Battleship Missouri Memorial Signs 25-Year Pier Lease With U.S. Navy

Agreement secures the long-term future for the famed battleship at Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor, HI – (April 19, 2017) – The USS Missouri Memorial Association signed a lease agreement with the United States Navy for the historic USS Missouri to remain at Pier Foxtrot-5 in Pearl Harbor for the next 25 years. The new lease was signed on March 30, and retroactively took effect January 1, 2017.

This new lease allows America’s last battleship, now operated as the Battleship Missouri Memorial, to stay berthed at Pier Foxtrot-5 through December 31, 2041. The agreement keeps the bookends of World War II bow-to-bow in Pearl Harbor’s hallowed Battleship Row – with the USS Arizona marking the beginning of the United States’ entry into the war, and the USS Missouri marking its end.

Michael Carr, president and CEO of the USS Missouri Memorial Association, said, “We appreciate the Navy working with us to secure the long-term future of the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor. This 25-year lease is a significant achievement for the preservation of the famed Mighty Mo and what our Association seeks to achieve. This agreement allows us to incorporate more of the pier and surrounding structures into the historical experience of Pearl Harbor, Ford Island, and the USS Missouri.”

With the long-term location of the Battleship Missouri Memorial now secure, the Association plans on creating an enhanced visitor experience moving into the future. The new lease footprint includes Building 468, a large structure on Ford Island at the entrance to Pier Foxtrot-5, which the Association plans to turn into an Administrative Center.

Among the purposes of the planned Administrative Center are housing the Battleship Missouri Memorial’s many artifacts in a climate-controlled environment furthering its goal of preserving the ship and crew’s history, new public restrooms and some offices for the Association’s staff.

Carr added, “We are excited about the possibilities to continue welcoming, educating and inspiring guests from all over the world for years to come. We are honored that we are able to remain a cornerstone of history here in Pearl Harbor.”

Battleship Missouri Memorial

Since opening in January 1999, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has attracted more than 7-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 impressive 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.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. General admission, which includes choice of an optional tour, is $27 per adult and $13 per child (4-12). Military, kama‘aina (local resident) and school group pricing is available. For information or reservations, call (toll-free) 1-877-644-4896 or visit USSMissouri.org.

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Please credit images to the Battleship Missouri Memorial

Media Contact:
Megan Hesselink
(808) 539-3430
Megan.Hesselink@AnthologyGroup.com

Jaclyn Hawse
(808) 455-1600 ext. 246
JaclynH@ussmissouri.org