The National Museum of the Surface Navy will open on the second deck of the legendary warship, the Battleship IOWA Museum.
The Battleship IOWA is known as the “Battleship of the Presidents”, after four commanders-in-chief spent time on deck.
The National Museum of the Surface Navy will be complete in 2030, following a $19 million expansion. The mission is to raise awareness of the United States Navy Surface Fleet’s role in international relations, free trade, humanitarian assistance and technological innovation.
The work will be carried out in three phases. The anchor location will be moved to the newly redeveloped San Pedro Public Market on the LA Waterfront. Next to the ship, a veterans’ park and outdoor amphitheatre will be built. Almost 15,000 square feet of exhibit space will be added by removing unneeded berths. 20,000 square feet of exhibit space will open below deck, and an on-shore building will provide an additional 20,000 to 50,000 square feet of space.
Chairman of the Board, Rear Admiral Mike Shatynski US Navy (Ret) said: “Battleship IOWA Museum’s location at ‘America’s Port’ serves as a daily reminder of the Surface Navy’s role in the protection of the world’s sea lanes since 90% of world trade and 99% of internet traffic is by sea.”
Battleship IOWA Museum’s President & CEO, Jonathan Williams, said: “Battleship IOWA serves as a great reminder of the extraordinary things man can do for man. I passionately believe in providing a conduit between the Navy and the civilian communities to build public awareness throughout the world.”
The Battleship IOWA Museum is a “top ten” museum and tourist destination in LA. It is currently moored at the Los Angeles Waterfront in San Pedro.
The plans come after museums had a successful year in 2018 – despite some challenges facing the sector.
Image courtesy Jonathan Williams via Wikicommons
https://www.oc-breeze.com/2019/01/15/133449_national-museum-of-the-surface-navy-to-deploy-on-los-angeles-battleship-iowa-in-2023/
