Pearl Harbor Visitor Center Facilities
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is the primary portal for visitors coming to Pearl Harbor.
Orientation in Aloha Court
Visitors can receive information about planning their day at Pearl Harbor immediately upon entering the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Tickets and information are available in Aloha Court.
Exhibit Galleries: "Road to War" and "Attack"
The exhibit galleries bring visitors closer to the sights and sounds of the events leading up to the attack on Oahu and its aftermath. These galleries display personal memorabilia, dramatic photographs, artifacts of the battle, and other exhibits. Kiosks are available to hear history from those who witnessed it.
Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater
The Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater is located across from the two exhibit galleries. As part of the 75-minute USS Arizona Memorial program (immediately preceding the boat trip to the actual Memorial), visitors will enter the theater to view a 23-minute documentary film on the December 7, 1941 attack.
Bookstore
The bookstore is filled with over 120 book titles relating to the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as the Pacific War effort. There are over 50 videos, posters, audio recordings, and other mementos relating to the the USS Arizona, the attack on Oahu, and War in the Pacific that visitors can purchase as a reminder of their visit and to further educate themselves on the subject. Pacific Historic Parks, a non-profit cooperating association who supports and funds educational and interpretive materials to four NPS sites throughout the Pacific, operates the bookstore and provides products related to World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument and the Pearl Harbor Attack.
Interpretive Wayside Exhibits
Throughout the facility are interpretive wayside exhibits that invite visitors to imagine the experience of that tragic day. Through superimposing descriptive images of Pearl Harbor as it was in 1941 across the panorama of the busy port as it appears today, the wayside exhibits allow visitors to connect the past with the present.
This exhibit pays tribute to the men, women, and children, both military and civilian, who were killed as a result of the attack on December 7, 1941. Medal of Honor recipients are noted with their names listed in gold lettering, and a bronze 3D map of Oahu illustrates the various attack targets of that day.
Beyond the structural elements of the visitor center, there is a rich human subtext. Most days, one or more Pearl Harbor survivors can be found at the visitor center sharing stories and remembrances with visitors.
Interpretive programs are incorporated into the visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. Upon entering the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, visitors may obtain a free ticket for their timed USS Arizona Memorial program. While waiting for their tours to begin, visitors may explore the bookstore, exhibit galleries, wayside exhibits, or simply relax and enjoy the setting of Pearl Harbor.
The 75-minute program for the USS Arizona Memorial begins at the theater. It includes a brief introduction, a 23-minute documentary film, a Navy-operated shuttle boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, and time to experience the Memorial itself. Note: There are no public restroom facilities on the Memorial. Within the Memorial itself, visitors will see three distinct areas:
1. The Entry Room holds flags of the nine states for whom the eight battleships and the USS Utah were named. The USS Utah still rests in Pearl Harbor and is memorialized on the far side of Ford Island.
2. The Assembly Room is an open area where ceremonies are held and visitors may reflect and more closely examine the shadowy remains of the USS Arizona below.
3. The Shrine Room holds the great marble wall with the names of the 1,177 Sailors and Marines who perished on the USS Arizona. The Shrine Room also honors the USS Arizona survivors who have chosen to be interred along with their shipmates.
During busy seasons (summer, winter holidays, and spring break), visitors can expect up to a three-hour delay for their program to begin. It is important to arrive early to be sure to obtain a program ticket. Each program has a capacity of 150 people, and programs typically run every 15 minutes, with the first starting at 8:00 a.m. and the last starting at 3:00 p.m.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center receives an average of 4,500 visitors per day and 1.5 million visitors annually.
After entering the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, visitors may walk to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park to learn about subsurface warfare. Visitors can also take the Ford Island Shuttle from the visitor center to reach the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pacific Aviation Museum.
USS Oklahoma Memorial
The USS Oklahoma Memorial, located on Ford Island, is accessible by taking the Ford Island Shuttle to the Battleship Missouri Memorial. The USS Oklahoma Memorial commemorates the 429 Sailors and Marines who lost their lives during the December 7, 1941 attack.
USS Utah Memorial
The USS Utah Memorial is also located on Ford Island, but unlike the USS Oklahoma Memorial, it is not currently available to the public via shuttle. Access to the USS Utah Memorial is currently limited to visitors who have military base access. The USS Utah Memorial commemorates the loss of her 58 crewmen lost on December 7, 1941.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
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