The Old Coast Guard Station is a maritime museum in a former life-saving station beside the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Its historic building and exhibits tell the story of coastal rescue, local shipwrecks and the Battle of the Atlantic.
- Location: 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue, beside 24th Street Park.
- Inside: galleries on life-saving equipment, shipwrecks and wartime maritime history.
- Admission and opening hours vary by day; check the museum’s official site before you go.
What the Old Coast Guard Station is
The Old Coast Guard Station Museum occupies the former Seatack Life-Saving Station, a landmark on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The first station was built in 1878, while the building standing today dates to 1903.
The station came under U.S. Coast Guard jurisdiction in 1915, was renovated in 1933 and was decommissioned in 1969. The City of Virginia Beach acquired it in 1979, moved it 200 feet to its present location and restored it as a museum. The station appears on both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Look for the original boat doors, lookout tower and cedar-shingled walls. The building is on the Boardwalk at 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue, beside 24th Street Park. If you’re planning time along the waterfront, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk guide covers the promenade.
Exhibits and local maritime history
The museum’s galleries connect the station’s rescue work with the dangers faced by ships off the Virginia coast. In the Lower Gallery, life-saving equipment is displayed alongside explanations of how it was used.
The Upper Gallery turns to past shipwrecks and the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. A tower camera, touchscreen and video monitor let you view the beach and ocean from the perspective of a surfman keeping watch.
Together, these displays make the former station itself part of the story: the building’s lookout tower and boat doors reflect the work carried out here.
How do you get to the museum from the Oceanfront?
The museum sits directly alongside the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, making the oceanfront promenade a natural walking route. From Ocean27 Oceanfront, it’s about a seven-minute walk.
On the way, you can follow the Boardwalk toward 24th Street Park, which is beside the museum. The station is a short stop to pair with time along the promenade, rather than a separate trip away from the Oceanfront.
Hours, admission and access
Opening schedules and admission details can change, so check the museum’s official site before you go. The museum is on the oceanfront promenade at 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue.
For a broader sense of what conditions and recurring events can vary through the year, how Virginia Beach weather and Oceanfront events change by season is useful context for planning time outdoors.
FAQs
What is the museum’s street address?
The Old Coast Guard Station Museum is at 2401 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
When is the museum open?
Posted hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday, 12–5 p.m. The visitor information also notes Monday closures from October 1 through Memorial Day, plus closures on Thanksgiving, December 25, December 31 and January 1. Check the museum’s official site before visiting.
How much does admission cost?
The posted admission prices are $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and military, $2 for ages 6–18, and free for children under 6. Confirm current prices with the museum before your visit.