Navy SEAL museum opens in San Diego

Navy SEAL Museum Opens in San Diego

San Diego has launched the Navy SEAL Museum to honor the legacy of the elite special forces recognized for their operations across land, air, and sea.

Situated near the Embarcadero downtown, the museum features interactive exhibits aimed at encapsulating the 80-year history of the Navy SEALs, emphasizing themes like discipline, service, teamwork, and dedication.

Brian ‘Beef’ Drexler, a retired Navy captain and former commander of SEAL Team 5, is the executive director of the museum.

“Our goal is to present the rich and adaptable history of 80 years through the stories of an exceptional community’s discipline, service, teamwork, and dedication,” Drexler stated.

Mark Belong, who dedicated 27 years as a SEAL team operator and also commanded SEAL Team 5, highlighted the significance of such museums in fostering community understanding.

“It’s really crucial to have this space so that the community grasps what we do and appreciates the uniqueness of this organization,” Belong remarked.

Visitors to the museum can engage with instructors who are retired Navy SEALs and Special Warfare combatants. These veterans provide personal anecdotes about the perilous missions undertaken by SEAL teams.

Don Crawford, a Navy SEAL from the Vietnam era, stressed the personal connections that visitors can forge.

“When someone leaves the museum, they not only absorb a lot of information but can also converse with leaders and team members, gaining deeper insights from individuals with similar backgrounds,” Crawford noted.

The museum experience also features various interactive touch screen kiosks that narrate stories from past SEAL team missions, culminating in a service-oriented “call to action” wall that inspires visitors to contribute to something larger than themselves.

With the goal of inspiring guests, San Diego’s Navy SEAL Museum aims to showcase the evolution of the SEAL team and its vital role in national security.