Located on Atlantic Avenue, the Old Coast Guard Station is dedicated to preserving the unique tradition of the Life-saving Coast Guard Service while also educating visitors about the development of this practice through the ages.
The museum is housed in an authentic life saving coast guard station which dates back to 1903. The lower gallery, which was once used as the Boat room, contains a permanent exhibit besides several rotating collections, each of which has a story to tell about the history of the life saving service. The interactive exhibit called Changes details the significant changes that have shaped the present day ships and describes the significance of each development. The rotating exhibits feature informative collections like the Revenue Cutter service from which the practice of the Coast Guard has evolved. The gallery has also showcased the Women in the Coast Guard exhibition which depicts the significant contribution of women in this historic practice, right from the First World War to the 1970s when women were legally eligible for coast guard duty and them onwards to the present day involvement.
The Upper Gallery, which was where the surf-men slept, tells the legendary tales of Virginia shipwrecks and depicts the Battle of the Atlantic which occurred during the Second World War. The museum also conducts educational programs for visitors of all ages, right from storytelling sessions with Captain Fishbones to tours of the museum, where visitors are taught about the history of the museum and its role in the history of Virginia Beach. The museum also relives traditional fetes like the annual Pig and Oyster roast and the Museum Holiday sale through the year. You can even visit the museum store for one-of-a-kind museum memorabilia like boat models, and remote controlled Coast Guard Cutters, which also make excellent gift ideas.
Admission is charged at about $4 per person, with special discounts for children and seniors. You can visit the Old Coast Guard Station from 10 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sunday.
For further information, you can refer to the website http://www.oldcoastguardstation.com or call the museum at (757) 422-1587.
