Visiting the Heritage Center

For people with badges that give them access to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY), the Heritage Center is open on Thursdays from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm*.  The Heritage Center is only available by appointment (use the contact form below) on other days of the week. 

For people without badges that give them access to PNSY, due to security restrictions, requests for history tours including the Peace Treaty Room, access by veterans associations, community groups, and others are considered strictly on a case-by-case basis.

For more information on shipyard history tours, please email the Public Affairs Office:

PORT_PTNH_ASK_PAO@navy.mil

There are also some groups that organize tours of PNSY, they can be reached at:

• Portsmouth Public Library – https://www.portsmouthnh.gov/library
• Kittery Adult Education – https://kittery.maineadulted.org/classes/categories/lectures-and-history/
• OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at Granite State College – https://olli.granite.edu/courses-events

Here is some basic information and requirements regarding visits:

• It is necessary to complete a Form OMB 0703-0061, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY LOCAL POPULATION ID CARD/BASE ACCESS PASS REGISTRATION for each participant and submit it at least two weeks prior to a visit. We will not be able to accommodate last-minute changes to the list.
• We need confirmation of citizenship status.  This includes Drivers License with Real ID, Passports, Passport cards.
• Foreign Nationals may be allowed to attend, but would need to supply additional information not less than two weeks prior to the visit.
• Visitors must not have been convicted of a crime within a certain timeframe (no felony convictions within 10 years; two or more misdemeanor convictions within 5 years). Also, conviction of any crime considered a threat to good order; convicted sex offenders will not be admitted.
• On the day of the visit all guests must provide a valid, government-issued photo ID as indicated above.

If you have any other, non-tour related, questions for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Historical Foundation, please fill out the contact form below:

* The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Historical Foundation has a small gift shop at the Heritage Center where you can purchase books, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard shirts, fleeces and other garments. At this time they can only accept cash and checks.