The museum's history dates back to 1845, when it was founded as the Naval School Lyceum.

After the Civil War, the Navy Department began forwarding many types of objects to the Naval Academy Lyceum, including trophies of war, items from exploration/survey expeditions, diplomatic missions, and naval related art.

That includes thousands of two- and three-dimensional objects such as flags, uniforms, weapons, medals, books, instruments and photographs as well as art.

Over the years, the museum has created a number of exhibits including: Sea, Sun, and Space, Philo McGiffin: A Man of Wit and Dash, Over There: The Navy and Marine Corps in World War I, Warrior Writers, From Conception to Present: The U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carrier, U.S. Navy Ships of War, and Seas, Lakes & Bay: The Naval War of 1812, and Ability, Not Gender.

[1][2] It also hosts the Preble Hall Podcast about U.S. Navy and Marine Corps history.