The fourth, with the Design Department allows specialized training for graphics and studio art majors. The Museum tells the history of the United States Navy through a series of chronological and thematic exhibits. Currently, the staff is producing exhibits on the Civil War. About 400,000 people visit the Museum each year. Visitor interaction is encouraged throughout the Museum.
Temporary exhibitions deal with a range of American naval themes.
The Naval Historical Center has a rich collection of documents, books, photographs, and artifacts as well as specialists in naval history who can be consulted by the Museum staff. An intern with a history or art history major would be closely involved with exhibition or publication programs, reinforcing learned research and writing techniques, as well as providing work experience in a museum environment. English, French, anthropology, political science, American studies, and international relations majors have also interned in the Curator section. The intern is supervised by the Museum Curator who assigns tasks that might include research and development of an exhibition script, catalogs or brochures. Projects involve research in the photographic, art, and artifacts collections of the Center.