EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM
One main component of our Museum’s mission is the preservation of the ship as she would have been during her time in service. In addition to these restored spaces, the Museum also features traditional museum information exhibits as well as historic aircraft.
FEATURED EXHIBITS
The Museum features two rotating galleries, one on the Hangar Deck and the other located on the 2nd Deck. We also have special exhibits featured on other places on the ship on occasion. We encourage you to return often to see our new, highlighted topics!
Bay Area at War
How local communities worked, fought, and lived during World War II.
As we live our lives today, it is easy for us to think events and circumstances we experience are unique and difficult. This exhibit shows the struggle and determination of everyday citizens to live their lives and contribute to their community. The people, equipped with tools and a unifying goal, accomplished so much by building ships, defending our coast, and rationing precious resources. However, we must also acknowledge that inequality and injustice were present in the Homefront, such as the Port Chicago Disaster and Japanese Interment through Executive Order 9066.
Special Thanks To The Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front Museum and Frederick Klink and the SS Red Oak Victory Historic Ship
CAARE Facility at the USS Hornet
Coastal Atmospheric Aerosol Research and Engagement (CAARE) Facility
What is that equipment sitting at the end of the Flight Deck? A group of scientists from the University of Washington are studying how particles interact with the atmosphere by spraying salt water in a plume and measuring it as is disperses.
For more detailed information, please go here: CAARE Info Sheet
You can also go directly to their website: https://atmos.uw.edu/faculty-and-research/marine-cloud-brightening-program/
ADDITIONAL DISPLAYS
Exhibits range from the ship’s Sickbay to Boiler Room, her Brig to Combat Information Center. Many spaces are available for self and guided tours so that you can learn about how the crew worked and lived while aboard!
Restored Spaces
The USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum strives to make the aircraft carrier as original as possible to its time in service. We have a team of dedicated and talented volunteers that strive to restore each area to the finest of detail. Currently the ships second deck has a majority of the spaces (rooms) restored. There are also several major areas of the third deck that also restored and available for Docent led tours.
Permanent Exhibits
The Museum has permanent exhibitions throughout the ship for you and your family to enjoy. They pertain to a certain parts of the United States Navy history and tell great stories of honor and bravery.
Aircraft
Visit our Hangar and Flight Decks and explore our growing collection of over 15 historic aircraft. The majority of these aircraft would have flown off of USS Hornet during her career, but all were important to the history and evolution of naval aviation!
