Reserve online
Choose a USS Arizona program time through Recreation.gov and save the QR code sent with the confirmation.
Remember, reflect, and understand
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Visit the waterfront museums and USS Arizona Memorial with enough time to understand the attack, the people it affected, and the war that followed.
Visitor center admission is freeOpen daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.USS Arizona reservation recommendedStrict no-bag policy
Begin at the visitor center
A place of remembrance
Pearl Harbor National Memorial preserves and interprets the events of December 7, 1941, while honoring those who were killed, those who survived, and the wider human consequences of the Pacific War.
The National Park Service visitor center is the starting point. Its waterfront grounds, two museum galleries, orientation areas, memorial exhibits, and park film are free. The Navy-operated boat program to the USS Arizona Memorial is also free, although an advance reservation through Recreation.gov carries a $1 service fee.
This is both a major Oʻahu attraction and an active memorial. Speak quietly in reflective areas, follow ranger and Navy instructions, and leave time to read first-person accounts rather than moving directly from one photo location to the next.
The boat time controls the day
Reserve the USS Arizona
Reservations are released daily at 3 p.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time in two windows, 24 hours and eight weeks before the program date. Limited standby access may be available, but it is not guaranteed.
Official reservationsThe time on the ticket is the boat departure time. The park advises arriving one hour early and validating the ticket at least 10 minutes before departure.
Visitor centerFree admission
Arizona programFree plus $1 booking fee
Release time3 p.m. HST daily
Program schedule8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
A respectful first visit
How the visit works
A timed boat departure, security rules, and several free exhibits make the order of the morning important.
Remove all bags
Bring only permitted essentials or plan to use the paid storage facility near the visitor center entrance.
Allow a full hour
Traffic, parking, screening, orientation, and ticket validation can consume the buffer faster than expected.
See the galleries
Use the Road to War and Attack galleries to understand the decisions, sequence, and human experience behind the site.
Board the Navy boat
The program includes a safety orientation, harbor crossing, time on the memorial, and return to the visitor center.
Pause at the waterfront
Walk the Remembrance Circle, interpretive exhibits, and shoreline before deciding whether to add another historic site.
The central memorial experience
Give the program time
The USS Arizona Memorial spans the sunken battleship without touching it. The experience is brief by design, but its meaning deepens when visitors understand the ship, its crew, and the scale of loss before boarding.
Use the restroom beforehandThere are no restrooms on the Navy boats or at the USS Arizona Memorial.
Expect operational changesHigh winds, mechanical issues, preservation work, and security conditions can interrupt boat access.
Keep the shrine room quietThe marble wall lists the Arizona crew members lost in the attack. Give other visitors space for private reflection.
Three essential perspectives
What to see
Start here
Visitor center
The open grounds orient the harbor, explain the preserved sites, and connect the museums with the boat departure area.
Historical context
Museum galleries
Objects, maps, oral histories, photographs, and media explain the road to war and the events of the attack.
At the memorial
Shrine room
The wall records the names of the sailors and Marines killed aboard USS Arizona, making the scale of loss personal.
A focused half-day from Waikīkī
Build around the boat
Reserve a midmorning program, arrive one hour early, and place the free galleries on either side of the departure.
7:00
Leave Waikīkī early
Allow 30 to 40 minutes in ordinary traffic and more during weekday congestion. Use the exact visitor center address.
8:00
Park, screen, and explore
Validate the reservation, see one gallery, and arrive at the program area before the check-in cutoff.
After
Finish the free exhibits
Watch the 23-minute park film separately, visit the second gallery, and spend quiet time along the waterfront.
Optional
Add one partner site
Choose the Battleship Missouri, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, or Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum instead of rushing through all three.
Practical visitor guide
Plan the details
At a glance
- HoursDaily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- ClosedThanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
- Address1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818
- Focused visit3 to 4 hours for the memorial, museums, film, and waterfront
- AdmissionVisitor center and NPS museums are free
- Parking$7 per day, paid by mobile app or the posted QR code
Know before you go
Strict no-bag policy: Purses, backpacks, camera bags, fanny packs, diaper bags, and luggage are not permitted. Clear bags and small wallets are allowed under current guidance. Paid storage is available nearby.
Use the correct map destinationSearch for Pearl Harbor Visitor Center or 1 Arizona Memorial Place. A generic Pearl Harbor search can lead toward the active military base.
Bring the QR codeHave the PDF reservation code ready on a charged phone or printed. Rangers cannot modify or rebook reservations.
Separate the sitesThe Battleship Missouri, submarine museum, and aviation museum are independent paid partner attractions, not included with the free NPS visit.
Exact visitor entrance
Pearl Harbor on Google Maps
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center
1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818, immediately west of the H-1 and Kamehameha Highway interchange.
Allow 30 to 40 minutes
Traffic can extend the drive beyond 45 minutes on weekday mornings. The one-hour arrival buffer should begin after reaching the park.
Useful without a rental car
Guided transportation can simplify hotel pickup and timing, but confirm exactly which memorials and reservations are included.
Use the visitor center address
Do not follow signs toward Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Public entry begins at the National Park Service visitor center.
December 7, 1941 and its lasting consequences
History held in place
Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II. Aircraft struck the harbor and nearby military airfields in two waves, sinking or damaging ships and causing devastating loss of life.
USS Arizona exploded and sank during the attack. A total of 1,177 sailors and Marines aboard the ship were killed, and more than 1,100 remain entombed in the hull. The white memorial was dedicated in 1962 above the wreck. The National Park Service now interprets the attack, preserves the memorial landscape, and places the American experience within the broader Pacific War.
AttackDecember 7, 1941
Arizona losses1,177 crew members
Memorial dedicated1962
PurposeRemembrance and understanding
Quick answers
Pearl Harbor FAQ
Is Pearl Harbor National Memorial free?
Yes. Entry to the National Park Service visitor center, grounds, museum galleries, park film, and USS Arizona Memorial program is free. Recreation.gov charges a $1 nonrefundable service fee for each reserved USS Arizona ticket. Visitor parking currently costs $7 per day.
Do I need a reservation?
You do not need a reservation for the visitor center or museums. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for the USS Arizona Memorial boat program. Limited standby access may be available, but wait times and spaces are unpredictable.
How early should I arrive?
The National Park Service recommends arriving one hour before the boat departure time and checking in at the Ticket Validation Desk at least 10 minutes before departure. Late reservations may be released to standby visitors.
Can I bring a backpack or purse?
No. Bags that offer concealment are prohibited, including backpacks, purses, camera bags, diaper bags, fanny packs, and luggage. Small wallets, phones, cameras without bags, and clear bags are generally allowed. Medical bags should be declared to security.
How long should I spend at Pearl Harbor?
Allow 3 to 4 hours for a focused National Park Service visit. A full day is more appropriate if adding the Battleship Missouri, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, or Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.
Does the USS Arizona program include the park film?
No. The current program includes orientation, the Navy boat ride, time at the memorial, and the return trip. The 23-minute park film can be watched separately at the visitor center.
Visitor details were checked against the official National Park Service basic information, USS Arizona program, directions and parking, and security and safety pages, plus the official reservation listing. Operations can change because of weather, safety, preservation, or mechanical conditions. Photo licenses and attribution details are included in the source package.