Pearl Harbor
One historic location, four very distinct destinations, each as compelling as the next and none that you'd want to miss.
What is the USS Arizona Memorial?
The Battleship USS Arizona was bombed on December 7, 1941, about 15 minutes into the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 1,177 sailors and Marines. Over 900 could not be recovered from the ship and remain onboard. Today, Arizona rests where she fell, submerged in about 40 feet of water just off the coast of Ford Island.
Designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis, the memorial was built in 1962 on top of (but not touching) the sunken USS Arizona. The memorial honors the memory of the crew of the USS Arizona, as well as all the other service members and civilians killed in the attack. A total of 2,341 sailors, soldiers, and Marines died as a result of the attack, as well as 49 civilians.
Where is the memorial and how do I get there?
The memorial is located on the southern end of the island of Oahu, Hawai'i. It can only be accessed by boat from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. The visitor center is not located on a military base and is accessible to the public, with plenty of free parking. An ID is not required for entrance. The visitor center address is 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI, 96818.
When is the visitor center open?
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The visitor center is free and no tickets are required to see the museums and grounds. The visitor center is CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. For every other day, including all other holidays, we are open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with no shortened hours.
How much does it cost to go to the memorial?
- FREE to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, including the movie and boat ride. However, visitors need a free timed ticket.
- FREE entrance to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and museums (this includes the "Road to War" and the "Attack Gallery," but does NOT include our non-NPS partner sites and their museums, such as the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum or the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. These sites have separate entrance fees. More information below.)
- The National Park Pass is not necessary here, and no discounts are given, because there is no charge.
Why do I need a ticket?
There are two boats that take visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial. These boats are operated by US Navy sailors and have a capacity of 145 people per boat. Due to limited seating, anyone wanting to go to the memorial must secure a free ticket.
What is the USS Arizona Memorial program?
The USS Arizona Memorial program is 75 minutes long. It starts in the theater with a 25-minute documentary and is followed by a boat ride to the memorial, time at the memorial, and a boat ride back. Programs begin every 15 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
How do I get walk-in tickets?
Walk-in tickets are available at the ticket desk, directly ahead of you as you enter the visitor center. Over 1,300 free memorial tickets are handed out daily on a first-come, first-served basis, starting when we open at 7:00 a.m.
- You can choose the ticket time you want, based on availability.
- Your entire party must be present to get walk-in tickets (you cannot have one person pick up tickets for your whole party).
- Only same-day tickets will be given. For example, you cannot pick up walk-in tickets for January 20th on January 19th.
I heard it's difficult to get walk-in tickets because they go quickly. Is this true?
For most of the year, 1,300 tickets are enough for walk-in visitors, with tickets left over at the end of the day. However, Christmas break, spring break, and summertime can be very busy. Tickets often run out early in the morning, and lines are long (but move quickly). If you plan to visit during these times, please make a reservation or arrive at the monument very early.
Can you tell me more about reserving tickets?
Reservations are not necessary, but they are recommended. Reserved tickets are separate from the 1,300 walk-in tickets handed out every day. Reserved ticket availability starts at 11:00 a.m. There are no early morning tickets available to reserve, as those tickets are kept for walk-in visitors. There is a reservation limit of 12 tickets per person per day.
There are two windows for making reservations:
- The 60-day window: Reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance, starting at 7:00 AM HST. That means on April 10th starting at 7:00 AM HST, a reservation can be made for as far in advance as June 9th. Tickets can be reserved at www.recreation.gov. Please log on as soon as possible to reserve, because these tickets go quickly. If you are within the 60-day window but the day you choose says tickets are "not yet released," that means all 60-day window tickets are gone. The "not yet released" tickets will be released within the 24-hour window.
- The 24-hour window: If you've tried to reserve tickets but found none are available during your visit, log onto recreation.gov on the day before your visit. Every day, www.recreation.gov releases a certain number of "next day" tickets, beginning at 7:00 a.m. HST. For example, if you want to visit on January 13, check for availability starting at 7:00 a.m. HST on January 12. If you are looking for tickets within the 60-day window and it says tickets are "not yet released," that means all 60-day window tickets are gone. The remaining tickets will be released in this 24-hour window.
A non-refundable $1.00 convenience fee per reserved ticket will be charged. Tickets can be picked up at the visitor center ticket desk. Anyone in your group can pick up the tickets, as long as they provide the last name used to make the reservation. No ID is necessary.
Please arrive an hour before your program so you have time to park and get your tickets, as well as see our two museums. At a minimum, please arrive ten minutes before your program to be sure you can enter the theater. If you are not here by your program time and we are out of walk-in tickets, your seats may be given away to visitors on standby.