CHICAGO, June 1, 2005 – The Museum of Science and Industry’s much anticipated U-505 Submarine exhibit officially opens to the public on Sunday, June 5. The new underground, climate-controlled exhibit will showcase the story of the German sub’s legendary capture in World War II. It will also explore technology and life aboard the vessel-now the world’s only remaining Type IX-C submarine and a National Historic Landmark.

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U-505 Submarine
Photo credit: Scott Brownell, Museum of Science and Industry

The new exhibit will offer multiple interactive units, nearly 200 artifacts, archival newspapers and photography, videos narrated by Bill Kurtis, radio transmissions, re-enactments of key events, dramatic artwork, as well as exciting testimonials from the veterans of Task Group 22.3 who made the remarkable capture.

"The new U-505 Submarine exhibit is a testimony to the strength, courage and leadership of the brave men and women who fought for the United States in World War II," said David Mosena, president and CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry. "This $35-million project to preserve, move and create an amazing new exhibit surrounding the U-505 is unparalleled in the Museum’s history and will captivate visitors of all ages. It would not have succeeded without the significant leadership gift from the McCormick Tribune Foundation, and the generous time and support of thousands who contributed to the project."

The exhibit begins by immersing guests into the history and milestones of World War II, Hitler’s drive for control and the Battle of the Atlantic. Guests will learn about the use of U-boats as a deadly tactic in keeping necessary supplies from the Allies. In 1942, the U-boats sank an incredible 1,150 Allied ships, sending thousands of men to their deaths and a staggering 7.8 million tons of vital war supplies to the bottom of the Atlantic.

Early in 1943, the Allies faced a simple choice: come up with a plan to defeat the U-boats or risk losing the war. Small task groups were formed, usually consisting of one small escort aircraft carrier and four or five destroyer escorts. As guests navigate the exhibit they are introduced to Navy Captain Daniel Gallery, a Chicagoan, who led one of these groups, Hunter-Killer Task Group 22.3. Gallery was determined not only to find a German U-boat as it was prowling the dangerous seas, but also to capture and bring it back for its wealth of intelligence information.

Guests will then encounter a secret tracking room that was staffed heavily by the WAVES: Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. Here the battle against the U-boats played out like a giant chess game-a game with real and deadly consequences. With the WAVES’ help, Gallery and his crew learned of their close proximity to the U-505 and went in for the capture. These powerful images and stories, combined with dramatic surround-sound sound effects, all lead up to the exciting moment where guests will turn a corner and come in direct contact with the 252-foot, 700-ton sub!

Guests will wind their way down to the lower level of the exhibit and come "face to face" with this monumental vessel. For the first time, they will be able to view the length of the sub, and its deck, from above. The exterior of the sub has been completely refurbished, and with exacting research, it has been returned to its original paint colors. Dramatic lighting effects make the sub seem as if it is still prowling the depths of the Atlantic.

If guests have purchased tickets for the optional on-board tour, they will now take a journey back in time, to see just how the crew of a submarine lived and worked on the high seas during World War II. Led by an exhibit interpreter, visitors will be able to view authentically recreated crewmen bunks and the galley, wedged in among the mechanical workings of the sub. They will see just how crowded life was on board this vessel, as well as the intricate mechanics that made the sub function.

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