Puget Sound Navy Museum

BREMERTON - The Bremerton Naval Shipyard is one of the largest U.S. Navy facilities. Approximately 190 acres was purchased on Sinclair Inlet in 1891 for what was to be a repair facility.

With the advent of World War I, the yard began constructing battleships. It became a major shipbuilding and repair facility during World War II, and to this day remains an important maintenance and repair facility for navy ships.

The Puget Sound Navy Museum, located next to the Bremerton ferry dock, tells the story of the Bremerton shipyards. It also contains a wide range of exhibits about the Navy and maritime military history in general.

One of my favorite exhibits is called "The Golden Age of Tattoos." Today's tattoo enthusiasts might be surprised at the level of artistic talent that went into tattooing a century ago. The Museum's exhibit shows many examples. Tattoos were particularly popular among Navy sailors in the first half of the 20th century.

The museum also includes exhibits showing several types of ships and what life is like on them for sailors today.

If you're in the Seattle area, it's worth a ferry ride to Bremerton to visit the Puget Sound Navy Museum – and the USS Turner Joy.