Welcome to United States Naval Academy

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Visitors Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Welcome to the United States Naval Academy, right here in Annapolis, Maryland. As the undergraduate college of our country's naval service, the Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. We are the top ranked public school in the country with incredible state-of-the-art facilities, a picturesque campus, and an 8:1 student-faculty ratio. Naval Academy students are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. They attend the academy for four years, graduating debt-free with bachelor of science degrees and a minimum of five-year commission commitment as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Here, you'll get an education that challenges and empowers you, and instills the highest ideals of duty, honor, and loyalty. These are just some of the qualities that have earned us a reputation as a transformative undergraduate college and garnered our graduates some of the highest earnings in the nation. So, take a look around and find out what the Naval Academy can do for you!

T Court / Formation

Tour stop audio transcript

The area in front of Bancroft Hall is known as Tamanend Court or T-Court. This was where the Academy officially opened on October 10, 1845 in the old mess hall of Ft. Severn. It is here that plebes are sworn into the Navy on Induction Day (I-Day). It is also where the Brigade assembles for noon meal formation after which they dine in King Hall. On a typical day, the Brigade consumes more than 1,000 gallons of milk, two tons of meat, a ton of green vegetables, two tons of potatoes, 1,200 loaves of bread, 720 pies, and about 300 gallons of soft serve ice cream and fruit smoothies.

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Luce Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Luce Hall houses Professional Development training spaces as well as the Leadership Ethics and Law Department and the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership.

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Bancroft Hall / Residence Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Bancroft Hall is named after George Bancroft, Secretary of the Navy under President James Polk and founder of the Naval Academy in 1845. Bancroft has 33 acres of floor space and has 4.8 miles of corridors under one roof. It is one of the largest dormitories in the world with 1800+ rooms. Inside Bancroft are: barber shop and beauty parlor (which give about 3,000 haircuts a week), tailor shop, cobbler shop, mid store, radio station, Post Office with its own zip code, snack bar (Steerage), medical and dental facilities, wardroom (King Hall) and access to the pistol range.

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King Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

King Hall is the dining facility for the Brigade of Midshipmen. It is named in honor of Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, Naval Academy Class of 1901, Chief of Naval Operations during WWII and one of only four men to hold the rank of Fleet Admiral. King Hall offers at least two entrees at each meal. This nutritionally balanced, daily diet of 3,500 - 4,000 calories per midshipman is prepared at a government-authorized individual ration allowance of $12.30 a day. All meat is U.S. Choice, vegetables are Grade A Fancy, and freshly baked breads and pastries arrive each day. In a typical day, the Brigade consumes more than 1,000 gallons of milk, two tons of meat, a ton of green vegetables, two tons of potatoes, 1,200 loaves of bread, 720 pies, and about 300 gallons of soft serve ice cream and fruit smoothies.

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Chauvenet

Tour stop audio transcript

Chauvenet Hall, the math department, is named for William Chauvenet, the first math professor at the Academy and one of seven original faculty members. Through his efforts and those of George Bancroft, the Naval School was established on a budget of $28,272. Chauvenet was a founder of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Michelson

Tour stop audio transcript

Michelson Hall, the Science Department, is named for Albert Abraham Michelson, an 1873 graduate of the Academy. After two years' sea duty, he was assigned to the Academy as an instructor in physics and chemistry. Michelson refined the procedure for measuring the speed of light until he obtained the most precise measurement. A plaque on Radford Terrace marks the site of the experiment . In 1907 Michelson became the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Physics.

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Hopper Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Hopper Hall is named after Rear Admiral Grace Murry Hopper (1906-1992) who is best known for her trailblazing contributions to the development of computer languages. She retired as a Rear Admiral at the age of 79. The building is home to the Center for Cyber Security Studies, the Cyber Science Department, the Computer Science Department, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and the Weapons, Robotics, & Controls Engineering Department. There are a variety of unique research labs and facilities throughout the building. The building was dedicated in 2020.

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Nimitz Library

Tour stop audio transcript

The Nimitz Library, completed in 1973, is named in honor of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN (1885-1966). A 1905 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Admiral Nimitz served as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, during World War II. The Nimitz Library offers comprehensive library services to midshipmen and faculty. Service is also provided to USNA military and civilian staff and their family members, to personnel attached to the other activities of the Annapolis Area Naval Complex, and to local retired faculty members and retired military personnel.

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Hubbard Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

Hubbard Hall is home to Navy Crew with an impressive roster of Men's and Women's teams. The building is strategically located on College Creek where the teams practice almost daily. The building includes a state-of-the art indoor rowing tank for training during winter months. The rowing program recently celebrated 150 years of excellence, winning the King's Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in 2019. The Navy Team has even represented the United States three times at the Olympics. You can see the oars used at the Olympic Games behind me. Take a look around and see what the Naval Academy rowing program has accomplished.

Navy / Marine Corp Stadium

Tour stop audio transcript

The Navy Marine Corps Stadium is an open-air stadium located off the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Opened in 1959, it serves as the home stadium of the Navy Midshipmen college football and lacrosse teams. The stadium is also the host of the Military Bowl. The stadium serves as a memorial to the Navy and Marine Corps; it is dedicated to those who have served (and will serve) as upholders of the traditions and renown of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States. The thousands of memorial bench-back and wall plaques are a constant reminder, as well as the list of numerous battles involving the Naval and Marine Corps forces since the early 1900s.

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Ricketts

Tour stop audio transcript

Ricketts Hall is home to Navy Athletics. The offices of the Athletic Director, the Navy Football coaches and other athletic programs reside in this building. The building includes an impressive Center for Athletic Excellence that features the great traditions of Navy sports.

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Lejeune Hall

Tour stop audio transcript

This building sits on what used to be the football stadium, Thompson Field, before we built the one that is in town. Colonel Robert Means Thompson was the Class of 1868 and would become a big benefactor for the Naval Academy. n 1982, they opened this building and named it after the officer in the statue, LTGEN John Archer Lejuene (pronounced Le-Jerne). He was the Class of 1888 and the 13th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps. This is the first building on the "Yard" named after a Marine Corps Officer. Inside is the swimming complex, the wrestling room, and the athletic Hall of Fame. This is the only USNA building with solar panels – which heat the pool.

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Wesley Brown Field House

Tour stop audio transcript

In 1949, Midshipman Wesley A. Brown became the Naval Academy's first African American graduate. Named in his honor, The Wesley A. Brown Field House is a 140,000-square-foot athletic facility that plays a major role in the life of midshipmen. Along with a full indoor track and field setup that can be converted into an indoor football practice facility, this impressive structure provides midshipman with access to top tier weight training and sports medicine facilitiies.

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Sailing Center

Tour stop audio transcript

Headquarters for Navy Sailing and the Naval Academy's sea based training. The basin showcases a variety of training boats including the Navy 44's, a custom designed boat for Navy Sailing, the Colgate sail boats and other boats used for competitive sailing. The sailing program is a time honored tradition at the Naval Academy and is a central component of the training mission.

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USNA Museum

Tour stop audio transcript

Located in Preble Hall on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy, the Museum offers two floors of exhibits about the history of seapower, the development of the U.S. Navy, and the role of the U.S. Naval Academy in producing officers capable of leading America's sailors and marines.Our displays combine historical artifacts with video and audio technology to bring to life the stories of the men and women who have served their country at sea. Whether you are a casual visitor, a student of naval history, or a member of the Brigade of Midshipmen, the Museum stands ready to make your visit a memorable one.

Chapel

Tour stop audio transcript

Chapel is a non-denominational Christian chapel. Sunday morning Protestant and Catholic services are open to the public. The Jewish Chapel, attached to Mitscher Hall, has services on Friday evening and is open to the public. Muslim and other religious services are held in Mitscher Hall. The Chapel was built in two sections. Ernest Flagg designed the original section, which accommodates 1,200, in the shape of a Greek cross with four equal transepts. Admiral of the Navy George Dewey laid the cornerstone in 1904; construction was completed in 1908. The Navy was added in 1939-40. It changed the Chapel shape to that of a Latin cross and increased the capacity to 2,000.

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