Considering the fact that Newport News is a highly industrial shipbuilding center and is located on the heavily traveled I-64 corridor between Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, the city is rich in green space. The city has several parks on the James River as well as Newport News Park , which is the largest municipal park east of the Mississippi. Examples include an 1883 brass Gatling gun, a World War I tank, and a blockade runner s uniform from the Civil War. The mansion is one of 12 stops on a self-guided Civil War Trails tour . The center is just off Exit 250B of I-64 in northwestern Newport News at the entrance to Newport News Park.
Visitors can examine aircraft, trains, ships, landing craft, and jeeps at two outdoor parks.
Children may enjoy an interactive gallery or attend programs especially for them. The work of local, regional, and national artists is on display. In addition to changing exhibits, the museum has special events and a permanent exhibit honoring attorney J. Thomas Newsome, one of the first African-Americans to argue before the Virginia Supreme Court. Anyone who has ever been enchanted by the sea will enjoy investigating the legacy of mariners at The Mariners Museum. Collections in 13 galleries at the museum include ship models, navigational instruments, paintings by artists throughout history, and the world-famous August Crabtree Collection of Miniature Ships.