Getty Images/iStockphoto

USS Constitution

Top choice

‘Her sides are made of iron!’ cried a crewman upon watching a shot bounce off the thick oak hull of the USS Constitution during the War of 1812. This bit of irony earned the legendary ship its nickname. Indeed, it has never gone down in a battle. The USS Constitution remains the oldest commissioned US Navy ship, dating from 1797, and it is normally taken out onto Boston Harbor every July 4 in order to maintain its commissioned status.

Make sure you bring a photo ID to go aboard. You'll learn lots, such as how the captain’s son died on the ship's maiden voyage (an inauspicious start).

Contact

Address

Charlestown Navy Yard

Get In Touch

617-242-2543

https://www.navy.mil/local/constitution

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Fenway Park

2.76 MILES

Home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912, Fenway Park is the oldest operating baseball park in the country. As such, the park has many quirks that make for a…
Harvard University

3.06 MILES

America's oldest college, Harvard University is one of the country's most prestigious universities. It was originally founded in Harvard Yard in 1636 by…
Museum of Science

0.84 MILES

The educational playground that is the Museum of Science has more than 600 interactive exhibits. Favorites include the world’s largest lightning-bolt…
Minute Man National Historic Park

12.1 MILES

The route that British troops followed to Concord has been designated the Minute Man National Historic Park. The visitor center at the eastern end of the…
Punto Urban Art Museum

13.13 MILES

If you walk south on Lafayette from Derby St, you'll find yourself on the other side of the tracks (or river, in this case). Welcome to El Punto, or ‘The…
Harvard Yard

3.1 MILES

Harvard University was originally founded here in 1636, and Harvard Yard remains the historic and geographic heart of the university campus. Flanked by…
DeCordova Sculpture Park & Museum

13.63 MILES

The magical DeCordova Sculpture Park encompasses 35 acres of green hills, providing a spectacular natural environment for a constantly changing exhibit of…
Institute of Contemporary Art

1.53 MILES

Boston has become a focal point for contemporary art in the 21st century, with the Institute of Contemporary Art leading the way. The building is a work…

View more attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Charlestown Navy Yard

0.03 MILES

Besides the historic ships docked here and the museum dedicated to them, the Charlestown Navy Yard is a living monument to its own history of shipbuilding…

2. USS Constitution Museum

0.08 MILES

Head indoors to this museum for a play-by-play of the various battles of the USS Constitution, as well as its current role as the flagship of the US Navy…

3. USS Cassin Young

0.11 MILES

This 376ft WWII destroyer is one of 14 Fletcher-class destroyers built at the Charlestown Navy Yard. These were the Navy’s fastest, most versatile ships…

4. Langone Park

0.27 MILES

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, this peaceful waterside park belies the history of this site: in 1919, a huge distillery tank burst, sending forth a…

5. Great House Site

0.28 MILES

Besides being an urban plaza, the aptly named City Sq is also an archaeological site. Big Dig construction to reroute I-93 unearthed the foundation of a…

6. John Harvard Mall

0.31 MILES

North of City Sq, this shady, brick plaza leads up Town Hill. Back in the days of the earliest European settlements, a fort crowned Town Hill, which you…

7. Bunker Hill Museum

0.32 MILES

Opposite the Bunker Hill Monument, this redbrick museum contains two floors of exhibits, including historical dioramas, a few artifacts and an impressive…

8. Bunker Hill Monument

0.34 MILES

This 220ft granite obelisk monument commemorates the turning-point battle that was fought on the surrounding hillside on June 17, 1775. Ultimately, the…

View more attractions