USS Dolphin

USS Dolphin is a research submarine on display at the Maritime Museum in San Diego, California. It has a rounded black hull, narrow corridors, and small compartments that show how the crew lived and worked during long missions below the surface.

The boat was launched in 1968 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine and served for research purposes until being decommissioned in 2007. After a flooding accident in 2002, it was repaired and continued testing underwater technology before joining the museum fleet in San Diego.

The vessel is moored in San Diego Bay and can be explored during guided tours or self-guided visits. The tight spaces require some mobility, so it helps to wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for low lighting inside.

This submarine set a record in November 1968 for the deepest dive ever made, a mark it still holds today. The following summer, it launched a torpedo from deep underwater, a technical achievement that was unusual at the time.

Location: San Diego

Inception: January 1, 1968

Reference: AGSS-555

Address: 1492 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-16:00

Phone: +16192349153

Website: https://sdmaritime.org/visit/the-ships/uss-dolphin-submarine

GPS coordinates: 32.72108,-117.17376

Latest update: December 14, 2025 01:55