uss albacore museum

There are not many sites like this in the upper new england area so it's real cool to have something like this. Take the entire family and you won't be disappointed.

I took my nephew Kevin and his two little guys Kevin and Tommy for a tour last summer. While Kevin and I enjoyed the explanations and the occasional taped messages the kids were in awe of the whole experience. Just trying to imagine living and working in such tight quarters was mind blowing. If the sub had been in the water the kids would have been ready to take it for a ride ! They had the best time and it was well worth the admission.

I went with my 16-year-old daughter, who felt a little claustrophobic, but it was a very unique experience and I was so glad we had the opportunity. You get to walk through and be part of the whole submarine, and if you can envision yourself living under the ocean for months at a time in there, you can get a good feel for what life in a submarine must have been like for the naval officers. We saw the short film and looked through the small informational room with different artifacts before we went into the sub. There was no one else there when we went. I wonder how many folks know about it as it's a little removed from the main town area. It was very nice to have the whole submarine to ourselves, but if lots of people were in at the same time one might feel a bit rushed. My daughter and I walked there from town, I remember it being a very doable walk, but I think we had to cross the highway. For this reason I wouldn't recommend walking with younger children. I don't remember the parking area, but I would imagine it would be ample. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area!

Browse through a small submarine now preserved as real naval museum. It is a good example of a pre nuclear submarine.

We toured the submarine with my 5 yr old, and he loved it! This is a well preserved piece of history. I was amazed at the conditions our military endured on this sub, especially in the sleeping quarters, if you can really sleep there. The bunks were so small. I jokingly said it must be a requirement to be short to work on a sub. I felt so cramped, and I'm only 5'7". It is a self guided tour with audio buttons you can push to hear more details as you walk around. The museum itself was very small, but there is also an outdoor memorial. I felt the price for everything was fair.

The USS Albacore was an experimental hull and propeller design for the fleet. This ship was not armed, but was designed to be improve the silence of the US Fleet in the Cold War. This design proved successful in several ways. The Albacore museum also shows the evolution of the submarine in the US defense arsenal and the sacrifices of the members of the submarine service. Where the Albacore is on display and a success, there were other boats and crews that could not be so lucky, such as the the USS Thresher which on April 10, 1963 was lost with it's crew of 129 in deep sea trials.

Great price, well maintain, self guided (there are differernt stops where you push a botton and get a good history of the sub. Like any sub, it's kind of a tight squeeze, but still really interesting.

This submarine is literally in the middle of a highly trafficked route. It's like it just fell from the sky, and there it stayed! During the tour, you get the whole story of what it took to get the sub where it sits today. It's a great stop, with great history. Not for those with claustrophobia; however

If you like touring naval ships of all kinds, this is a good stop while traveling through Portsmouth. "It's a Sub". If you've seen one, you pretty much have an idea of what they're all about. This one has particular "Cold War & Research" significance. It's well worth a visit with the kids who may have no idea of what life on a submarine is like. It's adjacent to the Rt 95 exit & entrance, and easy to find, especially with a GPS. If you've got 45 minutes to spare, & you're in the area, it's worth a visit. Check out the hours before you visit to make sure it's open.

We had arrived in the US the previous day and were all up really early, still on UK time, We drove into Porthsmouth, NH and had a look around and had seen the submarine on the drive in. Heading back out of town, we made the snap decision to go and have a look around, mostly curious as to how they got a full size submarine into this location. We had to wait about 20 minutes until the place opened, and had a quick look around their memorial gardon, which is beautiful and quiet, although not quite the place for 2 teenagers.When the location opened we were soon very pleased we had taken the time to wait. The tour around the submarine itself is extremely informative, and we all enjoyed the recorded information, stories and anecdotes that are broadcast from speakers inside the sub, initiated by a simple button push. There is a lot to touch, feel and interact with, and you can climb on the bunks, sit in the mess, and even use the periscope and steering system.When you finally leave there is a small gift shop, and in the back room, a video about the operation to get the submarine actually into it's drydock which is engaging and interesting and the staff there are also well informed and enthusiastic about the submarine.I would recommend to anyone to take the time to go see this great museum and memorial. It is so worth it.

Passed by the Museum many times when I used to drive over-the-road, but never had the chance to stop fora tour. Definitely worth the wait! An amazing submarine, and the ability to tour the entire boat (unlike the U.S.S. Nautilus) really enhanced the experience. Very cramped inside(as most subs are), especially the bunks! Saw the infamous "pancake" diesel engines that were a constant source of grief, and eventually led tothe boat's retirement because of a lack of spare parts.Allow about an hour or so for the full tour.

Great way to spend a few hours. I even liked it and this isn't the kid of thing I would enjoy. My husband thought it was super cool. You can touch a lot of the displays, lay on the bunks, sit on the chairs, etc. Super cool!

Self guided tour as told by the people who were on the sub. (push buttons trigger audio throughout the sub) Interesting to walk through and see how everything worked and ran and the stories of those who served on the vessel. Good use of $7 (for adults) if you have 30-45 minutes to spend.

It's not everyday you get to go on board a submarine. This one has a unique and very interesting history. Even more interesting is how they got it to it's present resting place. Worth the price of admission.

This little museum, the sub and the story are amazing! I loved being able to command from the drivers' seat, read how the commode worked (it required 8 separate actions), and develop a little claustrophobia in the sleeping quarters. The film showing how the sub was moved to its current location is truly a feat of engineering and determination. The mission for this sub, as a testing facility, was another incredible story. It's been a few weeks since we were there, but my husband and I are still talking about it. Don't miss this!