Coast Guard Museum Northwest facts for kids
 |
|
| Established | 1988 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1519 Alaskan Way South Seattle, Washington |
| Type | Coast guard |
The Coast Guard Museum Northwest is a special place. It helps us remember the history of the United States Coast Guard in the Pacific Northwest region. This museum is in Seattle, Washington, right by the water at Elliott Bay. It shows all the different jobs the Coast Guard does.
You can learn about how they protect our shores and save lives. The museum also features lighthouses, rescue boats, and even icebreakers. You can see modern aircraft and patrol boats too. The best part is that it's free to visit!
About the Museum's History
The Coast Guard Museum Northwest opened in 1988. It holds thousands of cool items from the past. There's also a library with over 3,000 books about the U.S. Coast Guard. You can find more than 15,000 old photos there too.
Some of the things you can see are detailed ship models. There are also parts of real historic ships. You can even see old Coast Guard uniforms. The museum has lenses from lighthouses and buoys. A special flag carried on the first Space Shuttle flight is also on display.
What You Can See: Collections
The museum has many interesting items. Besides the ship models, here are some other things you can explore:
- A clock from the United States Lighthouse Service, made around 1860.
- Ship's wheels and other steering equipment.
- Small pieces from famous ships like HMS Bounty and the USS Constitution. The USS Constitution is also known as "Old Ironsides."
- The ship's bell from the steam tugboat Roosevelt. This was Admiral Robert Peary's ship when he explored the North Pole.
- An old flag from the United States Revenue Cutter Service. This flag belonged to Captain "Hell-Roarin" Mike Healy's ship, the Bear, from about 1900.
- A sextant from a German U-boat called U-873. The Coast Guard helped capture this submarine during World War II.
- Items from a German fishing boat called Externsteine. The icebreaker Eastwind captured it near Greenland during World War II.
- The museum has the largest public collection of Coast Guard patches.
Other Coast Guard Museums to Visit
If you like this museum, you might also enjoy these other Coast Guard museums:
- Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum
- Port Orford Lifeboat Station Museum
- Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum
- USCGC Tamaroa (WMEC-166) (a museum ship)
- USCGC Mackinaw (WAGB-83) (another museum ship)
- The Coast Guard Heritage Museum in Barstable, Massachusetts.
