was awesome! He answered any & all questions. He did not rush the tour. Would highly recommend taking this tour. read more

USS Slater - USS Slater - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

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If you're in Albany for whatever reason and have some time on your hands I'd suggest checking out the Slater. It is the last remaining WWII escort of its kind and a great piece of history. There are regular tours and our tour guide Mitch did a great job of showing us around and letting us know about the ship. Tours last around an hour and there is parking on site. Drop by if you have the chance. I thought it was well worth the time and money. read more

USS Slater - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

Interesting, engaging, and educational tour of the USS Slater. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the Slater and the destroyer escort vessels and their role in WWII. Highly recommend! read more

Such a great attraction in Albany, NY I brought my 2 young kids over the summer and they both enjoyed seeing the items on the boat. My youngest did have a little trouble with the ship stairs, they are a little steep for little legs, but that didn't dampen his spirits at all. Our tour guide was great, he knew so much about the boat. If you are ever in the area, this tour is a must stop! read more

Had an amazing tour today with Austin today. This is a fantastic piece of history. Highly recommend. read more

USS Slater - USS Slater - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

I'm a bit of a dork and I love history. I love taking tours filled with historical information. If you enjoy the same, you'll really enjoy the tours of the USS Slater. The tour starts with a video about what the USS Slater did during it's time in service. Our tour guide, an older gentleman who was retired from the Navy, was great. He was full of all sorts of information and didn't mind the off-the-wall questions the kids asked him. The boat itself is in pretty good condition and still sometimes used by people to stay the night on. They are good about letting you touch and interact with a lot of the stuff on the ship. It made it better than just standing back and watching. If you've never been on a Navy ship, be ready for lots of *very* steep staircases. On this tour, you'll go up and down the staircases several times. There are some tight areas to walk through so be aware of that too. Overall, I really enjoyed the tour and found the tour guide very informative. The gift shop has some pretty neat stuff in it too. read more

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This is the only WWII vintage Destroyer-Escort you can tour, anywhere, and if that means something to you, you should go and enjoy yourself, and if it doesn't, read on. The tour guides are really outstanding here, and the value of the tour as entertainment and history does justify the price, so if you're already interested in military or nautical history, please go ahead and go. Among the differences from similar ship tours I've taken: kids can get up on the outside gun turrets and traverse them, which is awesome entertainment, and you see a good portion of the ship. (Below waterline decks aren't on the tour, and you can see the engine room only by special arrangement, though.) They've done a nice job of furnishing the ship with what aren't exactly restoration-level artifacts, but which are appropriate to the experience - some things are reproductions (like hedgehog / shell cases) and others are original items. They also have some interesting programs, like a sleep-aboard opportunity (a friend in the scouts recommends it). The specific history of the ship and the role of the DE in WWII are handled nicely, although there isn't a real in-depth context of the Battle of the Atlantic and related Pacific duty; if you know your history it's fine, if you're not familiar with the naval history of WWII you will want to read up a little before visiting to get the best context. There's a sort of gap in the Slater experience, though, and I'd broadly characterize that as lack of an appropriate context. There's no Albany connection to the Slater - it's here because enthusiastic volunteers saved it from the Intrepid Museum in NYC, which was going to discard it. There's also nothing else nearby related to see or do - no other ships of any type, and of course Albany's waterfront is pretty horrible, cut off by the highway and hard even to get from one little part of the park area to the next. The little trailer adjacent serves as ticket booth and souvenir stand. It could use some gussying up, particularly in offering more cafe service (it would generate revenue and allow one an excuse to linger on the waterfront, and make it more interesting for a repeat visit), and having a full unit history for the ship available would be very nice. If they ever get more space, having more of an accompanying museum to supplement the tour would be welcome, for that much-needed context - there's not space on the ship for displays. An alternative would be having more weather-proof explanatory signage outside. All in all: if you're a military or nautical enthusiast, warmly recommended. But I can't quite rate this as a destination for the casual visitor from out of town; it's not so unique that you will have really missed something, and there isn't the tie-in to Albany's nautical history that could make it part of an interesting multistop tour. read more

Excellent spot. 1) If you are in Albany, it is a must visit spot. 2) The tour is excellent. Our guild was funny and engaging. 3) I will be back. read more

USS Slater - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

This tour of the USS Slater, a restored WWII destroyer escort, was like going back in time. Our tour guide, Cassidy, did a wonderful job of explaining the rooms and hardware aboard the ship. She was receptive to questions and always had an answer. It was truly unbelievable how these young sailors lived aboard the ship. The quarters were tight. These men are war hero's. We should all appreciate the sacrifices made, to give us the freedom we have. God bless all those who serve. read more

We stopped by the USS Slater on a whim and loved every minute of our quick decision. Our tour guide was Art, who definitely made this experience. He was full of knowledge, quick wit and information. Whether you have all day in Albany or just a few hours the USS Slater is worth the stop. Thank you for bringing history to life! read more

History and dedication from the locals make this ship into an experience you need to visit. So much detail is provided by the tour guide and the vets keeping this boat afloat. God bless America! read more

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A great experience I highly recommend going and taking a tour the USS Slater I learn a lot and walk away with a greater appreciation for those who have gone before me to defend my freedom. read more

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I've been meaning to come here for many years now and I'm so glad I stopped by! The USS Slater is a gem in Albany port. During the tour, you get a nice video introduction to the Slater and it's role in WWII and beyond. You then get to do the walking tour throughout the ship and learn about how the sailors lived on this vessel. It's very informative and you'll love it if you're a history buff. The staff is very nice and this makes for a really great afternoon. Don't miss this if you're in Albany! read more

Very cool if you like history, the Navy, ships, or just looking at old stuff. The staff is incredibly kind and accommodating and almost the entire ship has been restored/decorated to reflect the time period in which it was active. It's definitely worth taking a look at, especially if you're waiting for the river cruise. read more

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There maybe more famous WWII ships to tour but you'll not likely find one with more attention to the details of fighting and living on a ship in a historical setting. The Slater has been lovingly restored with countless artifacts turning it into a time machine. The staff is friendly and our guide had assimilated many stories from sailors who served on these ships. Even members of my family not usually interested in history were captivated by the story. Attention WWII buffs...you cannot find these kinds of details in books. read more

USS Slater - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

We had a tour all to ourselves, as apparently 11am on a Wednesday is not a popular time to tour decommissioned ships. The USS Slater was built to help the US defend ships from enemy submarines. Though this particular ship never saw battle (and lived in Greece as a training vessel for many years), it was still really neat to see up close and personal. Claire was our tour guide and she did a great job of answering questions and educating us about the ship's history. I think it's really neat that some of the men who were on the ship (particularly the captain) have donated some of their belongings so the rooms are appointed how they really looked when the ship was in use. If you're in the area, this is definitely a worthwhile tour. read more

I brought my 3 sons to see a piece of history. We had a lovely tour with Art and the boys learned a bit about what life in the Navy was like with 200+ sailors on a Destroyer Escort. It was a busy day so not as much time to loiter and really look at all of the details as I would have liked, but this is something all that visit the area should do. It is the only DE left afloat I believe he said and a piece of history that needs to be witnessed and preserved. read more

Sarah was a great tour guide. My son was really inspired by the ship and its history.

Our tour of the USS Slater was wonderful! Our guide, Austin, was totally engaging. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and patient. He eagerly answers all questions in detail. He made the history of this ship and it's crew come alive for us. Please donate to help further the restoration of this incredible piece of history. read more

This National Historic Landmark is a Canon class destroyer escort, commissioned in 1944 and later served in the Greek Navy. This is the only example of its kind which sits in water; it is exceptional in detail even though the Greeks had made a number of changes while she was it their service. One note, the tour guide is a well of information so prepare for much information. read more

USS Slater - CIC - Museums Near Me - Albany, New York

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Thank you Sara for a great tour for my wife and father! We learned so much about the history and got to see this wonderful ship! We highly recommend! read more

History and wonderful people combine to make this a great visit for anyone from the area or on vacation. This ship could not be more deserving/ or in better shape. read more

This tour exceeded our expectations. Grant was a great guide and his passion for restoring the USS Slater was obvious! He loves what he does and I only wish we lived closer and could volunteer to help! read more

DO NOT THINK TWICE - Just go! We visited the USS Slater during a trip to Albany in June. It was such an incredible experience. We did the tour which I believe was about an hour. Our group was the perfect size of 8 people. There was a lot of people initially but they split up the groups to make it a better experience. The history behind the ship is amazing to hear and experience. It's also interactive as our tour guide showed us what we could touch and interact with (wonderful for kids). We were fortunate enough to have two older gentleman in our group who served on similar ships and were able to contribute to the history of it. Learning about how USS Slater came to be was like stepping into history, and this was all due to our amazing tour guide. EVAN, was so unbelievably respectful, considerate, and informative. He explained he was a history teacher which makes sense why he was so good about sharing the history of USS Slater. It was such a fun experience - we left saying that the USS Slater was our best part of the weekend. We also did some local spots and the caves. read more

This place is incredible! I have been on two tours with various family members and every time it was a fantastic experience. On both tours, the tour guide was Liam Mitchell. He was extremely knowledgeable and answered all of the questions. He made sure that we understood the functions of the various rooms and inserted a lot of humor throughout the tour which made it very fun! Overall, I think that he was a great tour guide and whoever has him as a tour guide is in for a great experience! read more

We had a dr's appt at the Albany Children's hospital and I was looking to make a day out of our 250 mile trip. My 8 yr old loves WWII so this was perfefct. From the "salty" tour guide, to the huge guns and the totally authentic artifacts displayed, the USS Slater is a great way to make history fun for kids and grown ups. There is lots of climbing stairs (which are more like ladders ) so young toddlers or people with mobility issues might not enjoy the tour as much. Right down to a pack of lucy strikes, an issue of Life Magazine and the officers uniforms hanging in theirquarters, everything is painstakingly arranged to show how the sailors life was back in WWII. If you have achane to visit the USS Slater, don't miss it. read more

They are doing an amazing job of keeping the history of these great veterans alive. Would recommend to anyone, especially if you have US Navy veterans in your family. read more