Pearl Harbor National Memorial
The white memorial over the sunken USS Arizona, where the US entered World War II on December 7, 1941.
Photo: DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN · Public domain
Pearl Harbor guide: the USS Arizona Memorial program and reservations, the visitor center museums, the Battleship Missouri, the aviation museum, the USS Bowfin, the bag rule and tips.
What to expect
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked the US Pacific Fleet anchored here on the island of Oahu, killing 2,403 Americans and bringing the United States into World War II. The battleship USS Arizona exploded and sank in minutes, taking 1,177 sailors and Marines with her, and more than 900 of them still lie inside the hull.
The white memorial, dedicated in 1962, spans the wreck without touching it. Visitors reach it by a Navy boat after a short film at the visitor center, and from the memorial you can see the ship’s outline under the water and drops of oil, called the black tears of the Arizona, still rising to the surface. The visitor center itself has two museums, free and open to everyone.
Across the harbor on Ford Island, the Battleship Missouri, on whose deck Japan surrendered in 1945, is moored close to the Arizona, so the beginning and end of the war for the US lie a short walk apart. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the submarine USS Bowfin complete a full day; each sells its own tickets.
Security is strict: no bags of any kind are allowed inside, so leave them in the car or at the paid storage near the entrance.
Pearl Harbor: top things to do
- 1The USS Arizona Memorial
- 2The black tears of oil on the water
- 3The surrender deck of the Battleship Missouri
- 4The museums in the visitor center
Pearl Harbor: best time to visit
All year; book the morning programs, before the heat and the crowds.
Pearl Harbor: insider tips
- Book the USS Arizona Memorial program on recreation.gov as soon as tickets open.
- Leave all bags behind; bring only a phone, a wallet and a camera.
- Plan a full day if you also want to visit the Missouri and the aviation museum.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Ticket reservation fee | $1 per ticket |
- Federal park passes such as America the Beautiful are not valid here.
- The USS Arizona Memorial program is free; book it on recreation.gov, where only a small reservation fee is charged. No bags are allowed, and the Battleship Missouri and the other museums sell separate tickets.
Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
119 gas stations within 20 km
- 0.9 km Gas station
- 1.0 km Texaco
- 1.2 km Gas station
- 1.4 km 76
- 1.6 km Shell open 24 hours
- 1.7 km Hele
- 1.7 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
- 2.0 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
- 3.6 km OpConnect Fast chargers (OpConnect)
- 4.3 km EV Connect Fast chargers (EV Connect)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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