Built in 1798, the fighting frigate known as “Old Ironsides” wasn’t literally made of iron — it earned that nickname during the war of 1812, when cannonballs literally bounced off its wooden hull in battles with much heavier British vessels. The ship earned lasting fame for its victories in that war, as well as its skirmishes against the corsairs during the War of Barbary Coast. Now it reposes in all its majesty in Charlestown Navy Yard, still a commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. (The last time it set sail was in 2012 for the anniversary of its famed battles.) Now navy sailors give daily tours of the vessel, while a museum next door contains plenty of fun, interactive exhibits for kids of all ages, who can practice firing cannons and swabbing the deck as they learn about the Golden Age of Sail.