The USS Midway Museum in San Diego centers on the aircraft carrier USS Midway, which served from 1945 to 1992 as the United States' longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century. About 200,000 sailors served aboard her, and she became known for naval aviation milestones, humanitarian missions, and remaining in service throughout the full Cold War and beyond. Opened as a museum in 2004, the ship is preserved as a working historical environment with aircraft, shipboard spaces, simulators, and films that trace the history of carrier aviation. It has also become a major civic and cultural destination, hosting memorial ceremonies, public events, and prominent productions.