U-505

U-505 is a German military submarine from World War II permanently displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The vessel sits in a specially built indoor space with direct access to cargo holds, torpedo tubes, and engine rooms across multiple decks.

The US Navy took possession of the vessel on June 4, 1944, off the coast of West Africa after it was cornered by the escort carrier group around USS Guadalcanal. After the war ended, it was used for research purposes before being moved to Chicago in 1954 and opened to the public.

The vessel takes its name from a German naval designation and now serves as a public memorial to naval service in the museum. Visitors can walk through the cramped crew quarters, commander's space, and technical stations where the crew lived underwater for months.

Access is through separate guided tours included with museum admission that allow visitors to walk through the interior spaces. The passageways are narrow and require ducking at several points, so comfortable clothing is advisable.

When American sailors boarded, they found the Enigma cipher machine and related codebooks still aboard before the German crew could destroy them. These materials remained secret during the war and helped Allied forces decode encrypted messages from the German navy.

Location: Chicago

GPS coordinates: 41.79179,-87.58139

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:53