Exhibits and Attractions
With a length of 717 feet (219 m), Salem provides a large amount of space for museum exhibits and casual exploration by visitors. The Admiral's and Captain's Bridge, Number Three Turret, Second Deck (crew quarters) and Main Deck of Salem are features of the ship proper which are open to visitors. There are also individual exhibits within the ship including the Cruiser Sailor Museum and a substantial model ship collection.
The history of large cruisers like Salem is also addressed. Exhibits featuring USS Newport News (CA-148), the last of the Des Moines class cruisers, and USS Saint Paul (CA-73), a Baltimore class cruiser also built at Fore River are on board. A portion of the museum is devoted to a display of Navy SEAL history. Researchers can request access to extensive military archives and a collection of naval armaments and memorabilia.
Outside the realm of military history, the museum takes advantage of the history of the city which gave the ship its name, Salem, Massachusetts, famous for the witch trials of the late 17th century, by offering holiday themed tours and overnight stays during Halloween. Overnight stays are also available throughout the year for those interested in life aboard a Navy ship. Adjacent to the ship there is an eighteen hole miniature golf course. Operated by the museum, "Kilroy's Mini Golf" is named in honor of James J. Kilroy, a worker at the shipyard who is often cited as the origin of the famous "Kilroy was here" graffiti.
Read more about this topic: United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum
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