Nauticus, Norfolk’s maritime science center, has just announced that Virginia teachers will get free admission indefinitely, as a thank you to teachers “who have adapted, innovated, and persevered throughout the course of a very difficult year.”
“Our entire organizational focus is education,” said Nauticus executive director, Stephen E. Kirkland. “And I can tell you as the parent of a third grader, I have a very personal appreciation for how critical our teachers are, especially right now.”
The free admission, which took effect October 1, applies to licensed teachers from Virginia and North Carolina. It’s good timing for those interested in submarines. Naticus’s newest exhibit, Voyage To The Deep, is STEM-based and allows visitors to pilot an underwater robot, steer a submarine, and encounter mythical sea creatures. The exhibit is based on Jules Verne’s 1870 classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. It’s a ticketed exhibit, limited to 50 guests, with masks required and frequent cleanings throughout the day. Voyage To The Deep runs through January 3.
Nauticus is also home to the Battleship Wisconsin, the largest and last battleship built by the United States Navy. In addition to offering its exhibits free to teachers, Nauticus serves the Norfolk Public School system vy providing more than 3,000 Title 1 students with free education programs.
Visit their website for more on the new exhibit and to buy tickets.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
