Pearl Harbor National Memorial

State: Hawaii. Type: National Park Service memorial on Oahu commemorating the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Became a separate national memorial on March 12, 2019, when the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act split it from the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Covers about 21.3 acres and includes the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials, and a visitor center. The USS Arizona Memorial was designed by architect Alfred Preis. Recorded 1,534,226 visitors in 2025. Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial preserves and interprets the site of the surprise Japanese attack of December 7, 1941, that drew the United States into World War II. Managed by the National Park Service on Oahu, the memorial centers on the USS Arizona Memorial, a white structure that spans the sunken hull of the battleship USS Arizona, where more than a thousand crew members remain entombed. The attack killed over 2,400 Americans and sank or damaged numerous ships along Battleship Row. The memorial's shoreside visitor center, at Halawa Landing, houses museums and galleries on the Pacific theater, a documentary film about the attack, and the departure point for the Navy-operated shuttle boat that carries visitors out to the Arizona memorial over the harbor. Beyond the Arizona, the memorial also encompasses memorials to the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma, historic bungalows and mooring quays on and around Ford Island, and connects visitors to a cluster of adjacent, separately operated attractions including the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin submarine and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. The site is both a working memorial to the dead and one of Hawaii's most visited historic destinations.

The memorial is located on Oahu in Honolulu, Hawaii, at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818, on the shore of Pearl Harbor west of Waikiki and downtown Honolulu. It covers about 21.3 acres. The land-based visitor center sits at Halawa Landing, while the USS Arizona Memorial is reached by boat out in the harbor, and other elements of the memorial lie on and around Ford Island. It is close to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Pearl Harbor shares Oahu's warm tropical climate, with consistently warm temperatures year-round, typically in the 80s Fahrenheit by day, and cooling trade winds. The drier season runs roughly April through October, while the wetter months, November through March, bring more frequent passing showers. Because much of a visit involves outdoor waiting areas, the boat ride and open-air memorial, sun and occasional rain are both worth planning for in any season.

The memorial is open year-round. Early morning, near the 7 a.m. opening, is widely recommended to secure USS Arizona Memorial program tickets and to visit before the day's heat and largest crowds. The drier months (April through October) offer the most reliable weather, but the site draws heavy visitation in summer and around holidays. Because free timed tickets for the Arizona program are limited, planning around ticket availability matters more than the season.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, killing more than 2,400 Americans and sinking twelve ships, including the USS Arizona, whose forward magazine exploded with catastrophic loss of life. The attack led directly to the United States' entry into World War II. In the decades that followed, the USS Arizona Memorial, designed by Austrian-born architect Alfred Preis, was built to span the sunken battleship. The broader site was later folded into the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, and then, on March 12, 2019, the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act re-established it as the separate Pearl Harbor National Memorial under the National Park Service. Today the memorial includes the Arizona memorial, memorials to the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma, six chief petty officer bungalows on Ford Island, and three mooring quays that were part of Battleship Row.

The central experiences are visiting the shoreside museums and galleries on the Pacific theater, watching the documentary film about the December 7 attack, and taking the free Navy shuttle boat out to the USS Arizona Memorial over the sunken battleship. Visitors can also see the memorial's sculpture and grounds and view the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials. Ranger and audio programs provide historical context. Many visitors combine the National Park Service memorial with the neighboring ticketed attractions, the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin submarine and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which are separately operated but share the same visitor complex.

Within the memorial, the key sites are the USS Arizona Memorial (reached by boat), the shoreside visitor center with its two museums and film, the memorial sculpture and grounds, and the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials. Historic features include chief petty officer bungalows and mooring quays from Battleship Row on and around Ford Island. Adjacent, separately ticketed attractions in the same area include the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

The memorial is on Oahu near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, west of Honolulu and Waikiki. Most visitors arrive by rental car, taxi, rideshare, tour bus or the Honolulu public bus system. On-site parking is available at the visitor center for a $7 daily fee. Once at the visitor center, the USS Arizona Memorial itself is reached only by the Navy-operated shuttle boat, not by car.

According to the National Park Service, the visitor center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed three days a year: Thanksgiving Day, December 25 and January 1. USS Arizona Memorial programs run from 8 a.m., with the shuttle boat departing roughly every 15 minutes and the last departure around 3:30 p.m.; NPS notes a midday break around noon to 1 p.m. Confirm current hours on the official NPS site before visiting.

Per the National Park Service, the visitor center, its two museums and the USS Arizona Memorial program are free. A $1 non-refundable service/management fee per ticket applies when reserving USS Arizona Memorial program tickets through Recreation.gov; these are released on a rolling window (reported as up to 8 weeks/56 days in advance at 3 p.m. HST), and a limited number of standby tickets are available on-site. Parking is $7 per day, and secure bag storage at the main gate carries a fee (reported around $6-$10 per bag). The adjacent Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin and Aviation Museum charge their own separate admission. Confirm current pricing on the official NPS and Recreation.gov sites.

Plan at least two to three hours for the National Park Service memorial, including the museums, film and USS Arizona Memorial boat program. Visitors who add the neighboring Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin submarine and Aviation Museum should budget most of a day.

There is no lodging at the memorial itself. Most visitors stay in Waikiki or elsewhere in the Honolulu area, a short drive away, where hotels range from beachfront resorts to more budget-friendly options, and make the memorial a half-day or day trip. Some travelers also stay near the airport. Because the memorial is a day-use historic site, choosing a base in Honolulu keeps you close to both Pearl Harbor and Oahu's other attractions.

The visitor center complex typically offers limited food and drink options and a bookstore, but it is primarily a memorial rather than a dining destination. For a fuller meal, most visitors eat in the surrounding Honolulu area, which has a wide range of restaurants and fast-food options a short drive away. Given the strict no-bag policy at the memorial itself, many visitors plan meals before or after their visit.

The immediate area around the memorial includes the separately operated Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island. Beyond Pearl Harbor, downtown Honolulu's historic sites, Waikiki Beach and the Diamond Head crater are all within a short to moderate drive, making it easy to combine the memorial with other Oahu highlights.

The nearest airport is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, close to the memorial. Honolulu's public bus system (TheBus) serves the area, and rental cars, taxis, rideshare and organized tours are all common ways to reach the site. The USS Arizona Memorial is accessed only via the Navy shuttle boat from the visitor center.

The memorial enforces a strict security policy: no bags of any kind (purses, backpacks or camera bags) are permitted inside, with paid bag storage available at the main gate, so travel light. It is an active memorial and place of remembrance, so respectful, quiet behavior is expected, especially aboard the USS Arizona Memorial. Bring sun protection and water for outdoor waiting areas and the open boat ride. For any emergency, dial 911.

Because bags are not allowed inside, carry only essentials such as a wallet, phone and car key, ideally in pockets. Bring sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and reapplied sunscreen for the outdoor and open-boat portions, and a light rain layer during the wetter months. A printed or digital copy of your USS Arizona Memorial program reservation and photo ID is useful. Plan to store or leave larger bags in your vehicle or at the paid storage.

Reserve USS Arizona Memorial program tickets in advance through Recreation.gov when possible, since same-day standby is limited and popular. Arrive early, near the 7 a.m. opening, both for tickets and to beat crowds and heat. Remember the no-bag rule and plan accordingly. Allow extra time for security screening. If you want to see the Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin or Aviation Museum, buy those separate tickets and budget a full day. Confirm current hours, ticket windows and any closures on the official NPS site before you go.

For any emergency, dial 911, the nationwide emergency number in the United States. For general visitor questions, the memorial's information line, per NPS, is (808) 422-3399.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial (National Park Service) - https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.