All Hands on Deck: Life and Legacy of the USS Colorado Battleship with navy compass and rope graphics.

Upcoming Exhibition

All Hands on Deck: Life and Legacy of the USS Colorado Battleship

Sail the high seas in this showcase that explores the life and enduring legacy of the USS Colorado (BB-45) battleship. 

Ships named after Colorado connect our highest mountains to the depths of the ocean. The US Navy launched the USS Colorado battleship (BB-45) in 1921, kicking off twenty-four years of service that took the ship across the world. From searching for missing aviator Amelia Earhart to shelling Pacific Islands during World War II, the USS Colorado’s 2,000-member crew worked together and served bravely. On the second floor in the Holland & Hart Gallery, discover the stories of sailors who served aboard and the uniforms, documents, and photographs that were part of the action. Explore how the battleship’s legacy lives on today in the USS Colorado nuclear submarine (SSN-788), which continues to link our landlocked Centennial State with the deep blue sea. 

USS Colorado floating in water with New York City skyline in distance.
Envelope with map of Equator and Howland Island. Caption reads: Enroute Howland Island and the Equator Searching for Miss Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Capt. Fred Noonan, who were forced down.
Two chefs use industrial mixers in the USS Colorado kitchen
Point of view from gunner position of USS Colorado. Golden Gate Bridge is in distance.
USS Colorado crew standing in a group of nine people holding a banner that reads USS Colorado.

Our state has a special and surprising connection to the ocean through the USS Colorado battleship. The ship carried Colorado’s name and spirit across the world. We are honored to tell the incredible story of our naval namesake.

Katherine Mercier, Exhibition Developer and Historian