Faces of the Shipyard: African American Contributions to PSNS & IMF
USS Parche (SSN 683)
Beyond Rosie: The Women of PSNS & IMF
Carrying the Weight of the Shipyard: Code 700
Crossing the Line: Unofficial U.S. Navy Traditions
“Crossing the Line” is a phrase often used when sailors cross the Equator; however, there are a number of unofficial U.S. Navy traditions in which sailors participate that involve crossing a certain line of latitude or longitude. The initiated receive decorative certificates filled with salty language and drawings of mermaids, tridents, anchors, and dragons to document what they accomplished on their journey. PSNM holds a number of these certificates in its collection and a selection of them were on display in this exhibit.
Skin Deep: The Nautical Roots of Tattoo Culture
Skin Deep traced the nautical tradition of tattooing from Captain Cook’s eighteenth-century Tahitian voyages to the modern U.S. Navy.Today’s tattoo culture and designs have their roots in strong maritime traditions dating back centuries. “A sailor without a tattoo is like a ship without grog: not seaworthy” noted one nineteenth-century tattoo artist. By then, getting tattooed was very much part of maritime life.