For more than 200 years, the U.S. Navy has served as the shield of the republic. Our nation's freedom has depended in large part on the freedom of the seas, which comprise 71 percent of the Earth's surface. Keeping the seas open for trade has been a pillar of the Navy's mission since its founding. Today, with 80 percent of America's goods imported by ship, that mission is more important than ever. To better share this legacy, the Naval History and Heritage Command has embarked on an exciting journey to create a new national flagship Navy museum in the heart of our nation's capital. The Navy will be the only military service with a national museum in Washington, D.C.The new National Museum of the United States Navy presents an unparalleled opportunity to tell the Navy's story and inspire the next generation of sailors, citizens, and leaders that our country needs. The museum will energize public awareness of the Navy's integral role in defending freedom around the world and preserving America's economic prosperity.As part of an extended Navy campus, it will provide a home for naval ceremonies and functions to celebrate historic anniversaries and individual achievements. As a center for inspired storytelling, it will become an internationally recognized forum for innovative thought leadership, education, and training.The Navy Museum Development Foundation has been selected and endorsed by the U.S. Navy to achieve one mission—and only one mission: to secure the funding required to build a state-of-the- art national Navy museum.