Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

1,177 crewman lost their lives on the USS Arizona when the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Hawaii at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor honors all military personnel who died that day. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's day) from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The tours are available from 8AM to 3PM.

The tour includes a short film about the attack and a 10 minute ferry ride to the final resting place of the ship in Pearl Harbor. Free tickets for the tour are handed out at the visitor center or are available online for a small convenience charge. The actual memorial is built over top of the sunken ship. It is a solemn place where visitors are asked to be quiet and respectful. Oil still continues to slowly leak from the ship casting a rainbow sheen over the water.

The visitor center has two major exhibit galleries: "Road to War" and "Attack". The exhibit galleries display memorabilia, photographs, and artifacts related to the time leading up to the attack on Oahu and its aftermath. Interactive kiosks provide visitors the chance to hear history from those who witnessed it. There is also a large bookstore/souvenir shop on the grounds.

Official Website:   http://www.nps.gov/usar

Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial and Bowfin Museum Map

Tips:

* This Pearl Harbor memorial can be quite crowded during the summer peak times. To avoid lines, reserve your tour online in advance.

* If you don't reserve in advance, try to get there early. Your entry time might be an hour or two from when you arrive, which will give you plenty of time to tour the museum or catch a bite to eat. You might even have time to tour the neighboring Bowfin submarine beforehand.

* Note that the following items are prohibited: purses, handbags, fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, luggage and/or other items that offer concealment. Cameras and video camcorders are allowed. Storage of the prohibited items is available for a small fee.

Visit the USS Arizona Memorial museum using Google Street View

Position your mouse over the image below and click on the circles to navigate around the museum grounds. See if you can find the "Road to War" exhibit. Also look for the passenger ferry at the dock and the Arizona Memorial off in the distance. Click on the upper right corner to view it in full-screen mode.

Getting there:
The Arizona Memorial is located in the Pearl Harbor area. From Waikiki, take H-1 West past the airport exit. Take the Arizona Memorial exit 15-A. In the far left lane, make a left turn at the fourth traffic light. Parking is free. You can also catch a shuttle from your hotel area. There are many local companies that provide this inexpensive service.

Underwater View of the USS Arizona :

Video of the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor: