Excitement is building as the Navy moves closer to groundbreaking for the new National Museum of the United States Navy campus. The future museum campus will be constructed just outside the Washington Navy Yard gates, anchoring the Navy’s legacy in a purpose-built facility designed to inspire support for — and service in — the U.S. Navy. As part of this transformation, artifacts are being carefully relocated from historic Building 76 on the Washington Navy Yard — formerly home to the National Museum — making way for its new role as the Museum Support Center. This facility will directly sustain the new museum’s operations, conservation efforts, and exhibit development.
Groundbreaking is slated to occur in 2026 for the first phase of the museum campus. This is not just a museum — it’s a museum campus, incorporating an honor court, conference center, classrooms, retail, parking, and event space to create a dynamic public destination. Working groups across the fleet are actively contributing stories and artifacts, while partnership opportunities with Living Classrooms, regional school districts, United States Naval Institute (USNI), and Association of the United States Navy (AUSN) promise to expand educational reach and community engagement. The National Museum Development Foundation (NMDF) — the Navy’s approved nonprofit partner — continues to lead donor engagement efforts to secure the funding required to build a museum campus worthy of the Navy’s legacy.
