The U.S. Navy Museum entrance offers an overview of three centuries of U.S. naval history from the the Revolutionary War era through modern nuclear submarines. The entrance previews an upcoming exhibit on the Steel Navy with shipmodels from "Great White Fleet" and beyond. Also easily visible near the entrance is the fighting top of USS Constitution--the oldest ship still in commission in the U.S. Navy--and a simulated submarine combat information center.

The museum entrance is a broad cornerstone upon which the other exhibits build to fill in the remaining parts of U.S. naval history.

Interesting artifacts in the front entrance include:

• Scale models of ships: USS Maine, USS Pennsylvania, USS Constitution (one model sat on John F. Kennedy's oval office White House)
• 42 and 12 pounder guns of 1786 and 1796 respectively
• The foremast fighting top from USS Constitution - (click here for picture)
• Statue of Boatswain's Mate Charles W. Riggin made from 26,000 silver dimes - (click here for picture)
• Also near the entrance is a space for temporary exhibits which change every few months.