The Naval Academy At a Glance

Founded in 1845 in an old Army fort, the academy has grown to fill a 238-acre campus located just north of downtown Annapolis.

More than 10,000 students and enlisted personnel apply to the academy each year to fill about 1,200 openings in the freshman, or plebe, class. The student body, or Brigade of Midshipmen, numbers about 4,000. The mids are instructed by a faculty whose 600-plus members are roughly split between civilians and military officers. After completing a four-year course of study, midshipmen must serve five years as a Navy or Marine Corps officer.

More than a million visitors a year come to the academy, which is a National Historic Site. Popular spots include the Naval Academy Museum, packed with academy lore, exquisite model ships and mementos of American naval history. Located in Preble Hall on Maryland Avenue, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors can call 410-293-2108 for more information.

Visiting hours for the academy are daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Security concerns affect visitor policy and procedures, visit the Naval Academy or call the Visitor Center at 410-263-6933 for the latest information.

With its soaring copper dome, the grand Navy Chapel is the architectural centerpiece of The Yard, as the academy is called. John Paul Jones, the United States' first naval hero, is buried in a crypt beneath the sanctuary.

Several parts of sprawling Bancroft Hall, one of the world's largest dormitories, are open to the public. Memorial Hall contains several rolls of honor, including lists of academy grads who were killed in action or who won the Medal of Honor. Visitors can call 410-293-5001 for more information.

The academy's Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center is located on King George Street inside Gate 1. The center is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — except January and February, when it is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Guided walking tours of the grounds leave from the center from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 410-263-6933 or visit www.navyonline.com for details.

Tickets are $7.50 with discounts for seniors and students. Preschoolers tour free. For a group tour, call the visitor center at 410-263-6933.

During fall and spring, the brigade holds a lunchtime formation about 12:10 p.m. weekdays in Tecumseh Court in front of Bancroft Hall.

Most athletic events are open to the public free of charge. For information and tickets, call the Naval Academy Athletic Association at 410-268-6060 or 800-US-4-NAVY.

The academy also hosts concerts and plays, some free. For more information, call the academy's public affairs office at 410-293-2291.

Visit the Navy Academy Visitor Center.