Located about 30 minutes north of Bremerton and just a couple of minutes off Washington Highway 308, the Naval Undersea Museum rises imposingly out of the forest. The architecturally modern building bids passersbys to stop and take a look because an adventure awaits.

The adventure begins before one can even park the car. Passing through the entry gate, visitors to this official museum of the United States Navy pass by the impressive deep submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV) known as the Mystic, one of only two DSRVs in existence. After parking the car, visitors can wander across the parking lot to get an up-close look at two of the Navy's retired research vessels: the Trieste II and the Deep Quest.

Entering the building, visitors are greeted by a volunteer who presents a brochure and explains the layout of the building and the best way to take the self-guided tour, which features 18,000 square feet of photographs, placards, videos, authentic artifacts and interactive displays.

Many of the exhibits are permanent, but there is a temporary exhibit gallery where highlighted subjects are displayed on a rotational basis. Currently, the tragic story of the USS Thresher is featured. Visitors can learn about what happened to the Thresher and her crew and how this event changed the U.S. Navy's submarine program for the better.

The main area of the museum contains permanent displays divided into four areas: Ocean Environment, Undersea Weapons Technology, Submarine Technology, and Diving and Salvage.

The "Ocean Environment" display includes recordings of undersea sounds, such as whales, snapping shrimp and undersea earthquakes. A microscope, complete with an assortment of slides, allows the visitor to view various zooplankton and phytoplankton. There's even an interactive display that allows visitors to experiment with various states of buoyancy.

The "Undersea Weapons Technology" display focuses on torpedoes and mines. It includes an impressive display of full-size, actual torpedoes dating from the 1880s through present day.  There is also an example of a Frame torpedo (technically a mine) that was used by the Confederacy during the Civil War to defend southern waterways from Union ships.  Also on display are two starboard torpedo tubes from the USS Tecumseh and a CAPTOR mine.

The fascinating "Submarine Technology" section includes a full-size model of a submarine rescue chamber (SRC) used to rescue sailors from sunken submarines and a Japanese Kaiten, or manned torpedo, from World War II. This section also features a full-sized replica of the control room of the USS Greenling, a nuclear fast-attack submarine. Sure to be a favorite with kids and kids-at-heart, this interactive exhibit allows visitors to use a periscope to locate their car in the parking lot, push buttons, turn knobs and even sit in a control seat.

Finally, the "Diving and Salvage" exhibit includes a full-sized example of a remotely operated vehicle used to retrieve torpedoes from the ocean floor and a swimmer delivery vehicle used by the U.S. Navy SEALS. There are also a variety of atmospheric diving suits on display, along with a half-scale model of a DSRV that was used in the movie The Hunt for Red October.

Along with the fascinating and unique exhibits that make this the perfect school field trip destination, the Naval Undersea Museum offers educational programs throughout the year. Science Saturdays are held the first Saturday of the month from September to November and February to May, and Summer STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) is held Wednesdays during the summer months. STEM for Students provides custom science, technology, engineering and math programs for students onsite, while Showcasing STEM brings STEM programs to the schools. To learn more about the educational resources available, contact the museum's educational director at 360.396.5807.

Naval Undersea Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Tuesday (closed on Tuesday) October to April; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily May to September; 1 Garrett Way, Keyport, Free, 360.396.4148