In New London, Connecticut, on the Thames River near the United States Coast Guard Academy, the National Coast Guard Museum is being built as the national museum dedicated to the U.S. Coast Guard. Pursued since 2001 by the National Coast Guard Museum Association, the project officially began construction with a keel laying ceremony on August 19, 2022, and major construction started in 2025. Planned as a free public institution, it is expected to feature more than 200 galleries and exhibits, hundreds of artifacts, thousands of images, educational programs, and space for Barque Eagle. The museum is intended to honor Coast Guard service and strengthen New London’s riverfront as a cultural destination.