§8617A United States Navy Museum System

Summary

The Secretary of the Navy must run and support a United States Navy Museum System. It must include 11 named museums: National Museum of the United States Navy; United States Naval Academy Museum; Naval War College Museum; Submarine Force Museum; National Naval Aviation Museum; USS Constitution detachment in Boston; United States Navy Seabee Museum; Puget Sound Navy Museum; Naval Undersea Museum; National Museum of the American Sailor; and Hampton Roads Naval Museum. The Secretary can add other museums that meet set standards. Those standards must cover historical importance, public access and education, and fitting the Navy’s mission to preserve its heritage. The Secretary must also set rules for closing a museum. No museum may close until the Secretary gives the House and Senate Armed Services Committees a notice that explains how the collections will be preserved, stored, or otherwise displayed; how staff issues will be handled; any efforts to keep the museum running through public‑private help; and the cost to move, combine, and preserve the collections. Ninety days must pass after the committees get the notice. The Secretary may work with partners, including nonprofits, to help fund and run the museums.