• Organization

    Nauticus

    Nauticus inspires and educates with engaging and interactive experiences that celebrate our connections with today's maritime world. Nauticus is a contemporary museum that uses the natural setting of Norfolk's harbor to showcase global maritime commerce and the world's largest Navy.

    Ongoing Programs:

    Shark Feeding - 10:30am (Saturday only)
    Watch Nauticus' live Nurse and Spotted Bamboo sharks eat as you learn about shark behavior and ecology!

    Shark Touch - Saturdays 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm; Sundays 1:30pm and 3:30pm; Weekdays 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm.
    (Height restrictions apply.) What does a shark's skin feel like? Find out at Nauticus' Shark Petting Lagoon, where you can touch the back of a warm-water Nurse Shark. Sharks in the Lagoon vary in length from two to three feet.
    Kiddie Tidepool and Storytime - Saturdays 11:00am-4:00pm; Sundays at 4:00pm.
    Learn about the animals that live in the Elizabeth River in this story-time presentation. (Ideal for children 5 and under)
    NOAA Science On a Sphere Presentation - Daily.
    Enjoy this exciting and interactive presentation on our newest exhibit, Science On a Sphere. Explore the Earth's surface and learn about weather patterns, how hurricanes are formed, climate conditions around the world, and much more!
    Aegis - Daily.
    Aegis is an ancient word for shield. It's also the name of the Navy's hi-tech protection system used by destroyers to form a 250-mile-radius shield around a naval battle group. This specially designed command center theater simulates a battle situation, allowing you to feel the weight of command, as you make hair-raising, snap decisions.
    Design Chamber: Battleship X - Daily.
    Inside this multi-media interactive theater, match wits with America's best ship designers on the eve of World War II in a race against time to create the greatest battleship ever. If you are a tactical genius, this is the place to show it.
    Battleblast - Weekends. 1:00pm.
    How do explosions work? Awesome experiments investigate the science of energy, force, pressure and combustion, as well as the technology of speed, armor and firepower associated with battleship design.

    Digital High-Definition Films:
    Gateway to the World. (35 min.) Daily.
    This digital, high-definition film celebrates the beauty and grandeur of our Seaport. Within the largest natural harbor on earth, the Seaport of Virginia serves as a gateway to the world through maritime operations. The film tracks the course of a single day, with choreographed motions of trains, cranes and container ships revealing the beauty of transportation, where workers harness the power of the gargantuan machinery towering over them. This film was produced by Nauticus in conjunction with Xenon, a film and interactive production company.

    The Living Sea. (45 min.) Daily.
    This film celebrates the world ocean - its beauty, diversity and importance to all life on Earth. Swim with thousands of golden jellyfish and witness the bizarre spawning behavior of giant clams. Surf in Hawaii, deep-sea dive in Palau and test your courage with the Coast Guard in some of the world's roughest seas!


    Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day: Monday-Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm. Rest of the year: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm.

    Price: December: $7/General Admission, Free/Children under 3.

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