News and Intel from Navy SEAL Museum San Diego
ISSUE #21
SEPTEMBER 2026
MUSEUM UPDATES
Join us as we celebrate our One Year Anniversary
Come celebrate one year of history, heritage, and community with us!
Enjoy:
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- Complimentary tacos
- Junior SEALs Mission
- Junior BUD/S Course
- Precision Challenge – Test your focus, accuracy and coordination.
- Artifact presentation from retired and veteran UDT and SEALs
- 12:30 PM: a Special Acknowledgement from museum Executive Director, Brian “Beef” Drechsler
*This event is free and open to the public. Museum ticket required to enter the showcase.
Kids Free October
We’re excited to participate in Kids Free October! Throughout the month, kids 12 and under receive free admission with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Bring the whole family to visit the museum and enjoy great savings on tickets.
Learn more about this offer with the link below.
Transform the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego for your Event
From corporate galas to milestone celebrations, our museum can be transformed into a stunning backdrop for your next event. With flexible spaces, full-service buyout options, and immersive projection capabilities, our venue adapts to fit whatever vision you bring to it.
Our team is with you every step of the way, helping bring your event to life while supporting our mission to honor the legacy of Naval Special Warfare.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Dana Point Classic Car Show
This month, we took the museum’s mission on the road to the Dana Point Classic Car Show! We set up a booth featuring real gear, including dive equipment and tactical vests, giving attendees a hands-on look at what our SEALs use in the field.
A favorite moment: young visitors suiting up in plate carriers and helmets, getting a small taste of what it means to gear up like a SEAL.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to connect, ask questions, and support the museum’s mission!
Come Find Us at the Miramar Air Show
The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is excited to be part of America’s Air Show at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, next weekend, September 25-27.
If you’re attending, stop by our booth inside the hangar to meet our team, learn more about the museum, and discover how we’re preserving the history and heritage of Naval Special Warfare while honoring those who have served and continue to support today’s Special Operations community.
We look forward to seeing you there!
A Team Built Around Service
Our volunteers are at the heart of the Museum’s mission. They welcome our guests, share our history, and help carry forward a legacy built on service.
Our volunteers show up in all kinds of ways: helping on our exhibit floors, special events, and educational programs, all in support of preserving the history entrusted to our care.
Some come to us with military experience, others simply want to give back to their community. Whatever brings someone through our doors, each volunteer plays a meaningful part in helping the Museum carry its mission forward.
Whether you’re a retired Naval Special Warfare Operator, a Navy veteran, or simply someone who values service and dedication to a mission, there’s a place for you on our team. Whatever your interests, schedule, or experience, there’s an opportunity to get involved and the chance to inspire visitors to serve a cause higher than themselves.
Learn more about becoming part of our team below.
NSMSD PARTNERSHIPS
Boeing Joins Us in Honoring Their Service
We are deeply grateful to Boeing for its extraordinary $750,000 investment in the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego. This generous gift reflects Boeing’s commitment to honoring those who have served, and we are proud to welcome them as a vital partner in our mission to preserve a legacy of service and inspire future generations.
Gifts like Boeing’s help us preserve these stories, support today’s community, and inspire the generations that follow, and every gift, at any size, moves that mission forward. If you’ve been inspired by their story, consider joining Boeing in making an impact.
Pictured (L to R): Linwood Ham, Boeing Director of Global Engagement; Lindsay Leonard, Boeing VP of Global Engagement; Jeff Shockey, Boeing EVP of Government Operations, Global Public Policy & Corporate Strategy; Brian Drechsler Executive Director of Navy SEAL Museum San Diego; Jason Booher, Navy SEAL Museum
Veteran’s Day Partnership
This Veterans Day, November 11, veterans can ride free on the Best of the Bay Tour. Use promo code VETERAN26 online or at the ticket booth to redeem.
The Best of the Bay harbor tour runs three times that day: 12:00–1:30 pm, 1:45–3:15 pm, and 3:30–5:00 pm. The cruise departs from Pier 2 at 970 North Harbor Drive in San Diego.
Some of our veteran museum docents will be onboard, pointing out iconic spots along the harbor and bay that were part of their time in the service. We’ll also have artifacts on display.
If you’re a veteran, take advantage of this free perk. If you’re interested in Naval Special Warfare, stop by and talk with some of our veterans.
For more information on City Cruises, view their website below.
The Maritime Triad Promotion is Still Ongoing
Guests and members of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the USS Midway Museum, and the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego receive discounted admission at any of the three locations.
Simply show proof of admission or membership at the door to receive the discount. All three museums are within a 15-minute walk from each other.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Every Mission Needs Strong Resources to Succeed
The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is building more than a museum. We are building a place to preserve and share the legacy and service of the United States Navy SEALs and Naval Special Warfare for generations to come, which is why supporting the Museum’s Greatest Need Fund matters. Not every mission requirement can be predicted, and to stay mission-driven, we must respond to opportunities, unexpected needs, programmatic priorities, community-focused preservation and technology needs, educational opportunities, and the needs of the people we serve. When you give a gift to the Greatest Need Fund, you give us the flexibility to direct those resources where they can have the greatest impact.
Your gift truly goes where it is needed most and allows the Museum to respond to the priorities that matter most when they matter most.
Your support helps:
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- Preserve history by protecting artifacts, stories, photographs, and the legacy of Navy SEALs and Naval Special Warfare.
- Educate and inspire future generations through meaningful programs and experiences.
- Strengthen the San Diego Showcase and expand the Museum’s presence in the community, helping us make an impact today while we build toward our future museum.
- Advance our Future Museum by helping build the organization, programs, and resources needed for this transformational project.
- Honor our Fallen and ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten.
- Support Navy SEALs and the Naval Special Warfare Community and connect today’s service and sacrifice with the history we preserve.
Every Gift Makes a Difference
You can support the Greatest Need Fund in many ways, including cash gifts, donor-advised funds, IRA gifts, corporate gifts, and matching Gift Programs.
Whether you give $25, $2,500, $25,000, or more, your gift becomes part of something much larger. Consider a monthly or recurring gift; small amounts add up to a big impact.
$25 a month = $300 annually
$100 a month = $1,200 annually
$250 a month = $3,000 annually
$500 a month = $6,000 annually
$1,000 a month = $12,000 annually
For more information about giving options, email us at give@navysealmuseum.org or call us at (619) 566-7956 ext. 106
PARTNER SPOTLIGHTS
Looking for a Tasty Bite and
Flavorful Brew?
Then Try This Navy SEAL Brewery
(Conveniently located near the Museum.)
Protector Brewery, San Diego’s first organic brewery, was founded by Navy SEAL veteran Sean Haggerty, who discovered a passion for craft beer during his deployments.
With the support of his wife, Cory, he decided to focus on organic brewing, aiming to create a legacy of sustainability and health within the beer community. Protector Brewery uses only USDA-certified organic ingredients grown in the USA, and their packaging is 100% recyclable.
Since opening in 2017, the brewery has expanded its reach while staying deeply connected to the local community and craft beer culture. They also occasionally support events in the area through catering and beverage service.
We’re proud to be part of the same neighborhood and value having them as a local partner.
Looking for a Tasty Bite and Flavorful Brew?
Then Try This Navy SEAL Brewery
(Conveniently located near the Museum.)
Protector Brewery, San Diego’s first organic brewery, was founded by Navy SEAL veteran Sean Haggerty, who discovered a passion for craft beer during his deployments.
With the support of his wife, Cory, he decided to focus on organic brewing, aiming to create a legacy of sustainability and health within the beer community. Protector Brewery uses only USDA-certified organic ingredients grown in the USA, and their packaging is 100% recyclable.
Since opening in 2017, the brewery has expanded its reach while staying deeply connected to the local community and craft beer culture. They also occasionally support events in the area through catering and beverage service.
We’re proud to be part of the same neighborhood and value having them as a local partner.
Anytime is the Right Time to Give the Gift of NSW History!
Do you have a history buff in your household? Do you have a current or former NSW operator in your life?
Did you know that Navy SEAL Museum’s photo archives are online to view and available for sale?
Check out our online library and search key words to find the right image for you or a loved one.
Digitization of NSM’s archive was made possible by a generous grant from The Navy SEAL Foundation.
Anytime is the Right Time to Give the Gift of NSW History!
Do you have a history buff in your household? Do you have a current or former NSW operator in your life?
Did you know that Navy SEAL Museum’s photo archives are online to view and available for sale?
Check out our online library and search key words to find the right image for you or a loved one.
Digitization of NSM’s archive was made possible by a generous grant from The Navy SEAL Foundation.
