The Arizona Memorial, in addition to serving as a place to remember and honor the ship's 1,177 casualties, symbolizes the U.S. entry into WW2 and marks the beginning of the development of the atomic bomb and the overnight replacement of the battleship as the preeminent naval weapon with the aircraft carrier. Some of the Arizona battleship is visible from the memorial, but you can tour an actual WW2 battleship, the Missouri, nearby on Ford Island, which is symbolic of the end of the war since Japan's official surrender occurred on its deck. The Bowfin Submarine, a representative WW2 sub, and accompanying museum provide insight into the perhaps under-appreciated role of submarines in WWII and Pacific Aviation Museum captures the role of aircraft in the war (and a whole lot more) through its displays, vintage aircraft, and historic hangar structures. You are leaving the Waikiki beach for the Arizona, but consider making a day of it and seeing at least one other attraction. Don't forget to view the Missouri from the Arizona, as you will see symbolically the end of the war from its beginning.
I've heard that the Arizona Memorial is the #1 attraction on Oahu, and maybe even the most popular in the state. Admission is free on a first-come, first-serve basis so you need to get there early! (Alternatively, if you can afford to gamble, it is far less crowded in the early afternoon, which makes for a better experience if you succeed in getting stand-by tickets.) The Visitor Center where tickets are distributed from opens at 7 am, and the first Arizona Memorial tour starts at 7:30 am. There is a narrated tour option available for $7.50. You can also reserve your spot in advance online with a $1.50 fee. Everyone watches a video first that takes you back to 1941, then you board a navy boat to the memorial. There are also free museums nearby that you can walk through before or after visiting the memorial. Bags are not permitted (but can be checked).
To extend your visit, combine this tour with one of the other attractions:
- Some of the Arizona battleship is visible from the memorial, but you can tour an actual WW2 battleship, the BATTLESHIP MISSOURI, nearby on Ford Island, which is symbolic of the end of the war since Japan's official surrender occurred on its deck.
- The USS OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL is a beautifully symbolic way to remember those that were aboard the ship on December 7, 1941.
- The PACIFIC AVIATION MUSEUM captures the role of aircraft in the war (and a whole lot more) through its displays, vintage aircraft, and historic hangar structures.
- Learn about the important role of submarines in WW2 by touring an actual WW2 era sub, the USS BOWFIN, then visit the BOWFIN MUSEUM (included in admission price) to see many different types of WW2 era artifacts.
The latter is adjacent to the Visitor Center while the others are accessible only by shuttle bus if you do not have base access.
There is also plenty to see around the Visitor Center itself.
Memorial design
Arizona Memorial was designed by Austrian Alfred Preis (1911-1994), who was also instrumental in developing the state's "one percent for art" program. After the design committee, chaired by Louise Dillingham, selected Preis, he initially proposed a structure that would provide visitors with an underwater view of the actual ship. The Navy rejected this design because they wanted the structure to be a bridge that spanned the ship but placed no load on it. The form of the memorial was optimized to minimize loads and distribute weight, hence the large side openings and concave roofline. John A. Burns was among the attendees of the memorial's dedication ceremony on Memorial Day of 1962.
To learn more about the Arizona Memorial including but not limited to its design, check out the book entitled "Remembering Pearl Harbor: The Story of the USS Arizona Memorial" by Michael Slackman, available in the Arizona Memorial gift shop near the Visitor Center entrance, from which the above information was derived.
If you book this and want to get the most out of the experience, I recommend booking at most just one other attraction in the area. If you book two or more additional attractions, you should plan on arriving at 7 am when the Visitor Center opens, staying until they close, taking no breaks, and possibly skipping lunch if you want to try to see everything in one day.
For visitors that want to see it all, the Passport to Pearl Harbor is a good option. Admission to all attractions for two days in a consecutive 7 day period is included, plus an upgraded audio tour of the Arizona Memorial (but don't forget to engage the on-site staff in discussion, as they are a wealth of knowledge). Cost is $65/adult, $35/children 4-12. Two days is a much more reasonable amount of time to see everything.
I do not see a kama'aina rate for the Passport and wasn't offered one. Therefore, if you live here I recommend visiting one or two attractions in a day and making multiple visits to see them all instead of cramming them all into one day. The total cost for basic kama'aina admission to all attractions (not including audio tour of Arizona) is $45, which is less than the Passport and this way you can spread the cost out over time and get the most out of each visit.
Thank you to Colonel Charles A. Jones' excellent book "Hawai'i's World War II Military Sites..." for greater insight into the Dec 7 attack, WW2, and Oahu's role in WW2 and deepening the memorial visit experience.
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| Honolulu Star-Bulletin front page, December 7, 1941. Image credit: Hawaii State Archives. |