Midway’s Engineers: Service, Sacrifice, & Everyday Life

Opened on Saturday, May 25, 2024

The USS Midway Museum unveils its most immersive exhibition yet, "Midway's Engineers: Service, Sacrifice, and Everyday Life." Celebrating the museum’s 20th anniversary, two exhibits in one, they delve into the critical roles of the aircraft carrier’s engineering department. From powering the ship with steam to battling onboard fires, the exhibits highlight the vital contributions of these unsung heroes.

Spanning 4,000 square feet on the Midway’s 3rd deck, the exhibits are divided into nine thematic galleries, including:

• Entry Experience
• Steam: Lifeblood of the Ship
• What is Engineering?
• Who is Engineering?
• Fire! Fire! Fire!
• Firefight: Every Second Counts
• Fire Experience
• Saving the Ship
• In Tribute

Crafted with state-of-the-art technology, these interactive experiences allow visitors to step into the shoes of Midway's crew, offering a sensory-rich journey through the demanding conditions faced by naval engineers. The highlight is the "Fire! Fire! Fire! Experience," which uses a combination of sound, light, and visual effects to engulf guests in the sensory overload of a shipboard fire scenario. This part of the exhibit realistically simulates the intense conditions faced by sailors and the physical and emotional demands of such life-or-death emergencies.

After months of being under renovation, Midway's Island has reopened!

Led by one of Midway’s world-class volunteer Docents, enjoy a special tour of the ship's Island - the command center for Flight Deck operations and the ship as a whole.

Midway’s Guided Island Tour takes you up serpentine ladders through the ship's navigation and flight control sections. Expert Midway Docents will lead you through and explain Air Operations, Pri-fly, the Navigational chart room, the Captain’s Bridge, and the Captain’s at-sea cabin.

Visitor Tip: Due to tight spaces, this tour has limited capacity. You should take this tour as early as possible during your visit. Lines for this tour close as early as 3:30 p.m. on busy days.