Recently my kids and I drove down to Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts to meet up with the Boy Scouts for what was promised to be a weekend of fun, adventure, and a cool overnight experience aboard the USS Massachusetts. To be truthful with you, initially, I was skeptical about this whole Nautical Nights thing. I was worried the kids would be uninterested and bored after twenty-five minutes of traipsing up and down the decks. I was wrong...and greatfully so. In a nutshell, Battleship Cove is a floating museum stationed upon the Taunton River. Pretty much anything goes. Management only asks that you (and/ or your kids) don't shimmy up and down the gun barrels. Just about everything is steel and a good fall or bump to the head could do some serious damage. You are given free reign on all of the vessels and are able to wonder in and out of just about any place you can physically fit. All the nooks and crannies make this a child's wonder world.

The square footage of these ships, particularly, the USS Massachusetts, is mammoth. One could easily get lost and never be seen or heard from for days ! My kids had a blast crawling around, climbing up and down ladders, and spinning around on the gun mounts while aiming at phantom targets. We were able to find our way down into one of the gun turrets to see how powder was packed, loaded, and launched from the cannons...totally fascinating. The lower decks and medical facilities aboard the USS Massachusetts are also very interesting but gave me the creeps. These floors seemed isolated from the rest and where designed so that, in the event the ship began to take on large amounts of water, doors would shut and rooms would lock down drowning whatever sorry soul might have been trapped within. All kinds of memorabilia and artifacts are left in tact and on display throughout the vessels. Various movies and presentations are also offered throughout the day that detail battles and life aboard the ships. You can even take a Morse code or knot tying class , though we never made it that far. In addition to all this, there's three helicopters, a T-28 trainer plain, and Japanese motorboat to see...and don't forget the gift shop. Just a few yards away from the museum there's wooden carousel ( not too many of those left these days), a train museum, and maritime museum. You can fill a day or two here easy. As part of the Nautical Night package aboard the USS Massachusetts, we were served breakfast and dinner in the mess hall and got to sleep in the actual bunks where soldiers before us had slept. This really put things into perspective for me. For a ship so big, the sleeping quarters were so tight. I can almost guarantee that sailors slept with feet in their faces and heads on their toes! Families and scouts were crammed in like sardines in a tin can. At eleven o'clock TAPS was played and it was lights out. At 6:00 Revile sounded over the loudspeaker and it all hands were demanded on deck for breakfast. After we ate, we were asked to remove our gear from the bunks and come back to grab a bagged lunch. At that point, we were entitled to another days admission at the museum before heading back home. After walking the decks where soldiers before us had once walked...after eating where they ate, and sleeping in the very beds where they too had slept, I left with a keen sense of what life was like living aboard these vessels. I better understand the mental and physical challenges put before these young soldiers coupled with the impending threat of battle and death. Photo's and memorials reminded me that a heavy price was paid and continues to be paid by those who serve, fought, and died for our freedom so that we may live in a safer, better world today and tomorrow.

Six Vessels You Will See at Battleship Cove

USS Massachusetts:Commissioned in 1942, this 35,000 ton World Two Battleship, also known as "Big Maime" bared witness to many a battle and even has the shrapnel scars to prove it.

USS Joseph P Kennedy Jr: AKA, "Joey P" was commissioned in 1945. This destroyer ship has a remarkable history including her involvement in the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the first Mercury space fights, and the Gemini space program.

USS Lionship: This Balao class submarine was launched in 1943 to patrol enemy waters in Japan. Ten days later, she dodged two torpedoes and thereafter destroyed a Japanese schooner. On her second patrol she was once again under fire with two Japanese submarines.

USS Fall River: The USS Fall River's bow is what welcomes visitors as they enter Battleship Cove. Commissioned in 1945, she partook in experimental development operations and atomic weapon testing projects. The USS Fall River also served as a flagship during Operation Crossroads in Pearl Harbor and later in the Far East as well.

PT Boat 617 & 796: Although neither of these PT Boats, short for Patrol Torpedo boats, saw battle, they are a national landmarks. They are the only restored pair of PT boats

Rates and Hours

Battleship Cove is open year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

January through May 24th open every day 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

May 25th through December open every day 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Adults: $14.00

Children 6-12: $8.00

Children under 6: Free

Battleship Cove is located on Five Water Street, Fall River, Massachusetts 02722-0111 For more information visit www.battleshipcove.org or call 800-533-3194 ( New England Only) or 508-678-1100