EXHIBITS & TOURS
In-Person Experience
In-Person Exhibits
Online Tours & Museum
Online Exhibits
Surface Navy Museum
Planned to open in 2025 aboard Battleship USS Iowa. Become a Plank Owner today.
Ship's Store
Your purchase helps support museum programs.
Donate
Your donations are critical to the survival of the Battleship USS Iowa.
Learn the History
USS Iowa’s history began in 1943 and continues through today.
Volunteer
Volunteer to be a member of today’s Battleship USS Iowa crew.
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.
This week's MUSEUM UPDATE focuses on an event that took place 80 years ago today: the attack on Pearl Harbor.
It's crucial that we commemorate moments like these. Reminders that our freedom is precious are crucial to our future, and honoring the men and women who gave all to protect those freedoms is essential. Join us as we pay tribute to them.
Link in our Weekly Updates highlight.
#batttleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #history #PearlHarbor #PearlHarbor80 #neverforget
From @navalinstitute:
#OTD in 1941, three sailors were photographed while having a drink at a bar in Pearl Harbor. Clifford Olds (right), was on board USS WEST VIRGINIA when it was sunk during the Japanese attack the next morning. When salvage workers found his remains in a compartment several months later, a marked calendar revealed that he and two other shipmates had lived for 16 days trapped within the ship.
#history #navalhistory #pearlharbor #pearlharbor2021 #pearlharbor80years
Sunday Funday.
Ship’s carpenter Stan Sato found something fascinating this week. In his words:
“I sanded behind 5" gun mount 52… and exposed dents in the teak deck. I believe this is original decking around this gun mount so these historical indicators could be from the ship's 3 campaigns in the 1940s, 1950s and 1980s. Pretty cool stuff! :)”
Any guesses what made those marks? Drop ‘em in the comments. 👍
Interested in helping Stan maintain the ship’s wooden decking? Donate today. Link in bio.
#batttleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #restoration #history
#OTD From Naval History and Heritage Command: "On Dec. 3, 1775, the first American flag was raised onboard a Continental ship when Lt. John Paul Jones hoisted the Grand Union flag during Continental ship ALFRED's commissioning at Philadelphia, PA. ALFRED was the flagship of Commodore Esek Hopkins’ Continental Navy flotilla during the remainder of 1775 and the first four months of 1776. Capt. Dudley Saltonstall commanded ALFRED at that time.
"In August 1777, with Capt. Elisha Hinman as the ship’s commander, ALFRED hoisted her sails for France in company with frigate RALEIGH to obtain military supplies. While underway, they captured four small prizes. They reached L'Orient, France, on Oct. 6, and on Dec. 29, set sail for American shores. They proceeded via the coast of Africa, where they took a small sloop, and then headed for the West Indies, hoping to add to their score before turning northward for home.
"On March 9, 1778, near Barbados, they encountered British warships ARIADNE and CERES. When the American ships attempted to flee, ALFRED fell behind her faster consort. Shortly after noon, the British men-of-war caught up with ALFRED and forced her to surrender after a half an hour's battle. ALFRED was subsequently taken to Barbados, and rearmed with 20 guns as HMS ALFRED."
Stories like this one will be staples of the #NationalMuseumoftheSurfaceNavy. If you have a passion for preserving them, become a PLANK OWNER for the museum today. It's free! Link in bio.
#surfacenavymuseum #batttleshipiowa #history #navalhistory #americanhistory
Grey Ghost living up to her nickname this morning - just a shadow in the fog. Walking her decks in this weather, you almost feel like you're underway.
Experiencing views like these can spark the imagination of a young mind. Battleship IOWA's education program brings history and STEM concepts to life in seriously cool ways. Spending a night aboard the ship takes the experience to a whole other level.
Hit up the website link in our bio for details and to find out how to get your child involved.
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #fog #weather #education #stem #history
Hit up our WEEKLY UPDATES highlight for a #GivingTuesday message from CEO Jonathan Williams.
#surfacenavymuseum #battleshipiowa #generosity
Lighting things up for the holidays.
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #lights #holidays2021
#OTD in 1943, King Neptune paid his first visit to a bunch of slimy pollywogs aboard #BattleshipIOWA.
What does that mean? Today marks the 78th anniversary of the first time USS IOWA crossed the Equator. All sorts of traditions abound for the "line crossing" ceremony. We'd tell you about them... but they're secret (and most aren't fit for discussion in polite company).
So where are our shellbacks? Tell us where you crossed the line in the comments.
#surfacenavymuseum #shellbackceremony #equatorcrossing
It's "Black Friday." Forget the mall... Come to Battleship IOWA! Stroll our decks, soak in some sunshine and fresh air... and even pick up a few gifts.
Give your loved ones tickets to visit the "Battleship of Presidents or hit up our Ship's Store for truly unique items. (Website link in bio will take you to both.)
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #blackfriday2021 #holidayshopping #outdoors
What's on your menu for Thanksgiving? Here's a sampling of the fare aboard USS IOWA back on her first one.
Your #BattleshipIOWA crew wishes you and your loved ones all the best. Have a safe, blessed holiday!
#surfacenavymuseum #thanksgiving2021 #navalhistory
What do the items in this photo have to do with our latest museum update? Guess you’re going to have to hit up our Weekly Updates highlight to find out! 😉😁😎
#battleshipiowa surfacenavymuseum #lamuseum #update
Our volunteers are a group of amazing, dedicated individuals. Every few months, we hold a special ceremony to honor that dedication. Everyone who hits a thousand hour mark of service to the ship has a chance to ring the bell on IOWA's fo'c's'le.
This month's cadre included:
- Bob Abelson: 1,000 hours
- Todd Columbus: 1,000 hours
- Orlo Brown: 2,000 hours
- Battleship Larry: 4,000 hours
- Jeff Armendariz: 4,000 hours
- Jim Kurrasch: 4,000 hours
- Capt Rich Abele: 6,000 hours
- Jim Gauderman: 6,000 hours
- Greg Garnett: 8,000 hours
Thanks and bravo zulu to all!
Want to join this extraordinary team? Sign up to volunteer. Website link in bio.
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #volunteer #volunteerism #service
Today we’ve got something pretty special aboard #BattleshipIOWA. Not one, but two pinning ceremonies for new Navy chiefs. These emotional promotions are tremendously meaningful to those who experience them; some call them a rebirth.
Congrats to all of today’s honorees.
NAVY CHIEF. NAVY PRIDE.
Have something special you’d like to celebrate? Hold your event here. (Website link in bio.)
#SurfaceNavyMuseum #usnavy #NavyChiefNavyPride
Hit up our Weekly Updates highlight for the latest from CEO Jonathan Williams.
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #news #update
This ship is the Fletcher class destroyer USS WILLIAM D PORTER - also known as the “Willie D.” On November 14, 1943 she fired a LIVE TORPEDO at the then practically new battleship USS IOWA.
What was going on? Did the torpedo hit IOWA? Why was Willie D shooting in the first place? Drop your guesses in the comments...
Or come visit the ship and we’ll tell you... while you stand on the decks where it happened. (Link to purchase tickets online in bio.)
For more info on the Willie D - the “unluckiest ship in the US Navy,” copy/paste this link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Gb4PakFTU
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymuseum #surfacenavy #history #navalhistory #WWII
We're back with another MUSEUM UPDATE. This one's packed with fun, including a preview of tomorrow's VETERANS DAY WEST celebration and an interview with Volunteer Manager SUE SCHMIDT, who shares her earliest days aboard Battleship IOWA.
It's a story that boasts dark passageways and Carhartt pants - you know it's gonna be good!
Link in our Weekly Updates highlight.
#battleshipiowa #surfacenavymusuem #VeteransDay2021 #veterans #Update
Happy VETERANS DAY from Battleship IOWA! Today we celebrate and honor all those who have served and sacrificed to protect the freedoms we so deeply cherish.
Take a moment today not just to thank veterans, but to find out about them. The interest you show in their personal stories will be far more meaningful than a simple thank you. 💖🙏
And if you’d like to do more, please consider a donation in support of our veterans programming. Link in bio.
#veterans #VeteransDay2021 #battleshipiowa #surfacenavymusuem
Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps. Congrats and thank you for 246 years of service. Semper Fi, Marines!
#battleshipiowa #battleshipiowamuseum #SurfaceNavyMuseum #marinecorpbirthday #history
This morning we had the privilege of hosting the swearing in of seventy-five new United States citizens.
These ceremonies are inspiring. Every one of these individuals has a unique story and each made the decision to adopt this country as their home. Battleship IOWA Museum is proud to be the backdrop for this incredibly special moment in their lives and happy to welcome them as fellow citizens.
#battleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #USCIS
Why is volunteer coordinator extraordinaire SUE SCHMIDT smiling so broadly? Because it's #NationalVolunteerCoordinatorDay!
But wait - there's more! She's also celebrating the ten year anniversary of the day she joined the ship!
If you're aboard today, make sure to stop by and give this hard-working, incredibly dedicated lady some love. She's a big part of the glue that holds this family together and she does it all with grace and humor. We're lucky to have her!
Don't know Sue? Clearly you need to sign up to volunteer with us. Hit up the link tree in our bio for more info.
#battleshipiowa #SurfaceNavyMuseum #volunteer #thankyou
PROGRAM SPONSORS
ACCOLADES
