Playing “I Spy” While Touring the USS Albacore in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

| | | |

On a recent try to Portsmouth, New Hampshire we had the opportunity to explore a popular National Historic Landmark, the USS Albacore Park. The park includes a maritime museum, memorial garden, and the 206 foot long submarine, all open to the public to enjoy and explore.

outside the USS Albacore Park in Portsmouth, NH

Built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the 1950s, the Albacore was designed by the Navy to be a research submarine testing features that would be used in future submarines for research and defense, and was in use from 1953 through 1972. With a crew of 55 sailors, the Albacore became the first boat built to operate underwater and set the record as the fastest submarine, going close to 40 miles per hour under water, in 1966.  A committee of local residents and council members fought to have the submarine returned to Portsmouth and it was moved from Philadelphia to Portsmouth in 1985. 

inside the SS Albacore Park in Portsmouth, NH

Travel Tips:

  • The museum and submarine are open late February through mid December from 9:30am-4:30pm; check here for up to date information on hours and admission fees.
  • There is a large parking lot in front of the museum.
  • The museum building has restrooms and a gift shop.
  • No dining facilities on site; see a good index of nearby Portsmouth dining options here.
  • The museum, but not the submarine, is handicap accessible. Children under age 2 are not allowed on the submarine. Be careful navigating through the tight quarters, and low ceilings, of the submarine. Leave all personal items in your car.
  • Plan on 90 minutes- two hours to explore the two museum exhibits and tour the submarine.

Playing I Spy While Touring the USS Albacore:

  1. Walk through the Memorial Garden, which has displays honoring the 86 men who died on the first USS Albacore SS 218 (used during WWII) on November 7, 1944, placards honoring CMoMM Arthur L. Stanton (Chief of the boat), Stephen Paul Cuff (who led fundraising efforts to improve the museum and grounds and was awarded honorary member of the crew) and James Baxter Sergeant (former Executive Director of Albacore Park) 
Memorial Garden at the USS Albacore Submarine, Museum, and Memorial Garden in Portsmouth, NH

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

  1. While touring the new (opened in spring 2025) exhibit on Maritime History, search for:
    1. The timeline of the War of 1812 and Portsmouth involvement
    2. Navigation tools, binoculars, spy glass, gyroscope, and magnetic compasses dating back over 100 years
    3. Replica models of a schooner, harpoon boat, lobster boat, and sloop
    4. The nautical alphabet and ways to signal distress
    5. The steps to tie various maritime knots
    6. A timeline of the evolution of submarines (comparing WWII era to today)
    7. Ceremonial souvenirs from the launching of new ships. The Portsmouth shipbuilding industry built 75 vessels during its peak time in the mid 1940s.
    8. A collection of items in a Corpsman (a Navy medic) Pack
    9. The memorial to the 129 men aboard the USS Thresher who were lost at sea in 1963 and presumed dead and the subsequent new safety protocols
    10. A Radio transmitter and receiver used in the 1950s-1970s, the intercom system and the growler and submarine storage battery cell
  2. While touring the exhibit on the USS Albacore, search for:
    1. The collection of silver and china used on board the submarine.
    2. The periscope for a view of the grounds around the Albacore.
    3. The history of the USS Albacore’s decommissioning in the 1970s, the movement to bring it back to Portsmouth from Philadelphia (via tugboat!), and the opening to the public in 1986.
tying the knots exhibit at Memorial Garden at the USS Albacore Submarine, Museum, and Memorial Garden in Portsmouth, NH
  1. Head outside to follow the path to the submarine. The path is lined with several audio stations, narrated by former sailors. While touring the submarine, listen to the recordings from former crewmen who served on board the USS Albacore and and try to:
    1. Fit in a trunk bed
    2. Find cooking supplies in the galley and sculler
    3. Play table games in the ward room
    4. See the washroom and tiny shower closet
    5. Check out the maps in the radio room
    6. Practice navigating and looking through the periscope in the SONAR room.
outside the entrance to the pin for USS Albacore submarine in Portsmouth, NH

Looking for more submarine and nautical museums in the Northeast? See our features of Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, Submarine Force Museum and HS Nautilus in Groton, Connecticut; and the Intrepid Museum in New York City.

Looking for more adventures in Portsmouth, New Hampshire? See our features of the Strawbery Banke Museum and the Seacoast Science Center. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Disclosure: We were given a media pass to explore the USS Albacore and museum; all opinions expressed are my own.

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *