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The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego Opens Showcase Location in Downtown San Diego

Museum’s First San Diego Location Seeks to Inspire Visitors Through Unique Access into the Stories and Ethos of U.S. Navy SEALs

SAN DIEGO, CA (Oct. 3, 2025) – Seeking to inspire service and personal excellence among all visitors, the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is opening its doors, unlocking exclusive access and insight into the world and ethos of U.S. Navy SEALs and their predecessors. Positioned near San Diego’s waterfront at 1001 Kettner Blvd., the museum’s collection of interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art galleries, and firsthand docent accounts brings the story of Naval Special Warfare to life.

“The Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is a world-class tribute to the courage, perseverance, and dedication of these unparalleled special operators,” said Brian Drechsler, executive director of the Navy SEAL Museum San Diego, who is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and former Navy SEAL. “It is our honor to share this legacy, and inspire future generations to lead with integrity, serve with purpose and rise to life’s challenges.”

Building on the legacy of the existing location that opened in Fort Pierce, Florida in 1985, the Navy SEAL Museum selected San Diego for its expansion west. Central to SEAL training and home to Naval Special Warfare Command, San Diego is a heritage city for SEALs as an indelible part of their storied history. The opening of the Navy SEAL Museum’s showcase location downtown will serve as a launchpad for a larger San Diego venue in the future, for which the search is actively underway.

With an innovative blend of technology, personal narrative and historical context, the museum provides exclusive insights into the evolution, missions and mindset of the Navy SEALs. Visitors can experience an up-close look at Operation Neptune Spear, the Navy SEAL mission to neutralize Osama bin Laden, through a 3D animation narrated by retired U.S. Navy Four-Star Admiral William McRaven that walks viewers through the operation’s major steps from planning to execution. Other exhibits include a SEAL delivery vehicle suspended above a hands-on gameplay opportunity to operate the covert submersible; a 270-degree immersive theater bringing guests into the life and service of Navy SEALs through documentary style personal accounts; artifacts and rich storytelling that bring the 80-year evolution and adaptations of Naval Special Warfare to life; and a Memorial Wall, where the fallen are never forgotten and their stories continue to inspire.

Visitors can also immerse themselves in the Navy SEAL Xperience, a virtual reality mission, which uses advanced VR technology to take visitors on a pulse-pounding, first-person journey into a high-stakes hostage rescue mission.

Beyond the exhibits and attractions, the docents, which are mostly comprised of retired and veteran SEALs and Special Warfare Combat Crewman (SWCCs), make each visit a deeply personal and intimate experience. By revealing untold stories and lived values of the Navy SEALs through the voices of those who have lived the legacy – docents shine a light on the resilience, sacrifice and spirit that define the Naval Special Warfare operators.

Following in the footsteps of the flagship museum in Fort Pierce, the San Diego location will extend the museum’s inspirational mission far beyond its physical space through strategic community partnerships and proven programs that will instill hope, resilience and service-minded leadership by leveraging the Navy SEALs Ethos.

Visitors can experience these real stories, missions and heroes beginning Oct. 4, 2025. Advanced bookings are encouraged, as the museum operates on a time-entry basis. Advance ticket prices are $20 for adults, with free admission for reserve and active-duty military (with ID). Visit NavySEALMuseumSD.org for details.

About Navy SEAL Museum San Diego
Navy SEAL Museum San Diego seeks to inspire all people by bringing the Navy SEAL story to life through storytelling, education, experience, remembrance, and community service. This collection of interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art galleries, and engaging educational initiatives inspires visitors to live purposefully and serve a purpose greater than oneself. The museum is also a place of remembrance, where the past is honored, the fallen are never forgotten and their stories continue to inspire. Building on the legacy of the existing location in Fort Pierce, Florida, the museum supports the active SEAL community, programs for special operators and their families, and serves as an engaged partner in the region, focusing on positively impacting lives beyond the museum. For more information on Navy SEAL Museum San Diego, visit NavySEALMuseumSD.org.