Battleship Missouri Memorial

Pearl Harbor: the most important WWII site in the States. If you're on Oahu, there's no question about it. Make a day out of visiting everything that this historic site has to offer. And a highlight of that will be the Battleship Missouri Memorial. Once you arrive at Pearl Harbor, you will have to take a bus to get to this battleship and museum. You'll be glad you did. Once you arrive, you will be captivated by the size of the battleship. And all of the flags on the walkway leading up to it. It's a touching moment. From there, explore the battleship where Japan officially surrendered, ending WWII. There's plenty to read and plenty to explore. Both on deck and below deck. And there's air conditioning in most spots which is always appreciated. This is such an important historical site that I felt very fortunate to have the time to explore it fully for about two hours or so. You can also participate in a free tour if that's more your style. Outside of the battleship, they also have a gift shop and some dining options. I didn't eat but I did grab a souvenir at the gift shop.

If visiting Hawaii, this is a great place to visit and learn about Americas military history. The ship is well maintained and if the tour has you parched or hungry, there's affordable refreshments served. I came aboard for a Military Retirement Ceremony and everything was top-notch!! I also enjoy that there are volunteers available to answer questions throughout the tour.

This tour is one of my meaningful ones in Hawaii. We booked a full Pearl Harbor Tour and this is one of our stops. Guided tours were available but we preferred being on our own. We took our time checking out the ins and outs of the ship - it was very easy navigating it as there were signs everywhere, guiding you where to go every step of the way. My friends and I love to read so we took time reading all the posts and historical notes in each section. The ship is amazingly almost like a city on its own. We saw the cramped quarters of the soldiers, their mess hall, dental office, post office, kitchen, board game/card games tables, bakery. We've always known the valor of our soldiers and veterans, but being inside this ship made all of their sacrifices look real and tangible.

This ship is an icon of the glory of the United States of America. The guns were big! The inside was like a city that many people lived in. I was born in Japan. I was standing at the quarterdeck where the Japanese delegation signed the instrument of the surrender on September 2nd, 1945. I Regarding the museum of the inside, I found the Kamikaze exhibition. I saw letters written by the pilot.I saw a big figure of the famous kissing sailer on the outside. Luckily, the war is over. we enjoy the peace. I hope this battleship has a good retirement life in Pearl Harbor Hawaii.

Time: Sunday morningThis is a great preservation of the battleship that can be seen first hand through tours. Of course they're trying to make money while they're at it to help with the restoration process. So there are many parts that are off limits to the basic general admission ticket and you have to pay more to go see the other parts. But outside of that, the general admission ticket is worth the cost of what you get to see and experience. We have base access so we did not have to take the park service bus to get there, which meant we arrived at 8:00 a.m. before anyone was visiting. We were the first on the ship and had the time to visit and see everything before I got crowded. It was a great experience to be able to see the signatures and stand where the surrender occurred. They've got it in case in glass, but you can see everything right there on the spot where it happened. Even though the time frame was different, it's a great way to show someone the life of a sailor and what they experience on a ship, including how small the bunks are. And the food that they ate and so on and so forth. For me it was a reminder of all the times I busted my shins or hit my head going through the passageways. Also, they have a very lovely gift shop, surprisingly. One of the better ones for a tourist attraction. There were a couple different places that you could get snack food in that Maine area before you board the ship. However, it is more expensive and if you have bakes access then you can go to the tiny shopette down the road for a full selection of food and beverages including subway. But if you're coming on the park service bus then just know you do have a small selection while there.

One of the things you can do in the Pearl complex. Cost around $38 per person and includes a free tour of the ship. You must take a bus from the main area to get to the ship. My father in a wheelchair and he was able to do most of the tour. Honestly, you could do the tour as often as you wanted. Each tour guide has a bit of a different spin. If you are able body you can tour on your own many other areas that are not part of the tour. Glad we did it.

For any first time visitor to the island, Pearl Harbor area is a must!! Once I made it onto the ship, I was greeted and was informed I could tour the ship via a complimentary tour or I can tour the ship on my own. I decided to join the tour group, the guide was very informative, however, I was on a time schedule and with all of the questions from the attendees, I decided to tour the ship myself. The plaques throughout the ship with very helpful. The ship is huge with many narrow passages and stairs/ladders. The interior was massive with all of the various areas such as the sleeping quarters, the kitchen, work areas, the mail room, and even the dentist office. Next to the ship, there are several dining options and souvenir shops. Please note.... If your a Cher fan, she used this ship for her "If I Could Time Back Time" video.

I was not a history buff until relatively recently and have been binging on a lot of WW2 books and documentaries. So a visit here was memorable and thoroughly engaging and sobering. May we never go back to those times again. Vote responsibly!

OPEN HOURS: Monday - Sunday 8am to 4pm.. Closed on Federal HolidaysAmazing experience! This memorial is a MUST if you are visiting Oahu and want something cool to do/see. We came during a special event where they were celebrating the Mighty Mo's birthday on Jan. 29 and admission was free to local Hawaii residents, active-duty military, veterans, retirees and their dependents with ID. I found the ad on Instagram because I follow their page and get insight on the events that take place on the ship. We visited on a Sunday and the weather was a bit cloudy but for some reason it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be and the clouds kept things cool and comfortable. Usually the ship's deck can get really hot during the day and I've been around when people actually passed out or had some medical condition take place because of the heat, so please stay hydrated when you go.TO BUY TICKETS I recommend you click on the link they have posted here on their Yelp page above or you can google for them. The website will have all the information you need regarding tickets, how to plan your visit, directions to the ship if you're driving and a lot more. Tickets can be purchased online or at the ticket booth next to the ship and costs $34.99 for adults and $17.49 for children. PARKING is available to the right side before the restroom facility and there are plenty of stalls to choose from. The earlier you come, the closer to the ship you can park. It's all based on first come, first serve and it's free. The parking closer to the ship is reserved so don't go to that area because you will have to turn around. RESTROOMS are available in the building located before you enter the fence to go to the ship. They also have restrooms available on board. Just ask one of the ship tour guides or other volunteers for directions. IF YOU'RE HUNGRY they have a snack stack and food trucks available to purchase a quick bite to eat at. They menus have a good range of items to choose from and include shave ice, beverages, Hawaiian plate lunches, burgers, hotdogs, chili fries, salads and more! I posted photos of the menus if you're interested!THINGS I RECOMMEND you bring with you before you go: Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, cold bottled water (they don't allow open beverages on board), camera, snacks, small bag/backpack. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes because you will be doing a lot of walking and climbing many stairs/ladders. Plan to be here at least 3-4hrs because that's how long my visit was to include the basic tour of their exterior, self-guided tour of the interior, a stop at the snack stand and a visit to their souvenir store. There's so much to see and take in that you'll feel so immersed in the ship's history and I promise it's worth it. Overall, my other half and I had an amazing experience! We enjoyed every bit of our time there and would love to bring our friends and family the next time around. The workers were all wonderful, knowledgeable, welcoming and have great customer service. The ship itself was easy to navigate thanks to all the signs and arrows guiding you along the way. The detailed descriptions everywhere kept you inclined and were very informative. I learned so many things I didn't know before about the Mighty Mo until after my visit and now I have such a greater respect for the battleship and am soo proud of its presence here in Hawaii. Thank you for such an amazing time Mighty Missouri!! I'll be back again in the future.**ONE MORE THING: Please donate or purchase items in their souvenir store! Every cent counts and goes towards the maintenance of the ship and allows this memorial to function every day of the week. They are not funded by the government and rely on everyone who visits. I personally dropped some cash into the donation box on board and bought items to send to friends in the mainland. It's the least I can do because my admission was free.

All-in-all the ship itself is excellently preserved, especially for sitting in less-than-ideal conditions year round. The museum staff are helpful and knowledgeable. The issue I have is with the cost of going aboard for what you get to visit: If you are active military the cost of admission is $30. If you are civilian the cost of admission is $40. This admission basically allows you into the berthing spaces, the bridge, and certain other below deck areas. These prices do not include seeing the turrets/gunhouses (who wants to go aboard a ship with 16in guns and not see them), the combat engagement center, the plot rooms, the communications rooms, or the engine rooms. To visit the turrets and the engine rooms is another $32 (total of $62 for military, or $72 civilian). To visit CEC and the radio rooms is an additional $32 as well. Out of the 4 Iowa-class battleships extant, the Missouri is the most expensive and most restrictive. For comparison, admission to the USS New Jersey is $30 for civilians, and free for military. This price includes everything above at no extra cost. I would recommend seeing the USS Missouri only if you are unable to visit another Iowa.