Nauticus, The National Maritime Center
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| Established | 1994 |
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| Location | One Waterside Drive Norfolk, Virginia United States |
| Type | Maritime |
| Website | Nauticus |
Nauticus is a maritime-themed science center and museum located on the downtown waterfront in Norfolk, Virginia, also known as the National Maritime Center.
Nauticus was incorporated under the National Maritime Center Authority in February 1988. The following month, Rear Admiral Jackson Knowles Parker, USN (Ret.), retired commander of Norfolk Naval Base, became the Founding Executive Director.
Construction began at the former site of Norfolk's Banana Pier on the downtown Norfolk waterfront in February 1992, and Nauticus opened to the public in June 1994. Other visitor attractions close by include the Virginia Zoo, Norfolk Scope, and Harbor Park, home to the Norfolk Tides.
The City of Norfolk opened the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center—located at Nauticus on April 7, 2007.
The 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m2), passenger-friendly facility features views of the Elizabeth River; an enclosed, elevated passenger gangway; a retractable bridge leading into a 16-slip marina; a terrazzo floor tile in the entrance; a separate lounge and check-in area for cruise line VIP passengers; a security-focused Customs and Border Protection area and an embarkation stations. Its first passenger ship, RCI's Empress of the Seas, arrived on April 28 2007.
The Half Moone also serves as an event venue with approximately 23,000 square feet (2,100 m2) of event spaces, each of which include interpretation and exhibits. Among the areas available for special event rental are the Bermuda Room, which displays artifacts and objects that tell the historic connections between Virginia and Bermuda; the Half Moone Vista, which includes some facts about the original fort; and the Lido and Promenade Decks, which address functions of those traditional decks on board cruise ships.
The name—Half Moone—is taken from the name of the fort that was built on the same site in 1673 in the form of a "half moone." The fort was built to protect Norfolk's burgeoning maritime industry.
One of the largest battleships ever built arrived at Nauticus on the downtown Norfolk waterfront on December 7, 2000. That date was significant because it marked the 57th anniversary of the USS Wisconsin's launching in 1943 – two years to the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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