Details Released On Opening Of Coast Guard Museum In New London

NEW LONDON, CT — The nation's first National Coast Guard Museum is now one year away from opening, with the U.S. Coast Guard announcing this week that the long-awaited attraction on New London's waterfront will welcome its first visitors during the week of Aug. 2, 2027.

The opening week will culminate on Aug. 4, 2027, which marks the Coast Guard's birthday.

Subscribe

Currently under construction along the Thames River, the 80,000-square-foot museum will be the first national museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the history, heritage and missions of the U.S. Coast Guard.

"The Coast Guard has always stood as a military service and a vital instrument of national power," Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement. "This museum is a permanent tribute to the Long Blue Line—the generations of crews who have saved lives, defended our borders and maritime approaches, facilitated vital commerce, and responded to crises with little or no warning."

The museum will feature five public decks, three exhibit floors, five themed experience wings, a rotating gallery for special exhibitions, classrooms and event space. Officials said interactive exhibits and waterfront views are intended to immerse visitors in the Coast Guard's history and missions.

According to the Coast Guard, the museum will include more than 5,000 historic images and 600 artifacts, along with hands-on exhibits designed for visitors of all ages. Educational programming will focus on STEM, leadership, civics and maritime history.

Among the museum's featured attractions will be a suspended MH-60T Jayhawk rescue helicopter with a life-sized aircrew modeled after an active-duty crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Visitors will also be able to see the Medal of Honor awarded to Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro, the Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor recipient, whose actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal earned the nation's highest military decoration.

Officials said the museum is intended to serve as more than an exhibition space, offering visitors an opportunity to learn about the Coast Guard's role in search and rescue, maritime security, commerce and emergency response through stories of service, innovation and resilience.

More information is available from the U.S. Coast Guard.