Naval History and Heritage Command
National Museum of the U.S. Navy
Progress Report -- April 2023
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro views conceptual renderings from one of the five architecture firms at the National Museum of the Navy, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., on April 13, 2023. Director of the Naval Museum Division, Dr. James C. "Chris" Rentfrow is to the Secretary’s left. Official National Museum of the U.S. Navy Photograph, NMUSN-5104.
On April 13, 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro unveiled conceptual renderings from five architecture firms at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, finalizing the Navy's Artistic Ideas competition, an effort to explore the possibilities for the planned Navy museum.
Following the SECNAV's October announcement of the preferred location for the Navy's planned museum, Naval History and Heritage Command moved forward with its conceptual development phase and initiated the ideas competition in an effort to explore the full realm of artistic ideas that might be incorporated into a new museum.
The competition sought concepts and ideas for the planned project from a broad range of individuals and architecture firms. Following the initial announcement in December, 80 firms expressed interest in participating; 37 firms then submitted qualifications, and finally, the Navy selected five architecture firms as finalists: Bjarke Ingels Group, DLR Group, Frank Gehry Partners, Perkins & Will and Quinn Evans.
The Artistic Ideas Competition is an important step on the way to a new museum campus for the United States Navy. These ideas incorporate the feedback the Navy has received from working groups of active-duty sailors, and represent the work of historians, curators, and other professionals at Naval History and Heritage Command. The work done by these five internationally known firms show diverse approaches to how the Navy can celebrate the accomplishments of the U.S. Navy, honor our veterans, and point the way to the Navy’s future.
View the designs here.
Media Coverage from the Event: Full clippings can be viewed here:
Washington Post: Navy unveils five eye-popping ideas for new flagship museum in DC
Washington Business Journal: Navy unveils first concepts for planned $475 million museum in Southeast D.C.
Commercial Observer: Bjarke Ingels, Frank Gehry Among Finalists for New Navy Museum Design
ArchDaily: BIG Selected as Finalist for New United States Navy Museum Design
Designboom: BIG, DLR group & frank gehry among shortlist of five to design U.S. navy national museum
The Architect's Newspaper: Designs unveiled in "artistic ideas competition" for new National Museum of the United States Navy
Bloomberg: Construction Paper: A New Naval Attraction in Washington
MilitarySpot.com: Navy Unveils Concepts for Planned Museum
Parametric Architecture : BIG, Frank Gehry, And Perkins+Will Among Finalists For The New National Museum of the US Navy
Baltimore Business Journal: 8 things to know: National wedding retailer warns of thousands of layoffs; Navy shares designs for D.C. museum
We welcome your feedback on these five concepts as we continue to work towards our new museum and cultural center for the Navy. Please send your comments to NHHC_NMUSNMuseumNews@us.navy.mil.
