The USS Arizona Memorial sits above the sunken battleship where 1,177 sailors are still entombed. The adjacent Battleship Missouri Museum is where Japan signed the surrender in 1945, bookending the Pacific war.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial on the island of Oahu, Hawaii commemorates the Japanese attack of December 7, 1941, which killed 2,403 Americans, wounded 1,178 more, and destroyed or damaged 19 naval vessels and 328 aircraft in a 110-minute assault that compelled a previously isolationist United States to enter the Second World War. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address to Congress the following day, declaring December 7 'a date which will live in infamy,' led to a formal declaration of war that transformed the geopolitical trajectory of the 20th century.
The memorial complex at 1 Arizona Memorial Place in Honolulu encompasses four distinct sites managed by the National Park Service in partnership with the U.S. Navy. The USS Arizona Memorial is the most visited component, spanning the sunken hull of the battleship USS Arizona, which exploded after a bomb ignited its forward ammunition magazine. Of the 1,177 crew members killed in the explosion, approximately 900 remain entombed within the hull, their names inscribed on the marble Wall of Honor inside the white concrete structure designed by Alfred Preis in 1962. Oil continues to seep slowly from the wreck to the water's surface — what observers have called the ship's tears.
The Battleship Missouri Museum, moored at Ford Island adjacent to the memorial, provides the historical bookend to the Pacific War narrative. It was aboard Missouri's deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, that General Douglas MacArthur presided over Japan's formal surrender, ending World War II. Visitors can stand on the exact surrender deck location, marked with a brass plaque, connecting the beginning and end of America's involvement in the Pacific conflict on a single visit.
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island houses restored aircraft including a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk bearing authentic bullet holes from December 7. The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum nearby offers interior tours of a World War II submarine known as the Pacific Avenger. The Visitor Center's Road to War and Attack galleries provide extensive contextual exhibits using artifacts, photographs, survivor testimonies, and declassified documents representing perspectives from both sides of the conflict.
Why it matters
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, killed 2,403 Americans and crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet, compelling a previously isolationist United States to enter World War II and fundamentally shaping the outcome of the conflict and the postwar global order.
Highlights
- USS Arizona Memorial spanning the sunken battleship, with approximately 900 crew members still entombed below
- Wall of Honor inscribed with all 1,177 USS Arizona crew members killed on December 7, 1941
- Battleship Missouri with the brass surrender deck plaque marking Japan's formal capitulation on September 2, 1945
- Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum with restored Japanese Zero and battle-damaged P-40 Warhawk from December 7
- Road to War and Attack galleries featuring survivor accounts, declassified documents, and artifacts from both nations
Tips for visiting
- Free boat tour tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial are released at recreation.gov and typically sell out weeks in advance; reserve as early as possible, especially for peak season visits
- Arrive at the Visitor Center at least 30 minutes before the boat tour; bags larger than a small purse are not permitted on the memorial due to U.S. Navy regulations
- Allow 4–5 hours to visit all four sites (Arizona Memorial, Missouri, Aviation Museum, Bowfin Submarine) rather than the memorial complex alone
- The Ford Island sites — Missouri and the Aviation Museum — require separate admission fees from the NPS memorial; budget accordingly
- Early morning arrivals before 9 AM tend to encounter shorter wait times and cooler temperatures than midday visits
- Photography is permitted throughout the complex; tripods are not allowed aboard the Memorial boat
Frequently asked questions
How long does a full visit take?
The Arizona Memorial boat tour and associated programming take approximately 75 minutes. Visiting all four sites — Memorial, Missouri, Aviation Museum, and Bowfin — requires a full day of 5–6 hours. The NPS memorial alone can be covered in 2–3 hours.
Is the memorial appropriate for children?
The site is solemn and primarily adult-oriented, but children are welcome. The National Park Service recommends explaining the historical context before arrival. The Aviation Museum and Battleship Missouri are particularly engaging for children interested in aircraft and warships.
Are multilingual materials available?
The Visitor Center provides free audio programs with headsets in multiple languages. Printed brochures are available in English, Japanese, and several other languages. Ranger programs are conducted in English.
Is the site accessible for visitors with mobility limitations?
The Visitor Center and Memorial boat are accessible; the boat has limited standing room. The USS Missouri and USS Bowfin involve steep stairs and narrow passages that may be difficult for visitors with limited mobility. Contact individual sites for specific accessibility details before visiting.