The museum is situated on Atatürk Boulevard, İskenderun ilçe (district) of Hatay Province, at 36°35′39″N 36°09′49″E / 36.59417°N 36.16361°E / 36.59417; 36.16361.

The building was purchased by the Turkish Naval Forces in 1942.

MV Savarona was formerly the Turkish presidential yacht [6] in which Atatürk, the founder of Turkey spent his last days in 1938.

The sixth hall is named after Rauf Orbay (1880-1964) who was the commander of the Ottoman cruiser Hamidiye and one of the last naval Ministers of the Ottoman Empire.

He was also an active figure during the establishment of the Turkish Republic.