Charlestown Navy Yard: Dive into The History of the Yard at the Visitor Center's Exhibits

For 174 years, the Charlestown Navy Yard served as a hub of innovation, an employer of skilled workers, and a home to Naval officers, sailors, and U.S. Marines. Walk through the exhibits of the Navy Yard's Visitor Center to learn about the history of the Yard, the ingenuity of its workers, and its role in "Serving the Fleet." Explore the exhibit about the USS Mason, a destroyer-escort constructed here in the Charlestown Navy Yard in 1943 and one of only two US Navy ships in World War II with a predominately African-American crew. Learn about how the service of this ship and its crew in the Battle of the Atlantic helped speed the end of segregation in the US Military. Please check current hours of operation before visiting the Visitor Center. Entrance to this Visitor Center is via a security checkpoint. Photo ID may be required for access. This is for added security for USS Constitution, an active navy ship.