Navy Ship Tours in Boston

USS Constitution

• The USS Constitution -- or Old Ironsides, as she's often called -- has the distinction of being the world's oldest naval vessel to remain afloat today. In 1797, President George Washington christened the three-masted frigate after the country's newly ratified Constitution. With 44 guns and a heavy wooden hull, the USS Constitution played an impressive role during the War of 1812, defeating four British ships. She was decommissioned in 1855, and is now home to a museum that showcases the ship's rich history. The U.S. Park Service offers a free half-hour tour of the ship.

  USS Constitution
  Charlestown Navy Yard
  Charlestown, MA 02129
  history.navy.mil/ussconstitution
  617-242-5601

Charlestown Navy Yard

• The Charleston Navy Yard was the U.S. Navy's primary ship-building center form 1800 until 1974. More than 200 battleships and military crafts were built and christened at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Visitors at Boston National Historical Park can explore the shipyard and take a free Park Service tour, which includes a stop at the nearby Bunker Hill Monument, the first battle site in the American Revolution.

  Boston National Historical Park
  Charlestown Navy Yard
  Boston, MA 02129
  617-242-5642
  nps.gov/bost

USS Cassin Young

• The USS Cassin Young is a naval destroyer docked at Pier 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The battleship played a key role in the World War II invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and also served in the Korean War. It was retired from active duty in 1960 and is now open to the public. U.S. Park Service Rangers lead free tours of the destroyer and provides a details about how the U.S. Navy built, maintained and modernized ships for military use.

  Boston National Historical Park
  Charlestown Navy Yard
  Boston, MA 02129
  617-242-5642
  nps.gov/bost