National Civil War Naval Museum - Fort Benning

W willsgirl20131987 Updated July 12, 2021

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City Listings

City Listing Category

Recreation

Geographical Address

Country

United States

State

Georgia

City

Fort Benning

Duty Station(s)

Fort Benning

Public Address

1002, Victory Drive, Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, 31901, United States

Postal Code

31901

latitude

32.45

longitude

84.98

Contact Info

COMM

(706)327-9798

Website

https://www.army.mil/Benning

Operating Hours

Mon: 12:30pm - 4:30pm Tues: 10:00am - 4:30pm Wed: 10:00am - 4:30pm Thur: 10:00am - 4:30pm Fri: 10:00am - 4:30pm Sat: 10:00am - 4:30pm Sun: 12:30pm - 4:30pm Closed New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Business Info

Operating Hours

Mon 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Tue 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wed 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Thu 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Closed now
Fri 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Sun 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

1002 Victory Drive

Columbus, Georgia 31901

Phone: (706)327-9798

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Membership

Home
About
Located in Columbus, Georgia, the National Civil War Naval Museum overlooks the Chattahoochee River. We house the largest surviving Confederate warship, the CSS Jackson, as well as the wreckage of the CSS Chattahoochee. Other exhibits include a replica of the USS Hartford with its berth deck, ward room and captain’s cabin, an actual cutter or "ship's boat" from the USS Hartford, a full scale replica of the USS Monitor’s famous turret, and an immersive panoramic dockside exhibit recreating Plymouth, North Carolina, complete with an exterior and interior view of the CSS Albemarle.

Among our many artifacts, we have the largest collection of Civil War Naval-related flags on display in the country. The collection includes various flags from ships and coastal forts, signal flags and Admirals’ pennants.

Our timeline exhibit takes you month by month through the war showing naval events and features many of the museum’s most rare artifacts, such as the uniform coat of Captain Catesby Jones and Admiral Farragut’s two-star hat insignia.

We host a range of events throughout the year with an emphasis on museum theatre and historic character interpretation. Additionally, there are living history events, tours, cannon firings, weapons demonstrations, local history projects and more.

Holly B. Wait, Executive Director

Holly Beasley Wait, a native of Waycross, Georgia, has spent over 27 years working in museums and historic preservation. After graduating from Florida State University with a master’s degree in American History to 1865 and Public History, she began her career as museum registrar at the Jekyll Island Museum. She later returned to Tallahassee, working for many years at the Museum of Florida History as museum educator, then as grants manager for the statewide Historical Museums Grants-in-Aid Program. Wait left the Bureau of Historic Preservation, where she helped run this nation’s largest (at the time) Historic Preservation Grants Program to become director of the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida. Upon returning home to direct the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross, Holly raised the funds to complete the exterior restoration of five historic structures on the property. In 2003, she accepted a position as executive director of the Beaches Area Historical Society in Jacksonville Beach, FL where she helped complete a capital campaign to construct the brand new, state-of-the-art, Beaches Museum and History Center. Holly, and her husband John, moved to Texas in 2008 to be near his family. As director of the Pearce Museum, a Civil War and Western Art museum at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, she created a national western art show and sale, edited and published four volumes of original Civil War letters, and led the museum through its pivotal four year Sesquicentennial commemoration. Notably at every museum she has dramatically improved both visitation and revenue as well as upgrading their collections and facilities.

“I am thrilled to be back home in Georgia,” Says Wait.

Board of Directors

Scott McLaurin-President

Cameron Saunders-Vice President

Eric Tydings-Treasurer

Autumn Amos

Loretta Ayers

Frank Bickerstaff

Ken Coolik

Brad Coppedge

Robert K. David

Bill Feighner, Jr.

Nixon Maxey

Otis Pickett

Andrew Rothschild

Sam Ruffner

Bo Taber

Ron Ward

Crystal Waye

Trustees

Janice Biggers

Tom Gates

Clason Kyle

Virginia Peebles

Claude Scarbrough

Ex-officio

Elizabeth Barker

Peter Bowden

"Fantastic museum. Great displays and information" ...museum guest, facebook

Exhibits & Events
Exhibits

News & Upcoming Events

Cool History

This June and July is a great time to visit the museum. Beat the heat with some cool history!

Members Monday - Museum members will enjoy a private guided tour. FREE to members, $5 per accompanied guest including admission. Members make your reservation today, call 706-221-1782.

Tours on Tuesday - Guided tours at 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm

Deep Dive Thursday - Join us for an in depth discussion about a unique artifact or thought provoking exhibit. Program starts at 1:00pm.

Family Fun Friday - Take a stroll through the museum with a Sailor and learn about the war on the water with hands on activities. Program starts at 1:00pm and lasts about two hours.

Cool History Group Tour - A Sailor will bring history to life through hands on demonstrations and a tour of our unique exhibits. Program lasts about two hours. $7 per person includes admission, minimum 10. Great for summer camp day trip!

Museum Collections Internship

The museum is seeking in-person interns for the Summer and Fall of 2021. The collections interns will gain experience in cataloguing the museum’s artifact collection, work with maritime artifacts, and museum collections management software.

Click here for more information>

Steamboats Come to Georgia

Steam power certainly changed the economy of Georgia during the pre-war years. In the modern age of cars, it is easy to forget that before the automobile the rivers were the great highways of movement.

Read more here...>

Online Content

Can't visit the museum in person just yet? No problem, visit our YouTube channel for guest lectures, episodes of Curator's Corner, and the fun series Navy Lingo. Enjoy from anywhere and subscribe for new videos added often.

Watch here...>

Volunteer Meetup

Interested in history? Like meeting new people? Have some time to volunteer? This is your perfect opportunity. The museum is looking for volunteers to serve as tour guides and guest services representatives. Scheduling is flexible and no extensive knowledge of Civil War naval history is necessary. Training will be provided. Attend a meet-up and see if this is a good fit for you.

When: First Monday of the Month @ 1:00pm

RSVP appreciated but not required

"Was awesome, it's a great place to take your family or friends." ...museum visitor, Google review

Tours
Tours - Call 706-221-1782 or fill out the contact form> to book your group today!

Group tours must be scheduled in advance. Admission included.

Micro Tour – $30 + tax per group of up to 5 people – Guided with Introduction – Tour time: 1 hour – Take a private guided tour of the museum and discover the unique exhibits. Your personal guide will focus the tour and discussion on the Union Navy blockade and the fledgling Confederate Navy. This is a great opportunity for students of all ages to explore the important role of the navies in the Civil War.

Stroll the Decks – $6 + tax per person (20 minimum) – Self-Guided with Introduction – Tour time: 1 hour 30 minutes recommended – Beginning in the center gallery a museum interpreter will introduce guests to our one of a kind 40,000 sq ft facility, giving context to complement the exhibits. Guests will then stroll through the museum at their leisure exploring exhibits of the nation’s most unique collection of Civil War navy related material.

A Sailor's Life – $7 + tax per person (20 minimum) – With Guide in Period Costume – Tour time: 2 hours – A living history interpreter in clothing similar to that worn during the Civil War will show a range of weapons & tools used aboard ships of the era. They will also use the museum’s famous 60 foot long mural of Civil War ships to show the most famous types used during the war, from sailing ships to submarines and ironclads. The guide will take the group through exhibits of the nation’s most unique collection of Civil War navy related material sharing exciting stories of battles and of the ships and sailors who fought them.

African-Americans & Civil War Navies – $7 + tax per person (20 minimum) – Tour Time: 1 hour 30 minutes – An interpreter in period dress will introduce guests to this unique museum housing an impressive collection of Civil War naval related artifacts. The guide will answer questions and provide some context about the Navies in conflict during the Civil War. Visitors will then be led on a tour of the museum's exhibits highlighting the African American naval experience and stories of African American Pilots, Sailors and those affected by the War on the water.

Activity Book >

CANNON FIRING

*for that extra special occasion

$250

"This museum is incredibly well done. The displays, the models, the atmosphere are all amazing. Well worth the trip."

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The Museum

By telling the stories of the navies of the Civil War, we connect people with the past; giving them a better sense of place and time.

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Cool History in July...

"US history needs to be told to all generations and this museum is not to be missed."