For our return journey from Olympic National Park, we decided to take the Bremerton Ferr
y back to Seattle. While we waited for the ferry, we stumbled across a gem. Right next to the ferry entrance is the Puget Sound Naval Museum. This museum is a fantastic place to visit if you are in the area and it’s free! This stunning building is marked with tall white pillars that add a classic feeling. When we entered the museum, we were greeted by two incredibly knowledgeable volunteers that were both eager to help us. As we explored the museum one thought came to me that may surprise you: the museum is cute.

I know that you are probably wondering how a naval museum could be cute, but it is. For those of you who are fascinated in naval operations, don’t worry there is still plenty of information on the subject. But for those of you just looking to expand your knowledge, this museum is simply pleasant to be inside. The walls are painted a mellow blue shade with white accents and the layout is very organized and intuitive. There is also an adorable kid’s area where children can dress up and pretend to be underwater in a submarine. As I mentioned earlier: it’s pretty cute.

One of the subjects that I found fascinating while wandering the museum was the information on how to tie knots and what each knot means. I always wished I could tie cool knots and the museum definitely inspired me to continue to learn about that subject. In general, the museum was a great learning experience for me because it turned out that I really did not know anything about the navy and now I feel like I am much more informed.

We also got a behind the scenes tour from Megan, a former Klondike employee who now works at the museum as one of the museum curators. She showed us the basement of the museum where all of the artifacts were kept. It was amazing how many HUGE ship wheels there were. I had to resist the urge to grab a wheel and start singing “A Pirates Life for Me.” Also in the basement were letters from sailors, a wooden chest covered in knots and about a million uniforms. Another cool thing to see in the museum and also in the behind the scenes area (there are multiple) are the old diving suits. It is amazing how much diving gear has advanced over time.

Megan also mentioned to us that the museum is always looking for new volunteers! The volunteers work as docents in the museum and get several benefits like a discount to their gift shop. To learn more about volunteering you can email: carolyn.lane@navy.mil.

Overall, the Puget Sound Naval Museum in Bremerton is a fantastic place to visit to expand your knowledge! It also offers several good photo opportunities. Stand in front of the sail from the award-winning USS Parche for a great trip photo like Ranger Kelsey did!

– Claire, SCA intern