Battle of Hampton Roads Day at The Mariners’ Museum

Description: Spend a historic day with us as we partner with the NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to commemorate the Battle of Hampton Roads.

Meet our Mariners’ Team and NOAA representatives, learn more about the pivotal battle, hear inspiring stories of Monitor and its crew, and enjoy interactive activities filled with history, science, technology, and maritime career exploration!

• Experience cutting-edge 3D data: Witness the first public unveiling of high-resolution sonar imagery of the Monitor shipwreck, three-dimensional digital reconstructions of USS Monitor from 1862 — and what it looks like today as marine habitat. This new data will transform how we visualize, study, and protect America’s famous shipwreck.
• Become an underwater robot! Use sonar and mapping technology to reach USS Monitor in an exciting life-size floor game
• Solve an engineering puzzle: match pattern blocks to build USS Monitor, its iconic turret, and its cannons in this activity crafted for early childhood learners
• Dive into virtual reality: Go for a virtual swim through the shipwreck with a Monitor 360 headset
• Explore the galleries: Meet our Mariners’ Team as they share the powerful stories behind the Museum’s priceless artifacts.
• Pilot an undersea explorer: Test your skills as a deep-sea pilot by taking the controls of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
• Embark on a scavenger hunt: Complete a special Monitor-themed scavenger hunt and win a special prize when you’ve conquered it!
• Tour the Wet Lab (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.): Walk through our state-of-the-art Wet Lab to see where Monitor’s iconic gun turret and other recovered artifacts are currently undergoing conservation. (Must sign a waiver in the Museum lobby; ages 10+ only)

More information and updates are available: Battle of Hampton Roads Day

Looking for additional local events celebrating Virginia History? >>> Virginia Historical Events