The Coast Guard Academy reopened its museum to the public this weekend, after a renovation project that lasted for one year. The newly-renovated U.S. Coast Guard Museum features a redesigned exhibit, which provides an overview of the history of the United States Coast Guard, from its early years until the present.

The Coast Guard Museum was established in 1973, and serves as the home of around 6,800 artifacts on the history of the service. The completed $300,000 renovation project was made possible through the support of the Academy and the Coast Guard Department of Governmental and Public Affairs.

The Museum formally reopened with a ceremony, with Coast Guard Academy superintendent Rear Adm. Sandra Stosz presenting a Purple Heart to the family of a Coast Guard officer who died from wounds received in combat during World War I.