Battleship USS Iowa Museum

My brother in law, my father, and I had an incredible time aboard the USS Iowa, and with our excellent tour guide. We spent a scant four hours aboard and nearly got the whole run of the ship on our $75 guided tour. And we all concluded we have to return to see even more. What a great experience to see such a ship like that, and go through it in such detail. Special commendations to our tour guide, Bob Abelson, for letting us go in, out, up, down, and all around this great ship! A very worthwhile experience.

That said, the website is a mess, and something must be done about the experience. The site says the general access pass must be bought before the tours, but it doesn't say that the page will take you to the add-on page following checkout. Clear as mud overall. Same with scheduling for the tours; not the most clear. Also, the hot dog stand was closed early. But everyone aboard the ship was nice, we bought our add-on tour once we there, and everything is in fairly good condition. Will return again!

I've been to this ship a couple of times now and always have a great time. The first time me and the wife and I went and checked it out and loved it. This is the second time we've been back to its current location, and we brought my daughter to this time, and we all had a blast. Prior to this, I saw her when she was in Oakland being renovated before being put down where she is now. Highly recommend for any families.

This was our second trip to see Iowa, we were here 2 years ago and seeing the ongoing restoration of her is absolutely amazing. Last time we also did the gun tour (highly recommend!!) The staff is always friendly and telling stories of the artifacts.

Anyone interested in local and world history should definitely pay a visit to the USS Iowa. The knowledgable and captivating docent shared tales about the building and operation of this enormous vessel. He exuded infectious energy. Wearing non-slip shoes or low heels is helpful for those walking. The safety instructions provided at the beginning of the trip were very useful in navigating the ship's steep steps. The ship tour was excellent overall, very interesting, and had excellent markings for each area.

If you are in the area this is a self guided tour that is amazing. I would give yourself a couple of hours at the minimum. Make sure to knock out restrooms before you start the tour. However, there are restrooms, food, beer and an awesome place to relax at the end of the tour. Enjoy.

We were there today and we met Don at the gangway. We got talking and found the engine room and boiler room tour was only on the weekend.
In the conversation, I had mentioned I was a Canadian navy engineer veteran, Don offered to take me and my wife down below even though it was close. He was a great tour guide for us I can't thank him enough it was a great tour experience.
Thanks again

It was a very nice experience.
The ship was huge and it gives such a good opportunity n experience to visit a battleship which otherwise you can't anywhere.
It is a self-guided tour of the entire ship and shows how sailors life is, on the ship.
The view is spectacular from the ship and it actually is an enriched experience that u get while walking through the entire ship, There are no restrictions on taking pictures
I really loved it.

The battle ship Iowa is a Los Angeles must see. So much history. There is a very nice museum on board and the self tour is very comprehensive. You can get tour narration on your phone too. They also have guided tours. Check the USS Iowa site for more information.

The self tour is about 2.5 hours and well worth every minute. Just Great!!

This ship is spectacular, hands down one of the highlights of my road trip. I have visited aircraft carriers and this is maybe even more fun. Very interactive, super hands on, for all ages. If you like boats, you will love coming here.

I was surprised my kids (11 and 14) were just as excited as I was to get on and tour the ship. It is amazing and the videos and stories told are worth watching. We left with souvenirs in hand!

As a Marine Veteran... I had a great time with my wife. We walked the ship great American history. Having my great uncles all served in the Navy during WW2 and also serving make one get a great pride.

Worth a visit. Kids had a great time. Lots to learn from history. About two hours to see everything. Lots of walking and climbing stairs. Wish the tour had included more of the guts of the ship such as the engine room. Several exhibits really rounded out the experience.

Fascinating place! We started our tour at 10 am, there were not that many people at this time on weekday. We had short introduction from retired veteran and watched short video about the Battleship. During the tour we could see volunteers willing to help and describing certain parts of the ship. That was great to hear the stories, you could also feel that they are passionate about their work. Tour has enough descriptions, you can smell old school mechanics, see how everything is built. I wish there was a chance to see turrets from inside.

They really try to improve their museum to get to the USS Midway level. If you visit, you have to take both guided tours (engineering and gun) they are absolutely worth the money. you go down to the keel of the ship, see the engines, the boilers, the shaft, the small gun turret and the big boy gun turret from the inside. And the guides of both tours were extraordinary. They provided me with an incredible amount of information about the ship, its history and the crew's life and tasks on a ship. You will be able to go to parts of the ship that are still under renovation. So for me this was more authentic and gave me a feeling of how it was in the old days.

If you are a tech enthusiast or a military history guy, this battleship is a must visit, if you are around L.A. The ship is close to the USS Midway level!!!

Highly recommend the special tours. Capt Abele does a really incredible presentation for Presidents Tour, and Mothball Fleet is a fun challenge for everyone.

Very educating to tour the ship! I feel like the blend of 1940s and 1980s aspect of the ship makes it very unique and not just one time period. I recommend for older kids to come here to make the experience more memorable
Staffs are sooooo friendly :)

BB61 is an impressive US Navy ship to visit. The USS Iowa is the "Grand Daddy" of all of the battleships. I really wish I lived closer so that I could just hang out with the care takers whenever I wanted to. The men and women who donate their time to work on this incredible combat ship are wonderful people who are friendly, knowledgeable, and generous. The tour prices are resonable and the information that you recieve is intresting and informative. On the day that we went, it was pouring rain, so as the rain poured down on us, we sat under one of the 16-inch guns and listened to Sea Urchin Ohr's father tell us stories about old BB61. We are appreciative of the time that you, Daddy Urchin, took to speak with us.

"An Absolute Must-Visit for History Enthusiasts!"

The USS Iowa museum is a historical gem that should be on everyone's bucket list. From the moment I stepped on board, I was captivated by the rich history and the incredible restoration of this battleship. The knowledgeable guides provided fascinating insights into its service, including its roles in World War II and the Korean War. The authenticity of the ship, from the massive guns to the crew quarters, transported me back in time.

This was my second time visiting. As with my first visit, I loved how friendly and helpful everyone is on the ship. The tour is really easy to follow and with so much to see. And they added new features since my last visit which was even more fun to see. I highly recommend a visit 😊

It's always a honor and a privilege to walk the decks of such a war horse! Just to bad that you can't get into the turrets or go down into the Barbett. You also can't go down into the engine room and see the boilers and turbines.