Charlestown Navy Yard
The Charlestown Navy Yard is a working piece of American naval history at the junction of the Charles and Mystic Rivers in Boston's Inner Harbor, where shipbuilders launched warships for the Revolution, the Civil War, and both World Wars. Today it's part of Boston National Historical Park, and visitors can walk the same decks and dry docks where the U.S. Navy took shape, including the deck of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat anywhere in the world.
This page covers the Navy Yard's real history, what you can see there now, how to get there, and how it fits into a Boston Sightseeing tour.
Location
The Charlestown Navy Yard sits in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, at the junction of the Charles and Mystic Rivers in Boston's Inner Harbor, across the water from the North End. It's managed as part of Boston National Historical Park, and the Visitor Center address is Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA 02129.
Getting there is easier than it sounds. The MBTA's Charlestown Ferry, Route F4, runs from Long Wharf, near the Aquarium T stop downtown, to the Navy Yard in about 10 minutes. Water taxis also serve the area, and it's a comfortable walk from the North End or downtown Boston if you'd rather go on foot.
Admission and Hours
Admission to the Navy Yard grounds, the Visitor Center, USS Constitution, and the USS Constitution Museum is free. The grounds themselves are open 24 hours a day, every day, though the Visitor Center and the ships keep their own posted hours, which can shift by season, so it's worth checking current hours before you plan a specific visit time.
History
The Navy established the Charlestown Navy Yard in 1800 as one of the country's original six naval shipyards. In its early years it was little more than a small supply depot, but that changed quickly as the Navy's needs grew.
During the War of 1812, the yard took on a new role, beginning construction of the nation's first ship-of-the-line, USS Independence. Through the mid-19th century, the yard kept expanding, and by the Civil War it was building ironclad warships of its own, including the monitor USS Monadnock, along with a fleet of double-ended paddlewheel gunboats designed for the Union's river campaigns.
World War II was the yard's busiest period by far. More than half of every ship it ever built came out of the yard during the war years, when its workforce grew to more than 50,000 people, including large numbers of women and African American workers taking on shipyard jobs for the first time. Alongside destroyers and destroyer escorts, the yard built tank landing ships, amphibious vessels large enough to carry more than 40 vehicles and 200 troops ashore, among the biggest of their kind built anywhere.
After the war, the yard shifted to modernizing older destroyers and converting ships with new missile, sonar, and radar systems. It closed as an active Navy shipyard in 1974, and 30 of its original acres became the national historic site that visitors explore today.
USS Constitution itself has a slightly different story. The ship was built in 1797 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston's North End, three years before the Charlestown Navy Yard was even established, so it isn't technically one of the yard's own creations. What is true is that the Navy made Charlestown the ship's permanent home in 1934, and most of its repair and maintenance work since then, including time in the yard's own Dry Dock 1, built in 1833 and one of the first dry docks built in the country, has happened right here.
What to See
The USS Constitution is the Navy Yard's centerpiece, and walking its deck is as close as most visitors will get to an early American warship still in service. Nearby, the USS Constitution Museum fills in the ship's history with interactive exhibits built for visitors of every age.
Across the pier, the USS Cassin Young tells a very different, more recent story. This Fletcher-class destroyer was built in 1943 in San Pedro, California, fought at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Battle of Okinawa, and survived two kamikaze strikes in the final months of World War II. It arrived in Boston in 1978 and has been open to the public for tours since 1981, and walking its decks is a sharp contrast to touring the Constitution just steps away.
The Visitor Center is worth a stop in its own right, with park staff on hand, interactive exhibits, and a Freedom Trail audio tour available in English, Spanish, and French. If you're collecting National Park passport stamps, you can pick one up here too.
Nearby Attractions
The Bunker Hill Monument and Museum, a short walk from the Navy Yard, commemorates one of the first major battles of the American Revolution. There's a direct, lesser-known connection between the two sites: the Navy Yard's own tidal flats were where British infantry actually landed on June 17, 1775, the day of the battle, before marching up the hill.
Charlestown itself rewards a slower look beyond the Navy Yard, with well-preserved Federal-era houses and small neighborhood parks that give a sense of how old this part of Boston really is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charlestown Navy Yard free to visit?
Yes. Admission to the Navy Yard grounds, the Visitor Center, USS Constitution, and the USS Constitution Museum is free. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, though the Visitor Center and the ships keep their own posted hours.
How do you get to Charlestown Navy Yard?
The easiest way without a car is the MBTA Charlestown Ferry, Route F4, which runs from Long Wharf near the Aquarium T stop to the Navy Yard in about 10 minutes. Water taxis also serve the area, and it's a walkable distance from the North End or downtown Boston.
Was the USS Constitution built at the Charlestown Navy Yard?
No. It was built in 1797 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston's North End, three years before the Navy Yard was established in 1800. The Navy made Charlestown the ship's permanent homeport in 1934, and most of its repair and maintenance work has happened there ever since.
What can you see at Charlestown Navy Yard?
The main draws are the USS Constitution, the USS Constitution Museum, and the USS Cassin Young, a World War II Fletcher-class destroyer open to the public since 1981. The Visitor Center adds exhibits, a Freedom Trail audio tour, and a National Park passport stamp.
Does the Boston Sightseeing tour stop at Charlestown Navy Yard?
Yes, on the Boston & Charlestown route. Stop 10 serves the Navy Yard, the USS Cassin Young, and the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum. That stop is included on the Hop-On Hop-Off Boston & Charlestown Tour and its 2-day version, but not on the base Single Ride Pass or standard All Day ticket, so choose a package that covers Stops 1 through 11 if Charlestown is on your list.
How old is the Charlestown Navy Yard?
It was established in 1800, making it more than two centuries old. It operated as an active Navy shipyard for 174 years before closing in 1974, after which part of the site became the national historic site visitors explore today.
Plan your Boston Tour with Boston Sightseeing
A Boston Sightseeing double-decker bus tour is a convenient way to pair the Navy Yard with the rest of Boston in a single day. On the Boston & Charlestown route, the Navy Yard, along with the USS Cassin Young and the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum, is served by Stop 10, the same stop as the USS Constitution Museum. From there, the route continues to TD Garden and on toward landmarks like the New England Aquarium and Quincy Market, with informative commentary along the way.
That Charlestown stop is included on the Hop-On Hop-Off Boston & Charlestown Tour and its 2-day version, which cover Stops 1 through 11. It isn't included on the base Single Ride Pass or standard Hop-On Hop-Off All Day ticket, which only cover Stops 1 through 8, so if Charlestown is on your list, choose a package that explicitly includes it.
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