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MIT Museum

Ship model on display at the Hart Nautical GalleryShip model on display at the Hart Nautical Gallery

Hart Nautical Gallery

Located at 55 Massachusetts Avenue, the Hart Nautical Gallery is open to the public and offers a display of historical and modern maritime material.

Founded as a teaching collection by the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, the Hart Nautical Collections have developed into an internationally significant repository of material on naval architecture, ship design, and marine technology from MIT and beyond. The Collections merged with the MIT Museum in 1981.

Currently on view are ship models chronicling the development of European and American ship design from the 17th century through World War II, and a small display on the career of MIT professor and naval architect George Owen.

The Hart Nautical Gallery is open daily from 10 to 4:30. Advance appointments are required on weekends when the MIT campus is closed to general access. Please contact our Visitor Experience Team at least 24 hours prior to your intended visit.