One impressive display concerns "Operation Bumblebee," the US missile project that was conducted on the island in the Post-World War II 1940’s by the US Navy and Johns-Hopkins University. This display includes a color video of actual rocket firings, prototypes of rockets being tested here then and one booster rocket that washed ashore in 1994, nearly fifty years later.
There is no admission charge to visit this museum, which is operated by volunteer members of the Historical Society of Topsail Island. The museum is open to the public from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from April through October. Private showings for groups at other times may also be arranged by calling the Topsail Island Chamber of Commerce at 910-329-4446 or 1-800-626-2780.
The museum is easy to locate: Just drive to the southern end of Topsail Island and look for a Big Missile displayed on the grounds near the entrance to the museum.
