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SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Your safe visit to the Battleship USS Iowa museum is our utmost priority. We have implemented numerous measures for in-person tours that adhere to Los Angeles County public health guidelines. A few of the measures include:
- Limited capacity and physical distancing.
- Increased disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces.
- Hand-sanitizer stations throughout the tour.
- Face coverings are required for all guests and crew.
- Non-essential personnel are working remotely.
- Daily temperature checks for all crew working onboard.
- Signage promoting social distancing and hand washing.
- New virtual options to experience the museum.
Surface Navy Museum
Planned to open in 2025 aboard Battleship USS Iowa. Become a Plank Owner today.
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USS Iowa’s history began in 1943 and continues through today.
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GET INVOLVED
Battleship USS Iowa is a community platform leveraged for engaging and impactful programs. We focus our activities into three primary pillars; education, veterans, and community.
- Education programs and resources inspire future leaders.
- Veterans programs and resources empower those who served.
- Community programs and resources strengthen our community.
Support your favorite pillar today by donating or by becoming a volunteer.
Nautical geek-out warning! In our last post, we mentioned the bathymetry data we acquired in preparation for towing Battleship IOWA out of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. Bathymetry is the measurement of the depth of an ocean, sea, or lake, and those numbers were a make-or-break factor in whether or not we would succeed.
Our team needed the highest flood tide possible to maneuver the ship out of the bay. Hugging the northwest side of it was the only direction they could go because the middle was super shallow - feet in the teens and single digits in places. IOWA at that time and currently is ballasted to draw 32.3 feet aft. There was a point in the bay where there would be less than an inch of water under her keel.
Beyond that, we only had two windows during which the tide would be high enough for us to accomplish the tow: one at the end of October, and one not quite as high at the end of November. October 27th was predicted as the most optimal tide, so we committed and went for it. (Spoiler alert: we made it.)
Two of these photos show the bathymetry data on the area. The third is a nautical chart showing depth in feet and the actual route the ship took that day.
Loving this history? Help us keep it alive: hit the link tree in our bio and donate today!
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #nauticalheritage #history #nauticalhistory
We've been talking ten year anniversary memories, and we have a fun one for you today. COO Mike Getscher describes what was happening at this time in 2011:
"Revisiting the basics, the first tow for IOWA was a two-day effort on the 27th and 28th of October in 2011. The dates were driven by the tidal cycle of the region, which was a critical issue given our max draft of nearly 33 feet and the shallow water in the area. We had bathymetry or echo soundings of the tow path performed about a week before the tow which showed that we had inches of clearance under our rudders or perhaps even less. So at this point in time, we were scrambling to prepare the ship for tow, while simultaneously convincing the various jurisdictions that we were ready, making final contract arrangements with the tow company and port pilots, and assuring everyone that the bathymetry was ok.
"During this time, we were also busy recovering at least one anchor, pulling mooring lines out of the sail locker, and convincing the marine surveyors and Coast Guard that we were ready to go. The anchor evolutions were especially exciting as we started up machinery which hadn’t been used in ten years. After a little smoke and flame in the anchor windlass room, we were able to recover our port anchor along with 8 shots of chain. (Do we remember what a shot is?) But the starboard anchor had to come later due to a crane barge problem at the MARAD facility."
Here's a short compilation of footage from the day we raised the Mighty I's port anchor.
You can follow our ten year anniversary journey on our YouTube channel (Battleship USS IOWA Museum) and if you'd like to support our next ten years, hit up the donate link in our bio.
#SurfaceNavyMuseum #anchor #GhostFleet
BB-61 charging across the Atlantic at something over 30 knots back in 1987 is about how your battleship crew is feeling as we prep for our Freedom of the Seas gala this coming weekend. Full speed ahead - let's go!
We'll be at full dress ship for the weekend. Come check out our girl sporting all her finery. Check the link tree in our bio for tickets.
📷 from Michael McEnteggart
#battleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #freedomoftheseas #monday
What has it been like on this battleship journey for CEO Jonathan Williams’ family and what is Chief Moser up to? Hit our Weekly Updates highlight to find out!
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #museumupdate
Looky what we got! Congrats to Chef Cesar and his team. Fantastic to see their hard work paying off!
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #vickysdoghouse #eatatvickys
What’s happening around the ship and what’s up next? Hit up our Weekly Updates highlight for the latest from CEO Jonathan Williams!
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #news #nmsn
Throwback Thursday! We're about to blow up an urban myth.
IOWA does NOT slip sideways when she fires her main battery. The guns recoil almost four feet into pits inside her turrets. The disturbance you see in the water is the pressure wave from their blast.
Want more amazing facts about the mindboggling physics behind this engineering marvel? Come take a tour! Link for tickets in bio.
#battleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #Navy #physics
Our final 2021 Freedom of the Seas awardee we're highlighting is @ups .
Presented to UPS for the heroic service provided by the company and its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Global Trade and Communications Award recognizes leaders in commercial shipping and communications that embody a core principle of the Surface Navy in utilizing the ocean for the benefit of the free world. UPS has delivered more than half a billion COVID-19 vaccines to communities around the globe, in addition to personal protective equipment, ultra-low-temperature freezers, oxygen concentrators and ventilators. UPS Healthcare’s specialized logistics services helped a laboratory accelerate the processing of COVID-19 diagnostic tests from 20 to 9,300 tests per day, and The UPS Foundation has committed more than $20 million in funding and in-kind aid to advance pandemic response and recovery efforts.
To learn more about the Freedom of the Seas awards and to purchase a ticket go to the link in our bio.
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #FreedomOfTheSeas #UPS
This Halloween season, come aboard Battleship IOWA for FREE to enjoy candy, games, crafts, and more!
Come in costume and trick or treat at our candy stations, play carnival games to collect Halloween Vicky the Dog stickers, and apply fun science concepts while building your own light-up wand, flying a spooky kite, and launching a spider rocket! Family friendly Halloween movies will be playing on the media wall at the stern of the ship and IOWA crew members will be sharing spooky story books throughout the night.
Battleship IOWA's Halloween STEMebration will take place Saturday October 30th from 6pm - 10pm. No need to sign up - just come on down!
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #halloween #celebrate
Happy #NationalCoffeeDay! How do you take yours? We like ours Navy style, nice and strong.
The National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship IOWA, the museum for America’s Surface Navy located aboard the historic Battleship USS Iowa Museum, today announced Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will be honored with the Freedom of the Seas Humanitarian Award at the inaugural Freedom of the Seas Awards Gala on Saturday, October 23, 2021.
Mayor Garcetti is being recognized for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included bringing the hospital ship, USNS Mercy, to the Port of Los Angeles, deploying California National Guard troops to area hospitals, and the establishing a field hospital at the L.A. Convention Center, to provide critical medical support throughout the region. Coordinating the use of military assets and personnel through the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) program, Mayor Garcetti ensured the ability to meet the needs of citizens across the Los Angeles region through the height of the COVID-19 surge. In addition, Mayor Garcetti led his team in support of the LovLA program, a program created and managed by the Port of Los Angeles that is designed to protect critical workers by connecting organizations in need of personal protective equipment (PPE) with available supplies of PPE.
To find out more and reserved your spot at the inaugural Freedom of the Seas awards dinner go to the link in our bio.
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #FreedomOfTheSeas
On Oct 8th the @sanpedrochamber is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony aboard Battleship IOWA to welcome Vicky’s Doghouse to the community. We’re celebrating by letting YOU create our next menu item.
That’s right: you can design your own dog. Go to the link in our bio to submit your entry. Remember to come up with a fun, navy-related name for it and give us something delicious. Can’t wait to see what you cook up!
#EatAtVickys #BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #Food #Foodie #LA #EatLA #HotDog
Hey LA! Are you headed to the #LongBeachGrandPrix this weekend? We're already here. Stop by our booth, check out our cool stuff, and find out how you can be part of the fun.
(Don't have to wait for the in-person version, though. Go to our website for all sorts of opportunities: volunteering, tours, event bookings, education and veterans programs, and to support our wonderful piece of living history. Links in bio.)
#SurfaceNavyMuseum #battleshipiowa #community #fastcars #racing
The East Coast? Something about submarines? What is CEO Jonathan Williams up to? Hit up our Weekly Updates highlight to find out!
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #nmsn #update
Continuing with our Freedom of the Seas award honoree highlights... Meet Admiral Michelle Howard - the recipient of our 2021 VADM Samuel L. Gravely, Jr. Award for leadership.
From becoming the first African-American woman to command a ship - USS RUSHMORE, to being the first African-American to achieve the two- and three-star ranks, to her promotion to admiral and subsequent appointment as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Howard's thirty-five year naval career is a stellar example of trailblazing leadership.
Impressed? But wait. There's more! Click on the link in our bio to learn about Michelle Howard and to get tickets to the Freedom of the Seas.
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #freedomoftheseas #history #trailblazer #leadership
Random entry in Battleship IOWA's timeline:
22 September 1943
Brickwork in Number 3 boiler started falling out.
So... That happened...
Curious about the ship's boilers and engine spaces? Take our ENGINEERING TOUR. Our guides will have you mesmerized for two hours and you'll still want more. (Link to website in bio.)
#randomhistory #SurfaceNavyMuseum #battleshipiowa #goodstory
We're overdue for a game of battleship hide and seek.
If you were hustling around IOWA's labyrinth of decks, where would you bump into this mural? (Lookin’ at you, 1980s crew!)
Think sailor art is cool? Want to see some in person? Take our Gun Tour or Engineering Tour (book on our website; link in bio) to check out some of the spaces where the ‘80s crew showed its creativity.
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #Art #SailorArt #USNavy #1980s
More Freedom of the Seas gala news and a round up of the latest around Battleship IOWA. Get your weekly #update here! Link in the Weekly Updates story highlight.
#battleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #eatatvickys #freedomoftheseas
Our inaugural Freedom of the Seas Awards Dinner is just over a month away - it’ll be held October 23rd. Time to introduce our amazing award recipients.
First up, Freedom of the Seas Award recipient and our keynote speaker, retired Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien.
An accomplished lawyer and experienced diplomat, Ambassador O’Brien served as the 28th U.S. National Security Advisor. In that role he brought a renewed focus to defense and industrial base issues, orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, and achieved increased cooperation with America’s allies across the Indo-Pacific.
Prior to his service in the White House, Ambassador O’Brien worked at the State Department as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. During his time at State, he coordinated the government’s diplomatic engagements on overseas hostage-related matters and successfully negotiated the return of over twenty hostages and wrongfully detained Americans.
To find out more about the Freedom of the Seas Awards Dinner and reserve your spot today visit the link in our bio. Both table sponsorships and individual tickets are available.
#SurfaceNavyMuseum #BattleshipIOWA #FOS #FreedomOfTheSeas
We love the role we get to play in this amazing community of ours. This morning we got to help the Class of ‘22 kick off their final year at @portoflosangeleshigh by hosting their Senior Breakfast on the fantail of the IOWA. Best of luck, POLA seniors, in the coming year and all your future endeavors!
Want to hold an event your senior class will remember for a lifetime? We offer great pricing and far more. For further information, visit link in our bio.
#BattleshipIOWA #SurfaceNavyMuseum #Community #Events #LosAngeles #POLAHS
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