NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – This year, the Mariners’ Museum and Park will offer virtual programming for the Battle of Hampton Roads’ upcoming 159th anniversary on Friday, March 5, and Saturday, March 6.

“This battle was epic because it was the first clash of the American ironclads. It changed how the world built their Navys,” said Hannah Fleming, a maritime archaeologist at the Mariners’ Museum.

This year’s virtual programs will provide different insights and perspectives to the famous Civil War battle where the Union USS Monitor and the Confederate CSS Virginia fought relentlessly for hours off the waters near Chesapeake Bay in Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862. 

Saturday, March 6, 2021

10 a.m. – The Development of European Ironclads

Presenter: Erika Cosme, content and interpretation developer at The Mariners’ Museum

Follow along with Erika Cosme, content and interpretation developer at The Mariners’ Museum, as she takes you through the reasons and significance of ironclads and the technological impact they had on navies around the world.

11 a.m. – Foods and Feasts: A Comparison of Enlisted and Officers Foods Aboard USS Monitor

Presenters: The Mariners’ Interpretation Team and Eric Jeanneret, volunteer costumed interpreter

Join the Mariners’ Interpretation Team and Eric Jeanneret, a longtime costumed interpreter for the Museum’s iconic Battleof Hampton Roads event, as they reveal important details about the history of Civil War food and present a comparison offood for enlisted and officers aboard USS Monitor.

1 p.m. – Romanticism and Commercial Patriotism in the Art of the Battle of Hampton Roads

Presenter: Kyra Duffley, digital content assistant at The Mariners’ Museum

Have you ever wondered how paintings, especially ones depicted of war and fighting, are portrayed with such intricate details and vibrancy? Or have you questioned whether what is seen in the painting is what actually occurred? Come learn from Kyra Duffley, digital content assistant at The Mariners’, as she brings an enlightening perspective to the Battle of Hampton Roads in the form of art.

2 p.m. – Follow the Phoenix

Presenter: Hannah Fleming, maritime archaeologist at The Mariners’ Museum

All of the programs for the Mariners’ Battle of Hampton Roads Series will be available online and free of charge.