Midway Institute for Teachers

The USS Midway Institute for Teachers is a collaboration and partnership between the USS Midway Museum and other institutions, and features outstanding faculty speakers from such prominent universities as the:

• University of California San Diego
• Texas Tech University
• Columbia University
• Dartmouth College
• San Diego State University Center for War & Society

The Institute’s seminar programs are uniquely held aboard the iconic Cold War and Vietnam War aircraft carrier USS Midway. Now retired from active duty, the USS Midway continues to serve the country by hosting guests onboard and through education programs, including those of the Midway Institute for Teachers. Since 2009, the Institute has conducted seminars that are specifically designed for teachers of history and social studies to learn about the Cold War, the wars in Korea and Vietnam, and World War II in the Pacific, and to incorporate that knowledge, including a variety of perspectives, into their classroom lessons.

Presentations by expert lecturers, university historians, veterans, and other individuals who experienced the events of the era, plus field trips to San Diego museums and the immersive atmosphere of studying aboard the USS Midway, combine to create an incomparable and unparalleled professional development experience for teachers. Seminar descriptions and application opportunities are found below. Beginning in 2020, the Institute developed Online Resources for Education, portions of our website comprising lessons plans and other materials for teachers to use in the classroom or in distance learning. New resources and lessons are added on a continual basis.

More information about upcoming seminars and our online resources are found below. If you have comments or questions, we would be delighted to hear from you.