Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center
The Armel-Leftwich Visitors Center is such a great thing to tour. This is from the Naval Academy Website:
Enter Halsey Field House on the way to the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and you will experience an impressive, high-tech exhibit that captures the mission of the Naval Academy, student life as a midshipman, and career paths as commissioned officers.
This exhibit features several interactive screens, including a 20’x6′ touch-screen wall map to help visitors get an idea of the locations and sites to see on the Yard; kiosks with interactive videos featuring midshipmen and recent graduates who discuss admissions, academics, student life and career options; and a station dedicated to the career paths of outstanding graduates with an alumni directory. The exhibit features over 700 photographs and larger-than-life photography of the academy’s most iconic moments.
When we toured the Visitors Center, we entered right where the sign up desk is for the tours. The entrance at the Halsey Field House was under construction at the time we toured so we were diverted there. On the left was the most comprehensive Navy gift shop we've ever seen, and we made notes to come back there for Christmas gifts!
Enter Halsey Field House on the way to the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and you will experience an impressive, high-tech exhibit that captures the mission of the Naval Academy, student life as a midshipman, and career paths as commissioned officers.
This exhibit features several interactive screens, including a 20’x6′ touch-screen wall map to help visitors get an idea of the locations and sites to see on the Yard; kiosks with interactive videos featuring midshipmen and recent graduates who discuss admissions, academics, student life and career options; and a station dedicated to the career paths of outstanding graduates with an alumni directory. The exhibit features over 700 photographs and larger-than-life photography of the academy’s most iconic moments.
When we toured the Visitors Center, we entered right where the sign up desk is for the tours. The entrance at the Halsey Field House was under construction at the time we toured so we were diverted there. On the left was the most comprehensive Navy gift shop we've ever seen, and we made notes to come back there for Christmas gifts!
|
|
|
One of the first displays we found was a Dahlgren Boat Howitzer Cannon! This cannon was created for amphibious assaults and for use aboard ships. (On a side note, check out the entry on Charles Williamson Flusse and Commander Cushing on the Cemetery & Columbarium page because their story is about this very type of cannon).
|
As you wind your way through, there's displays of authentic uniforms, and a whole hallway commemorating all the Navy grads who went to work for NASA and their achievements. We had no idea that so many astronauts were from the Navy! Then there was some old Bill the Goat memorabilia, including a stuffed goat (which I kinda walked past pretty quick, because if it was an authentic Bill the Goat, it kind of grossed me out). At this point we were so excited to start our tour, we made our way out and I KNOW we missed so many of the displays in the Visitors Center. This is definitely one building we need to go back and take more time in!
|
|
