In the quiet town of Groton by the idyllic River Thames lies a sleeping monster of the deep. This black, metal monstrosity once roamed the abyss of the oceans, even navigating through the icy depths of the North Pole. Now this deep-sea giant is peacefully taking a slumber, along with the other titans of the seas, in a museum in Connecticut.

The USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. Her other feats include being the first sea vessel to complete a submerged breakthrough across the North Pole. This vessel was named after Jules Verne’s submarine in the sci-fi novel, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The Nautilus has magnificently lived to its name. Now, this National Historic Landmark member is serving as a museum of submarine history.