USS Constitution Museum Reopens To The Public

CHARLESTOWN (CBS) - The USS Constitution Museum reopened to the public on Thursday, which happens to mark the 45th anniversary of the museum's initial opening.

A celebratory cannon was fired off to mark the occasion.

"There is no better attraction here on the Freedom Trail in the city of Boston," said Commander John Benda. "The resources inside this museum are very interesting and entertaining and fascinating, and as the captain of [the USS] Constitution, the resources provide myself and the sailors invaluable training resources to make sure that we are as close to being experts in Constitution history as we can be."

A difficult 2020, highlighted by pandemic safety precautions, kept guests off Old Ironsides and out of the museum, preventing people from learning about the rich history of the USS Constitution.

Museum president and CEO Anne Grimes Rand says it was strange not having kids in the museum for the past year. She looks forward to providing a safe experience for guests, in accordance with city and state guidelines.

"Being able to open our doors again and welcome people inside, hear them learning about the ship, and talking about the ship, laughing and having fun exploring history, that's why we are here. That's what the museum's all about," Grimes Rand said.

The museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To order tickets, visit ussconstitutionmuseum.org.