National Museum of the American Sailor: Exploring sailor tattoo art and Navy history

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - Good Day Chicago salutes the military this week for Veterans Day.

The National Museum of the American Sailor is located in north suburban Great Lakes. It is funded by the U.S. Navy and admission is free.

Outreach Director, Kim Ortega says one of the most popular exhibits shows the connection between sailors and tattoos. When the Navy was formed in the 1700s, sailors copied the body art Polynesians used in their culture. Sailors chose images to honor or memorialize shipmates from years past.

"It could also be a souvenir from different destinations that sailors have traveled to, can pay homage to a family member, describe their job and so many different things," Ortega said.

Great Lakes is the Navy’s only boot camp.

"Anybody who enlisted with the US Navy, they come here to Great Lakes and get their 10 weeks of training," Ortega said.

One exhibit has a bunk bed showing the area a sailor would sleep. Ortega says when recruits see it, they recognize it, and it is officially inspected.

"We also show how they have to stow all of their gear, and we try to keep it as precise and tight as the recruits would have to keep it in boot camp. So we have the recruit division commanders come out and check us from time to time just to make sure it’s up to snuff."

The museum is open to share sailor history Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.