The U.S. Navy has shortlisted the designs of five global architecture firms for the new National Museum of the U.S. Navy, which will likely be built as an expansion of the existing museum at the Washington Yard in the District of Columbia.
The designs were sought as part of the Artistic Ideas competition, aimed at exploring artistic possibilities for the planned museum. It was initiated by the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), following Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro’s announcement of the preferred location in October 2022.
The competition received interest from 80 teams, with five architecture firms—Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), DLR Group, Frank Gehry Partners, Perkins & Will, and Quinn Evans—selected as finalists.
The firms developed unique submissions of conceptual ideas, including a museum entrance, an atrium, a ceremonial courtyard, and the incorporation of some of the Navy’s larger artifacts, such as a Corsair aircraft, a Swift Boat, and the sail of a submarine.
The Navy envisions a museum with a new building and a potential renovation of existing buildings, offering greater public access, and consisting of approximately 25,084 m2 (270,000 sf) of space and 9,290 m2 (100,000 sf) of net gallery space. The final designs are and will remain on display for public viewing at the Navy’s National Museum on the Washington Navy Yard, with NHHC planning additional public showcases in the summer.
The proposal submitted by BIG, in conjunction with the landscape architect Olin Studio, and Squint/Opera, a digital media agency, aims to honor the Navy Yard’s historical context, while incorporating the size, materials, and details of naval vessels. The plan includes a series of expansive glass display cases that face a public street, showcasing the museum’s collection of artifacts to both indoors and outdoors.
Perkins&Will drew inspiration from the Navy’s fundamental values and characteristics—including strength, commitment, integrity, courage, honor, and initiative—to develop its concepts, which were also informed by research and interviews with active and veteran U.S. Navy sailors. The building’s design features sail-like shapes and a landscape that evokes a fleet of vessels gliding on the ocean’s surface, representing strength, and establishing a strong link to sea, land, and air. The museum’s main entrance pays tribute to the commitment of every sailor as they transition from civilian to naval duty, with visitors crossing a gangway over water to enter the “vessel,” which houses cherished stories and experiences. The atrium is reminiscent of the engineering ingenuity of a ship’s hull, paying homage to the Navy’s integrity. The Subsurface, Surface, Expedition, Aviation, and Space (SSEAS) gallery takes visitors on a technological adventure, exploring naval acts of courage, fortitude, and conviction.
DLR Group’s concept is centered around the interplay between water, sky, and space. Water features will be integrated into the building’s foundation, entrance, and ceremonial courtyard, while various elements of the building’s design will mirror the ground plane and its terraces on multiple levels with water or sky. Comprised of three distinct parts—a striking exhibit volume, a historic structure, and an ancillary wing—the building will have a single main entrance, accessible via a ramp within the water feature. This will offer visitors a sneak peek of the atrium within the museum. An interpretive platform lift will take visitors to the highest level, followed by ramped walkways leading to exhibit galleries. Elevated terraces on multiple levels, the courtyard, and atrium—all enhanced by landscape, seating, and artifacts—will provide flexible space for events.
The proposed design for the museum by Gehry Partners, led by project designer Craig Webb, features a large, uncomplicated volume with glass on three sides, showcasing naval artifacts and images visible from outside. The interior will incorporate layered images, graphics, and video projections to narrate the Navy’s history across different eras. According to a senior associate from the firm, Gehry chose not to create a highly sculptural form for the museum, as he did not want the building’s form to overshadow its message.
The design team at Quinn Evans conceptualized the museum as “Homeport,” a space where the community and the Navy converge at the point where the land meets the sea. The building’s elongated, linear forms draw inspiration from the Navy Yard vernacular, reflecting the piers and ships, and establishing a connection to the Navy’s work, history, and heritage. Multi-story window walls offer a view of the interior, symbolically placing visitors at the edge of land and sea, where they can explore immersive experiences and discover new paths.
“These ideas and concepts show what might be possible for a new museum,” says Charles Swift, acting director of the Museum of the United States Navy, who oversaw the competition. “We have a number of steps we need to complete before determining a final design, and that first step is having a conversation with America: our Navy, our veterans and, our nation, about what we’ve presented today.”
