The Naval Historical Foundation preserves and honors the legacy of those who came before us. We educate and inspire the generations who will follow. The Naval Historical Foundation preserves and honors the legacy of those who came before us. We educate and inspire the generations who will follow. Chartered in the District of Columbia in 1926, the primary objectives of the Naval Historical Foundation are to collect and preserve documents, papers, oral histories and artifacts of U.S. naval historical significance and make them readily available for public display and scholarly research; to stimulate the study of naval history, naval customs and naval traditions; and to portray the role of sea power in the development of the United States.