Battleship Missouri Memorial & Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Welcomes Back Military and Kama‘āina Beginning June 24, 2020
Joining other Pearl Harbor attractions in reopening with new guidelines as health and safety take top priority
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (June 22, 2020) – The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites are pleased to announce the reopening of the Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on June 24, 2020 while implementing Center for Disease Control (CDC) health guidelines to provide for the safety of our visitors. These venues join the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and Pearl Harbor National Memorial which opened on June 19.
With summer in full swing, check out what’s new at each of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites:
WHAT’S NEW
A special offering is being extended to kama‘āina and Hawai‘i based military families to give them the opportunity to explore some of O‘ahu’s most legendary attractions.
The Pearl Harbor Kama‘āina Family Pass gives visitors unlimited access to the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites through Labor Day, September 7, 2020. The pass is valid for two adults and up to four children under the age of 18. This special offer is available for purchase online or at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. The Kama‘āina Family Summer Pass is only $79.99 and is a $150 savings from the normal admission price for a family of 6. To purchase a Pearl Harbor Kama‘āina Family Pass, visit: http://pass.pearlharborhistoricsites.org/.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
From the moment you step onto the shuttle bus at the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center, we are committed to regular sanitization of highly touched areas, commonly used spaces, and other surfaces throughout the site. Additional sanitizing stations will also be made available around the ship for guests to use. Food options at the Battleship Missouri will be limited in our early reopening phase.
The Battleship Missouri will provide guided tours to guests in groups no larger than 10 for an intimate look into the history, firepower and legacy of the “Mighty Mo”. Guests are also welcomed to independently explore the USS Missouri’s 5 decks of astounding history. Additionally, the Battleship Missouri’s highly trained tour guides will offer a unique pier side “bookends of the war” interpretation of the sinking of the USS Arizona on December 7th, 1941 which marked America’s entry into WWII while standing on the deck of the vessel where the treaty was signed to end the war four long years later.
While on board, guests are invited to visit the newly remodeled Kamikaze exhibit on the ship’s Second Deck, following a year of renovations. Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the attack earlier this year, the exhibit will include new artifacts and Last Letter’s home from pilots from the Chiran Peace Museum in Japan and will be the ship’s first permanent exhibit to be translated into four languages (English, Japanese, Korean & Chinese).
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
A new exhibit titled “A Piercing Blow: The Aerial Attack on the USS Arizona,” will take center stage at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. The exhibit features a relic from the infamous USS Arizona. More details about this never-before-seen piece of history will be unveiled at the exhibit’s blessing in July.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s Laniākea Café will be closed during the initial reopening of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites but is anticipated to reopen slowly and in compliance with best health practices throughout the summer.
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
USS Bowfin’s Gift Shop will be open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Food service and some concessions will be closed during the initial reopening, but it is anticipated that these will reopen slowly throughout the summer. The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum remains closed for renovations and is expected to reopen later this year.
Pacific Historic Parks (PHP)
The Museum Gift Shop at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial will be open from 7:00 am to 5pm daily. The store has been reconfigured with safety improvements to abide with CDC guidelines. There will be a limited number of people allowed in the store to abide by social distancing guidelines. PHP also provides self-guided audio tours with single use headsets and the opportunity to experience its virtual reality center.
HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES
The health and wellbeing of our visitors is a top priority. Each site has taken necessary health precautions to ensure a safe and positive visitor experience. Overall, the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites asks that you continue practicing the following when touring each location:
• If you are experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms, please visit us when you are well.
• Practice social distancing. Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between you and others.
• Face coverings must be worn in order to enter any of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
About the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites
Welcoming approximately 1.7 million visitors each year, the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites include several independent entities operated by private 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations. Together, and in partnership with Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, they carry forth the legacies of some of our nation’s most treasured icons. Although Pearl Harbor is one historic destination each of these four sites have their own unique story to tell. Each attraction is as compelling as the next and none that the visitor would want to miss. For more information, visit www.PearlHarborHistoricSites.org.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 9-million visitors from around the world with a fascinating tour experience showcasing the USS Missouri’s unique place in history. Located a mere ship’s length from the USS Arizona Memorial, the Mighty Mo completes a historical visitor experience that begins with the “day of infamy” and sinking of the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and ends with Japan’s formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
The USS Missouri had an astounding career over five decades and three wars – World War II, the Korean War, and Desert Storm – after which it was decommissioned and donated to the USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Association operates the Battleship Missouri Memorial as a historic attraction and oversees her care and preservation with the support of visitors, memberships, grants, and donations.
Safety is our top priority. The Battleship Missouri Memorial is taking additional steps to assure guests will have a safe and healthy experience touring the Mighty Mo. We respectfully ask all visitors to abide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) safety guidelines while on site.
The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily beginning June 19 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission, which includes choice of an optional tour, is $29.99 per adult and $13.99 per child (4-12). Military, kama‘āina (local resident) and school group pricing is $23.99 per adult and $11.99 per child (4-12). For information or reservations, call (808) 455-1600 or visit USSMissouri.org.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is located on Historic Ford Island, where bombs fell during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Walk the Pearl Harbor battlefield where the attack began, enter the bullet-scarred hangars, and see the control tower and aircraft of the battle, including a Japanese Zero and the B-17 Swamp Ghost. Hear the stories of World War II heroes and their response to the attack that changed our nation and world. Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum’s mission is to steward American’s first aviation battlefield of World War II. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that depends on membership, volunteers, and donations for support. To join, volunteer or support, visit www.PearlHarborAviationMuseum.org.
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
Adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, operated as a private, non-profit organization, is dedicated to the sacrifice of more than 3,500 submarine personnel lost in World War II. This gallant band of brothers, compromising less than 2 percent of the U.S. Navy, sank more than 5.5 million tons of enemy ships, while sustaining losses of 52 submarines that remain on Eternal Patrol. The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. General admission to the submarine is $15 per adult and $7 per child 4-12. Military, kama‘āina (local resident) is $8 per adult and $4 per child (4-12). School group pricing is available. For more information, call (808) 423-1341 or visit Bowfin.org.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a Federally maintained facility as part of the National Park Service and is comprised of the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, and USS Utah Memorials, in addition to six Chief Petty Officer bungalows, mooring quays, and the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. These memorials commemorate and honor the 2,390 service members and civilians who lost their lives during the Japanese attack on the island of O’ahu on December 7, 1941 as well as the countless Americans who served, suffered and sacrificed during WWII.
Beginning June 19, access was restored to the park’s two world-class museums, wayside exhibits and ceremonial lawn which provides a panoramic view of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial from across the harbor. The USS Arizona Memorial program, which provides access to the Memorial itself, will resume at a later date and will be announced by park staff through an additional press release and posted on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/pearlharbor as well the site’s social media platforms.
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Media Contact:
Jaclyn Hawse
(808) 455-1600 ext.246
JaclynH@ussmissouri.org
Shere’e Quitevis
(808) 539- 3434
Sheree.Quitevis@AnthologyGroup.com