Great Lakes Naval Museum
Established	January 12, 2009
Location	Building 42, 610 Farragut Avenue Great Lakes, IL 60088
Type	U.S. Navy Naval History Naval History Naval History is a bi-monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute since 1987. The 72-page publication not only includes feature articles spanning the course of Naval History written by significant scholars of their subject, but also has standing features including: "Looking...
Website	Great Lakes Naval Museum

The Great Lakes Naval Museum is one of 13 Navy museums that are operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command. As an official Department of the Navy Museum, the Great Lakes Naval Museum's mission is to select, collect, preserve, and interpret the history of the United States Navy with particular emphasis on the Navy's only "boot camp" at the Naval Training Station/Center at Great Lakes

Naval Station Great Lakes

Naval Station Great Lakes is the home of the United States Navy's only boot camp, located near the city of North Chicago, Illinois, in Lake County. Important tenant commands include the Recruit Training Command, Training Support Center and Navy Recruiting District Chicago...

, Illinois.

Collections and Exhibits

The museum’s permanent exhibits include material related to Recruit Training Command, the history of women and diversity in the Navy, and the History of Great Lakes Naval Station and its impact on the Navy as a whole.

History

In January 2009 the Great Lakes Naval Museum became an official Department of the Navy Museum operated by the Naval History and Heritage Command. The Great Lakes Naval Museum is located in Building 42 at Naval Station Great Lakes. Also known as "The Hostess House," the facility was designed in 1942 by prominent architect Gordon Bunshaft

Gordon Bunshaft

Gordon Bunshaft was an architect educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1988, Gordon Bunshaft nominated himself for the Pritzker Prize and eventually won it.-Career:...

 of the prestigious architectural firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM

Som

Som may refer to:* Som * Som, Uttar Pradesh, India* Som, slang for sommelier* Som, an alternative name for the Hungarian wine grape Furmint* Som , a Bengali Indian surname...

). Building 42 is one of the New York architect's earliest works in the United States. The building played a historic role in the training of Naval recruits in World War II and served as a meeting place for tens of thousands of recruits, their families, and guests. After World War II, The Building served various functions until it fell into disrepair and was considered for demolition. However, it was recognized as a classic example of modern American architecture

Modern architecture

Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...

and repurposed for the establishment of the a museum which opened January 12, 2009.

Museum programs and resources

The museum also offers guided tours, a lecture series, and educational programs. An active volunteer corps participates in all museum functions. The museum’s collection is open to the general public for academic research via appointment.

External links

• Great Lakes Naval Museum webpage. Naval History & Heritage Command official website
• The Museum webpage. Great Lakes Naval Museum Foundation official website
• Great Lakes Naval Museum Foundation official website