In 1947 the Section of Naval History was created in the Division of History, United States National Museum. In 1948 it became a Division in the Department of History. In 1957 when the Museum of History and Technology was established, it contained a Department of Armed Forces History, comprising Divisions of Military and Naval History. From 1969 to 1977 Naval History was a division of the Department of National and Military History. In 1978 this Department became the Department of National History. In 1984 the divisions of naval and military history were merged into a Division of Armed Forces History.

Curators of the Division of Naval History have included Mendel Peterson, Acting Curator, 1958-1960, and Chairman, 1964-1969; Philip K. Lundeberg, Associate Curator, 1959-1961; Curator, 1962-1984; Melvin H. Jackson, Associate Curator, 1962-1965; Harold D. Langley, Curator, 1969-1984; Edgar M. Howell, Curator, 1969-1973; and Lee Houchins, Research Associate, 1978-1984.