STATE & NATION TRAVEL · events
USS Constitution opens a 25-person Veterans Day tour before public hours
By Staff Writer · Published November 2, 2026
Veterans may bring family and friends on a free November 11 tour led by an active-duty sailor, but every guest must register and adults need government photo identification.
Official event date: National Park Service · November 11, 2026
Source: National Park Service Veterans Day tour listing
Boston National Historical Park is offering a free, registration-required Veterans Day tour of USS Constitution from 9 to 10 a.m. on November 11. The National Park Service says the group is limited to 25 people and will board before the ship opens to the general public.
The invitation is aimed at veterans, who may register family members and friends to join them. Every participant must hold a reservation, however; the veteran's registration does not automatically cover the rest of a party.
An active-duty sailor assigned to USS Constitution will lead the tour. The event page says everyone must arrive and enter as a group, and each visitor age 18 or older must present government-issued photo identification for security screening.
The ship's historic structure creates access constraints. The NPS notice says the tour involves steep ladders and narrow spaces, and it directs visitors with mobility questions to contact the site before registering or traveling.
What Travelers Need to Know
Use the registration link from the official NPS event page and rely on the live booking page for remaining availability. The listing caps the group at 25, and no place should be assumed until registration is confirmed.
Register every veteran, family member and friend separately as required. Plan to arrive early enough for the entire party to assemble and pass security together before the 9 a.m. start.
Anyone age 18 or older should carry a valid government-issued photo ID. Leave time for security screening and review the Navy's current prohibited-item rules before traveling.
Expect steep ladders, confined spaces and limited accessibility aboard the historic ship. Contact the site in advance about mobility needs, and confirm transit or parking plans for the Charlestown Navy Yard because nearby parking is limited.
About the Location
USS Constitution is berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard, a Boston National Historical Park site connected to the Freedom Trail. Launched in 1797, the wooden-hulled frigate earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 and remains the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat.
The vessel is an active U.S. Navy ship as well as a historic attraction, so entry procedures differ from an ordinary museum visit. The neighboring USS Constitution Museum interprets the ship's people, construction and service, but its hours and admission arrangements are separate from this limited NPS-listed tour.