Aménagé dans un ancien bâtiment naval en granit restauré, au pied du Pier 2 du Charlestown Navy Yard, l'USS Constitution Museum retrace l'épopée d'« Old Ironsides » et des femmes et des hommes qui l'ont conçu, construit et mené en mer. Sur deux étages, les galeries mêlent objets historiques rares, témoignages personnels et dispositifs immersifs permettant de se hisser dans un hamac, de tirer sur un cordage ou d'apprendre à carguer une voile. Institution privée à but non lucratif, le musée est géré indépendamment de la frégate : l'USS Constitution reste un navire en service actif appartenant à l'US Navy, amarré à quelques mètres de là et accessible gratuitement après un contrôle de sécurité. Si la visite des deux sites se combine naturellement, chacun applique ses propres horaires et conditions d'accès.
Building 22, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, MA 02129, USA
Nearest station: MBTA Water Shuttle from Long Wharf (near the New England Aquarium) to the Charlestown Navy Yard pier, MBTA Bus 93 from Haymarket or Sullivan Square to the Charlestown Navy Yard stop, North Station (Green and Orange Lines, plus Commuter Rail) — walk across the Charlestown Bridge and follow the Freedom Trail to Gate 1
Show on map| Mon | 09:00–18:00 |
| Tue | 09:00–18:00 |
| Wed | 09:00–18:00 |
| Thu | 09:00–18:00 |
| Fri | 09:00–18:00 |
| SatToday | 09:00–18:00 |
| Sun | 09:00–18:00 |
From $15
Suggested admission by donation, in three tiers: Pay it Forward $25 per person, Standard $15 per person, Reduced free–$10 per person. Discounted and free admission programmes are available. The ship USS Constitution is separately operated by the US Navy and is free to board on a first-come, first-served basis after a security screening and photo ID check (under-18s do not need ID).
The museum's two floors of exhibits are accessible to wheelchairs, walkers, scooters and strollers, and service animals are welcome. The ship is a different matter: it is kept in its 1812-era configuration, so boarding requires walking aboard the spar deck unassisted and the below decks are reached by steep ladder-like steps. Wheelchairs, walkers, scooters and strollers must be left on the pier.
Benoît Prieur, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)