National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus The National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus , located in Columbus , Georgia , United States , is a facility that features two original American Civil War military vessels , uniforms , equipment and weapons used by the Union and Confederate navies . It is the only museum in the nation that tells the story of the two navies during the Civil War . Origin . The museum opened in 1962 at 202 4th Street in Columbus as the James W . Woodruff , Jr . Confederate Naval Museum , named after the man whose financial support made the museum a reality . In March 2001 , the museum relocated to its present $ 8 million facility at 1002 Victory Drive and received a new name to reflect new exhibits that showcase both the Union and Confederate navies . Exhibits . The highlight of the museum is the hull of the CSS " Jackson " ( also known as the CSS " Muscogee " ) , an ironclad ram put to fire in the Chattahoochee River by the Union troops of Gen . James H . Wilson and recovered from the bed of the river in the 1960s . Also on display are what ' s left of the CSS " Chattahoochee " and an intact rowboat from the USS " Hartford " . Two models of the warships USS " Monitor " and CSS " Virginia " ( the former USS " Merrimack " ) , used in the Turner Broadcasting film " Ironclads " , and recreated full - scale sections of three other civil war - era warships are among the hundreds of Civil War artifacts located in the museum . There is also a battle experience theater that will put visitors right in the middle of a Civil War battle and an interactive Confederate ironclad ship simulator offering visitors an opportunity to experience 19th century naval combat first hand . A large Civil War naval flag exhibit is the newest addition to the museum . According to executive director Bruce Smith , it is the largest display of navy related flags from the Civil War anywhere in the nation . Fourteen flags representing ships and forts from the entire scope of the Civil War are seen in this new exhibit , which is entitled “ Ramparts to Topmast : Flags of Triumph and Despair . ” The museum also has the largest collection of surviving Brooke cannons made in Selma , Al . These four cannon are two 7 - inch rifles , one 10 - inch smoothbore , and one 11 - inch smoothbore . The 11 - inch smoothbore is the Largest surviving Brooke . USS / CSS Water Witch project . The museum finished constructing a full scale reproduction of the USS / CSS " Water Witch " , in 2009 using her original plan drawings . At more than in length , the ship will become a new landmark in Columbus . The masts will be nearly tall and plans call for the ship ' s massive side paddle wheels to actively turn and for smoke to billow from the smokestack . The original " Water Witch " was stationed as a Union blockader in Savannah , Georgia during the war and was captured during a Confederate Navy commando raid in 1864 and put into service for the Confederacy . The story of the " Water Witch " is compelling because she served the navies of both sides during the course of the war , and also because her capture was led in - part by an African - American Confederate pilot , Moses Dallas . Other activities at Port Columbus . The museum holds an annual symposium , summer camps , and living history programs among the other special events it schedules throughout the year . Another part of the rapidly growing Port Columbus operation is site rental . The museum regularly rents out its galleries for various events from weddings to business meetings .