The Mariners’ Museum and Park is a Newport News museum with maritime collections and a public park around Mariners’ Lake. From a hotel in Newport News, it’s a local outing that pairs galleries—including the USS Monitor Center—with a shoreline walk on the Noland Trail.
- Location: 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606.
- Collections: More than 90,000 square feet of galleries covering maritime art, culture, science and history.
- Park: Free public access to a 550-acre park surrounding 167-acre Mariners’ Lake.
- Admission: Museum admission is $1 per person; children age 3 and under and members enter free.
The Museum’s Maritime Collections
The museum’s galleries cover maritime art, culture, science and history, with the USS Monitor Center among the key collections. Founded in 1930 by Archer Milton Huntington and Homer L. Ferguson, the museum spans more than 90,000 square feet of gallery space.
You can focus your indoor visit on the subjects that interest you, then head outside to the park. The Explorers Theater is a separate ticketed option: admission is $1 for nonmembers, while members and children age 3 and under enter free. Movie tickets are additional to museum admission and may be purchased at the door.
Noland Trail and the Park Setting
Mariners’ Park is a free public park around Mariners’ Lake, and the five-mile Noland Trail follows the lake’s shoreline. The trail was dedicated as a gift from the Noland family in 1991.
Fourteen bridges cross the route, with benches approximately every half-mile and marked half-mile points. You can use those markers to break up the walk or turn back when you have covered the distance that suits your visit. The museum provides free parking near the main entrance and the trail’s north entrance, along with other lots around the park.
Park rules require pets to be leashed and prohibit bicycles and motorcycles on trails and paths, swimming, shoreline fishing, alcohol, littering, open fires and weapons. Plan to leave the property by sunset.
Admission, Hours and Visitor Access
Museum admission costs $1 per person, with free entry for children age 3 and under and museum members. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. You can buy tickets online; check the official site before you go for current details.
Opening hours
- Monday to Sunday: 9 AM–5 PM
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
The park’s listed hours vary between the museum’s visit page and its printed map, so confirm the schedule before planning a park visit. The museum offers complimentary wheelchairs and strollers at the Admission Desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Most restrooms and water fountains are wheelchair accessible, and accessible bathrooms are available in the museum building.
Accessible parking is available near the main museum entrance, at the Business Entrance, across from the Noland Trail entrance and at Harvey Field.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources identifies Holly Tree Overlook, the Mariners’ Museum Multipurpose Trail, Loop Road Trail and Meadow Path as fully accessible. Newport News Park is another outdoor destination covered in this visitor guide to Newport News Park.
How do you get to The Mariners’ Museum and Park?
The museum is at 100 Museum Drive in Newport News. If you’re driving from I-64, take Exit 258-A and travel 2.5 miles to Warwick Boulevard and J. Clyde Morris Boulevard. Continue straight through the intersection, then take the first left onto Museum Drive.
Free parking is available throughout the Museum and Park. Lots include the area across from the main museum entrance, the Noland Trail north entrance, Harvey Field, Lions Bridge, Williams Field and the Business Entrance.
For a broader itinerary, the Newport News area attractions guide covers other local outings.
FAQs
How much does it cost to visit The Mariners’ Museum?
Museum admission is $1 per person. Children age 3 and under and museum members are admitted free; park access is also free.
How long is the Noland Trail?
The Noland Trail is five miles long and follows the shoreline of Mariners’ Lake. It has 14 bridges, benches approximately every half-mile and marked half-mile points.
Is parking free at The Mariners’ Museum and Park?
Yes. Free parking is available throughout the Museum and Park, including near the museum’s main entrance and the Noland Trail’s north entrance.
Are there accessible paths at the park?
Holly Tree Overlook, the Mariners’ Museum Multipurpose Trail, Loop Road Trail and Meadow Path are identified as fully accessible. Accessible bathrooms are available in the museum building.