The work to complete a Connecticut museum that will honor the armed services branch tasked with maritime safety is now on track to be completed in 2026, and open the following year, according to the museum organization.
President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, and it includes authority for the U.S. Coast Guard to fund remaining construction of the National Coast Guard Museum in New London, according to The National Coast Guard Museum Association.
This authority allows the association and the U.S. Coast Guard to codify all remaining construction contracts, and that will preserve the project’s completion timeline for 2026, according to the association.
After the Coast Guard’s installation of exhibits, the public museum opening is expected in 2027, according to the association. The Coast Guard will set the opening date.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a supporter of the museum, said in a statement, “For more than 230 years, the Coast Guard has ensured our nation’s maritime safety and security, yet it remains the only long-standing branch of the armed services without a national museum.
“I, along with our entire Connecticut delegation, have worked tirelessly with our partners to do right by the Coast Guard and create a public museum to preserve and honor this key American institution,” Murphy said. “After overcoming unforeseen obstacles through months of hard work, planning, and advocacy, I am proud to say we will close 2025 with all needed federal funding in place to complete construction next year and finally make the National Coast Guard Museum a reality.
Murphy said the museum will generate “good jobs and a new economic engine” for the region as people from across the country and world travel to New London, “to learn about the past, present, and future of the United States Coast Guard.”
The association said it is deeply grateful to Connecticut’s federal delegation “for their steadfast support, the United States Coast Guard for its leadership and collaboration, and the City of New London for its enduring partnership.”
New London Mayor Michael Passero said, also in the emailed statement. “New London is deeply grateful for the extraordinary and sustained support of the federal government for the National Coast Guard Museum here in southern Connecticut.
“From funding the expansion of the Water Street Parking Garage, to the $50 million investment that allowed construction to begin in 2022, to the re-homeporting of the EAGLE to the City Pier—and now the authorization for the Coast Guard to support the final elements of construction—this partnership has been transformational,” Passero said.
“As an officially designated Coast Guard City, we are proud and excited to serve as the home of our National Coast Guard Museum and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the Nation beginning in 2027.”
The association noted that the museum is intended to “stand as a national tribute to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard—active duty, Reserve, Auxiliary, and civilian workforce—honoring more than 230 years of service protecting the Nation’s maritime safety, security, and stewardship.”
The site is on the Thames River waterfront, and it will serve “as a national center for education, inspiration, and remembrance—connecting visitors to the Coast Guard’s vital missions and enduring values.”
“It is not without the strong support of our Congress and the Administration that we are able to complete construction in 2026,” said CAPT Wes Pulver, USCG (Ret.), president of the NCGMA.
“With our construction timeline firming up and momentum accelerating, the National Coast Guard Museum is entering its final phase toward becoming a permanent national landmark and a source of pride for the Coast Guard community and our Nation.”