USS Nautilus (SSN-571)

Nautilus was the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, commissioned September 30, 1954. She signaled 'Underway on nuclear power' on January 17, 1955, beginning a revolution in naval warfare. On August 3, 1958, Nautilus became the first vessel to reach the geographic North Pole, transiting beneath the Arctic ice cap from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Her achievement proved that nuclear submarines could operate independently of the surface for virtually unlimited periods. Decommissioned in 1980, Nautilus is preserved as a museum ship at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut.

Today, USS Nautilus is preserved as a museum ship where visitors can walk through the spaces where her crew lived and served. Our collection extends that experience with gear built for submarine veterans, museum visitors, and naval history enthusiasts.