Just in time for Battle of Hampton Roads weekend, 10 newly conserved artifacts are now on display at the USSMonitorCenter, helping to tell the story of theMonitorand the CSSVirginia.

Visitors to theMonitorCenter are now greeted by the muzzle of a IX-inch Dahlgren shell gun which was used on board theVirginiaon March 8^th, the first day of the Battle of Hampton Roads. A shot fired by the USSCumberlanddamaged its muzzle and the gun was retired and later captured by the Union Navy as ‘Trophy No. 1’ This gun with its beautiful commemorative inscription is on loan to The Mariners’ Museum from the US Navy and has recently been cleaned and conserved. During the process, Will found a number of historic ‘graffitti’ inscriptions not previously visible.Read more