My daughter wanted to take her boyfriend to the National Aquarium since he had never been before, so we planned a daytrip to the Inner Harbor. My husband and I had gone to the aquarium many times over the years, so we opted to drop them off and go see something on our own.

Just outside the aquarium entrance we found a sign advertising Historic Ships in Baltimore. Through a small ticket booth, you can purchase tickets to tour up to four ships and a lighthouse all located within easy walking distance of each other. There’s the U.S. sloop-of-war Constellation, the U.S. submarine Torsk, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Taney, and the lightship Chesapeake and also the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse.

We opted to tour the submarine, USS Torsk. Commissioned in 1944, the submarine saw service in World War II and was responsible for sinking three Japanese ships, one of which was the last ship torpedoed before the war ended. The submarine was later used for training and was decommissioned in 1968. It was brought to Baltimore to serve as a museum in 1972.

The entrance to the submarine had a sign telling guests to turn and face all ladders, adults should go first and to watch your step as you move about the boat. As I entered the tiny hole backwards, I began to regret my decision to choose the submarine. If you are the least bit claustrophobic, you might have an issue with this one! I could not believe these close quarters were home to 80 sailors during WWII.

As I walked through the After Torpedo Room, where the torpedoes that sunk the Japanese ships were launched, I saw the first doorway. Oh my gosh — I had to duck under the top while stepping over the bottom at the same time without tripping or hitting my head. For a tall, slightly claustrophobic and very uncoordinated person, this was not an easy task! But my curiosity led me through the ship. It was fascinating to see the tiny little bunk beds lining the walls that these men had to sleep on. Another doorway. This time I didn’t almost fall.

I loved seeing all the dials and controls and wondered how much training it took for the sailors to learn how to work this big hunk of metal. It was fun to see things like the old phone hanging on the wall. Another doorway. I think I’m actually getting the hang of this!

The Crew’s Mess, where the sailors ate meals, had a few tables and benches and an old jukebox I was hoping had music from the 1940s, but it was stuck on 1962 and 1963. And there was a TV playing actual footage from the ship. It showed Japanese prisoners of war exiting the ship after the war ended. I wondered where on Earth they kept all these extra men on this tiny ship. Another doorway. Now I’m a pro at this, although I can’t imagine running through these doorways during the chaos I’m sure ensued when they were told to ready the torpedoes.

After checking out the cabins for officers and chiefs and the Forward Torpedo Room, our self-guided tour was over. By the end, I was hot but no longer feeling claustrophobic and was glad we toured something new in the Inner Harbor.

— Tracey Cullen, art director