Temporary Exhibits & Displays

Of Silhouettes and Ash: The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Location: Mess Deck, Second Deck (Spot 28 on Tour Map)

Battleship Missouri Memorial partnered with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum to bring this travelling exhibit to Hawaii for the first time since its creation in 1995. Exploring the devastating impacts of the historic bombings, the new exhibit features unique artifacts collected by both the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Battleship Missouri Memorial. One of the many special artifacts on display includes an original origami crane folded by Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, 1945.

This exhibit is here only for a limited time and will run now through end of February 2021.

The History of the Surrender Plaque

Location: Aft Ship Store, Second Deck (Spot 7 on Tour Map)

USS Missouri is renowned as the site of the surrender of Japan, but the very plaque that commemorates that moment has a history all of its own. The surrender plaque quickly became a symbol of victory after its instalment in October 1945 and was replicated in a variety of forms: as miniatures, medals, and keychains. This display explores the history of the surrender plaque from its creation to the present.

Permanent Exhibits & Displays

Divine Wind: Kamikaze and the Battle for the Pacific

On 11 April 1945, USS Missouri was struck by a kamikaze plane on the starboard aft quarter. The following day, on the order of Missouri’s commanding officer, Captain William M. Callaghan, the pilot was given a military burial. Just a few steps from where the kamikaze aircraft struck the battleship and one deck down from where the kamikaze pilot was given his military burial, Divine Wind: Kamikaze and the Battle for the Pacific showcases one-of-a-kind trench art from Missouri crewmembers and kamikaze artifacts rarely seen outside of Japan. Among the artifacts on display are farewell letters and poems from pilots to family members and loved ones, personal photographs and information, historical images and uniform items. The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Chiran Peace Museum, located in Minamikyushu, Kagoshima, Japan.

Crew's Room Exhibit (Temporarily Closed)

Walk through history as experienced through the eyes of her crew. The Crew’s Room focuses on the generations of men who have served aboard the battleship from the 1940s through the 1980s. The exhibit features personal effects, whether its cat eye stones collected from Tokyo Bay in WWII or a 1980s jacket embroidered with all the places the battleship visited.

The Chief Petty Officers (CPO) Legacy Center

This exhibit is situated in the heart of CPO Mess and pays tribute to the role and legacy of Chiefs in the history of the US Navy. Explore where Navy Chiefs ate, slept, and relaxed and learn what it takes to be a Chief in the Navy. Artifacts on display include uniforms, weapons, and a medal of honor.

World War II Exhibit (Temporarily Closed)

Visitors can enter our WWII exhibit by the post office and be transported into a 1940s living room. The artifacts in our WWII exhibit are windows into the major events and theatres of the war, from the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941 to the surrender aboard USS Missouri in September of 1945.

Wardroom Displays

Our wardroom, located on the main deck and a central hub of the museum’s tour path, is currently host to multiple displays including newly arrived fragments of USS Arizona. Visitors here can also view small displays on USS Missouri’s original silver service as well as learn about all the ships named after the Show Me state, including submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) that was commissioned in 2010.

How can I participate or contribute?

If you have information or materials that you would like to share with or contribute to our Archives and Collections, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact us at:

Email: curator@ussmissouri.org 
Phone: (808) 455-1600 ext. 235 or ext. 252
Mailing address: 
Collections & Archives
Battleship Missouri Memorial
63 Cowpens Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96818