Tour the USS Albacore Submarine in Portsmouth

I don’t think I’m the type of person who could travel in a submarine. I’m fine doing the one at Disneyland. But the idea of being surrounded by water, while inside a “tin can” doesn’t appeal to me. That said, I enjoyed touring the USS Albacore in Portsmouth during a weekend visit to New Hampshire.

If you’re looking for fun family activities while visiting New England, the USS Albacore submarine and museum is worth a stop. Here’s a rundown on what you can expect during your visit.

Background on the USS Albacore

After purchasing our tickets in the main building, we spoke to a couple of volunteers to learn more about the submarine. The USS Albacore wasn’t a wartime submarine. It was a research submarine.

Many other submarines of the era were narrow – like the USS Dolphin, now on display at the Maritime Museum of San Diego – but the USS Albacore had more of a teardrop-shaped hull. The purpose of the new hull shape was for speed and maneuverability. One of the volunteers said the submarine was able to travel about 35 miles per hour underwater.

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The submarine went through multiple configurations int he 1950s and 1960s. The current propeller and back fin design wasn’t the original setup. And, the submarine didn’t start out with a dual-propeller design, either.

The USS Albacore retired in the early 1970s and she opened to the public for tours in the mid 1980s.

Inside the USS Albacore Submarine

The entrance to the submarine is near the front of the sub. After walking across the gangway, you’ll enter the front compartment. In other submarines I’ve toured, the front compartment usually is a torpedo room. In this one, it’s bunk beds.

I found that being short probably worked better for people assigned to a submarine. The compartment doors aren’t quite as tough to get through as the ones on the B-39 Soviet Submarine I toured in San Diego.

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As you make your way through the submarine, you’ll find rooms typical of any military vessel. There’s the captain’s quarters, mess hall, control room and engine room. Don’t rush through your visit; Experience the submarine. Sit at the controls, look through the periscope and imagine being fully submerged, speeding through the ocean.

After checking out the engine room, you’ll pass over the shafts that lead to the propeller and out the back door of the submarine.

Take Advantage of the Free Audio Tour

Throughout your tour, you’ll see audio boxes or little red buttons. It’s okay to push these red buttons on the sub. They aren’t a torpedo launch button (wink, wink). The buttons are located every few yards inside the submarine and provide an audio tour of what you’re seeing.

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Taking a step beyond the “You’re standing in the galley” info, the audio tour includes real stories from people who sailed on the USS Albacore. One crewman described the submarine submerging and he was sitting in his chair in the sonar room. Not long after, he was facing straight up as the front of the submarine bounced off the bottom of the ocean.

I really enjoyed the audio tour so I could learn more about what life was like on the submarine. It’s similar to the audio tour available at the USS Midway in San Diego. However, the red buttons aren’t always very obvious, so you’ll need to be on the lookout for them. There are signs and arrows, but even then, they’re easy to miss.

Don’t Miss the Museum

After touring the USS Albacore, I’m pretty sure many people don’t even realize there’s a small museum exhibit in the main building. Of course, there’s a gift shop in the spot you bought your admission tickets. Access the museum through a door to the left of the ticket counter.

The museum includes information about multiple submarines. One exhibit highlights the depth records of the USS Dolphin. But why is there an exhibit about the USS Dolphin, when that submarine is on display on the other side of the country? Because it was built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

So between the USS Dolphin and the USS Albacore, the Portsmouth shipyards held records for depth and speed, respectively.

Walk Through the Memorial Garden

Either before or after your tour of the submarine or museum, take a moment to walk through the memorial garden. There are several memorials that recognize sailors lost at sea, including those lost in the line of duty.

The memorial garden honors the crews of prior ships that held the name USS Albacore, including one lost in World War II. The garden is a peaceful way to honor those who have given their all and are lost at sea.

The Details

Address: 600 Market St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Cost: $9 per adult. $4 for children, ages 5-14. $20 for a family of four (2 adults + two children). Children under 5 are free. $8 for seniors and retired military. Active duty military are free.

Hours: Open Thursday-Sunday, 9:30-5 p.m.

Website: https://www.ussalbacore.org/

Phone: (603) 436-3680

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