Three placards on a table display profiles for Vice Admiral Davis, Bill Coggins, and Judge Mablean, highlighting their contributions to battleship history and education. Promotional materials and business cards are also visible in the background, creating an engaging museum atmosphere.

A person wearing a green protective jacket and welding helmet stands on a ship deck by the water, suggesting active welding work, with cranes and a bridge in the background under a clear blue sky.

A large battleship is docked at a port, surrounded by empty parking lots, cranes, and colorful shipping containers near the waterfront—an impressive scene often observed during major Relocation Services or after a recent Relocation Update.

Aerial view illustration of a large battleship docked at a pier labeled Freedom of the Seas Campus, with adjacent buildings and walkways visible—an ideal visual for any Relocation Analysis or Relocation Update regarding the campus facilities.

An expo booth for the National Museum of the Surface Navy, featuring banners, a QR code, brochures, chairs, and information about the Freedom of the Seas Campaign and the museum’s upcoming relocation and grand opening in 2025.

A hand uses a tool to scrape rust and paint from the base of a metal post attached to a weathered wooden surface, with debris scattered around—preparing the area for potential relocation.

A large mobile welding training center trailer with Reignite Hope signage, parked on asphalt next to a generator. The trailer features striking artwork of a welder in action and open windows revealing advanced welding equipment inside.

A group of eleven people pose indoors behind an updated, detailed ship model encased in glass, in a grand room with ornate decor, tall columns, and bright lighting.

People sit at round tables under a large outdoor tent, facing a stage with a Gravely Experience sign. Bottled water and food are on the tables. Some people appear to be listening attentively to speakers on the stage as they provide an important update.

A person in gloves and a life vest inspects a rusted, barnacle-covered metal rod while sitting in a small boat next to a battleship in the Los Angeles harbor.

A person wearing an orange life vest and purple cap repairs a metal wall with visible rust and peeling paint, using a tool near the bottom edge inside a confined space aboard the battleship IOWA in Los Angeles.

A large metal container is being lifted by a crane onto a dock, possibly as part of preparations for a new battleship exhibit at the museum. Four people guide and observe the process, with cars and a large white tent visible in the background.

Cars wait in line near a cruise ship terminal; a woman pushes a stroller across the street, and various traffic and pedestrian signs are visible near a fenced area under a sunny sky, reflecting an update to the area’s organized flow.

A large gray battleship marked 61, known as the IOWA, is docked in calm water, reflecting its massive hull. Smaller boats are moored nearby under a clear blue sky, with buildings visible in the background. Visitors are invited to donate and support the preservation of this historic vessel.

A group of kids and an adult are sitting and standing inside a submarine control room, surrounded by machinery and equipment, listening to another adult who appears to be giving a tour as part of an educational museum visit focused on the history of submarines.

Colorful signal flags on a ship with a jet flying in the blue sky above, and ship structures visible on the left and center, capturing the vibrancy of a ceo update communicated at sea.

A site plan of the National Museum of the Surface Navy, with a CEO update highlighting parking, pathways, landscaping, and labeled project zones near a docked ship; the area marked CURRENT STATUS is visible along Harbor Blvd.

A bright, spacious tented event venue with round tables set for a formal gathering. Each table has white linens, wooden chairs, and vibrant floral centerpieces. Large windows show an industrial port in the background.

View of a ship’s deck with tan, plank-style flooring, gray walls, and military life rafts along the side. A metal staircase is visible on the left. White tarp covers part of the upper area.

Three men stand on a ship’s deck by a doorway. Two wear black shirts, one wears blue. The deck has wood-like flooring, showing signs of recent update. A fishing net is on the left, and city buildings are visible through a window on the right.

A person in work clothes kneels on a boat deck, working with tools around them to update the equipment. A ladder, bucket, jacket, and various other tools are visible on the sunlit deck.

A man kneels on a floor, spreading adhesive with a notched trowel as part of an update to the space. White lines of sealant border his workspace. An orange Home Depot bucket and another person’s legs are visible nearby.

A person in work clothes paints a rectangular hatch on the wooden deck of a large gray ship as part of an update. An open door and a wooden crate are nearby. The area is surrounded by ropes and nautical equipment.

View of a gray ship’s exterior with a red arrow pointing upward on the side, chains, railings, and a white canopy above—showcasing an update to its classic design—all set against a clear blue sky.

Weathered wooden ship deck with visible rot, cracks, and holes in need of an update. Metal railing and netting surround the deck, with blue water and dock equipment seen in the background. Sunlight casts shadows across the wood.

A long table with white chairs is set for a meal under a canopy on a ship’s deck, transforming the space into an inviting event venue. Name cards, glasses, and plates are arranged neatly. A We Can Do It! poster adorns the wall, while ships can be seen in the background.

An outdoor boxing ring serves as an engaging event venue, with a crowd seated around it, several people in uniform holding flags inside the ring, and a fire truck in the background. Red, white, and blue bunting decorates the fences.

The deck of a ship with tan wooden planks, metal railings, pipes, and a partially open door leading inside shows signs of recent update. A staircase and traffic cone are visible near the door.

A large dog statue in uniform stands by stacked Budweiser boxes on a ship deck at night, creating a unique event venue atmosphere with massive cannons lit in red and blue behind it and colorful flags overhead.

People gather on a wooden pier with tables and chairs overlooking a large cargo ship and cranes in the harbor, making this spot an ideal event venue. A green suspension bridge spans the water in the background under a clear sky.

A bride in a white gown and a groom in a navy officer uniform walk down an aisle of white rose petals on a battleship deck, transformed into a unique event venue, with guests celebrating around them.

A group of people stand at an indoor USS Iowa exhibit, with updated informational displays and a TV screen. Most attendees wear casual clothes and hats; some are interacting with presenters behind the booth.

A person kneels on a barge’s deck next to a large open hatch with a metal cover propped up. Chains and ropes secure the cover. Boats and water are visible in the background under a bright sky.

A large, rusty metal barge sits on stacked wooden blocks in a shipyard, surrounded by equipment and ships under a clear blue sky.

A large decorative rope chair with tassels and knotted details, crafted as part of special projects, hangs from the ceiling in a ship hallway with white metal walls and a yellow sign.

Annual Information

In 2024, Pacific Battleship Center moved from long-range vision to visible construction. The organization strengthened Battleship IOWA, began remodeling spaces for the National Museum of the Surface Navy, expanded education and veteran services, secured a long-term waterfront commitment, and helped bring an aircraft carrier to the Port of Los Angeles for LA Fleet Week.

The year was not characterized by one project. It was defined by several parts of the mission beginning to reinforce one another: preserving the ship, telling the story of today's Surface Navy, serving youth and veterans, strengthening regional preparedness, and preparing the LA Waterfront for a larger national role.

A long-term home on the LA Waterfront

A major institutional milestone came in March, when the Los Angeles Harbor Commission unanimously approved an amendment extending Pacific Battleship Center's lease through 2057. The approval provided the long planning horizon needed for the National Museum of the Surface Navy and the proposed Freedom of the Seas Park and Pavilion. It also reflected how much the relationship between the organization, the Port of Los Angeles, and San Pedro had changed since Battleship IOWA opened in 2012.

By then, the ship was more than a museum attraction. It had become an education site, a place of remembrance, a veterans platform, a civic gathering space, and the operational anchor for LA Fleet Week. The extended commitment established the basis for the next generation of investment in and around the ship.

Preserving the ship while preparing new spaces

Preservation remained the prerequisite for everything else. Work advanced on approximately 4,725 square feet of vulnerable deck area, supported by a lead investment from the State of Iowa and carried out with the ship's crew and Teakdecking Systems. The project replaced deteriorated wood decking with a durable composite system and addressed the water intrusion that accelerates corrosion beneath the deck.

The work was both practical and symbolic. Rainwater does not remain a surface problem on a steel ship; it migrates into compartments, damages structure, and creates continuing maintenance duties. By dealing with some of the most vulnerable deck areas, the organization protected the historic platform on which every tour, education program, ceremony, and future exhibit depends.

Elsewhere aboard IOWA, crews continued hull maintenance, welding, inspections, artifact moves, and the kind of daily preservation that rarely produces a ribbon cutting but determines whether the ship will remain accessible for future generations.

The National Museum of the Surface Navy begins to take physical shape

The first phase of construction for the National Museum of the Surface Navy moved from planning into physical work. Crews cleared and rebuilt spaces, removed outdated exhibit structures, installed walls, painted, upgraded infrastructure, and carefully relocated artifacts. By September, the organization was publicly describing the first-phase experience: a journey into the life of a Surface Navy sailor, supported by hands-on STEM learning, immersive media, historic objects, and stories from the fleet.

The Great Ships concept was also taking form. Planned as an immersive presentation of hundreds of surface ships, it created a way for sailors and supporters to connect personal ship histories with the larger story of freedom of the seas. By year's end, more than 16,000 people had registered as museum Plank Owners, giving the developing institution a national community before its doors formally opened.

The annual Freedom of the Seas Awards gave that national mission a human face. The 2024 program recognized retired Fleet Master Chief Octavia Harris, philanthropist Lisa Argyros, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and the sailors operating in the Red Sea. Crew members of USS Samuel L. Gravely accepted the capstone Freedom of the Seas Award on behalf of the ships and sailors protecting a maritime corridor through which a significant share of global trade moves. The program also marked 30 years of women serving aboard surface combatants and awarded scholarships to students.

Education, veterans, volunteers, and community impact

The scale of the public mission remained substantial. Pacific Battleship Center's 2024 annual report recorded 128,659 visitors and 13,757 youth participants in day and overnight programs, including STEM experiences. The Military and Veterans Affairs team delivered 4,298 direct services, both online and face-to-face, and hosted six military and veteran community ceremonies. Eleven transitioning service members participated as SkillBridge interns.

The organization also supported 29 disaster preparedness, response, and public safety training exercises. Those efforts extended the ship's value past traditional museum operations by giving public agencies, service members, nonprofit partners, and private-sector leaders a place to build relationships before a crisis.

Volunteers contributed approximately 58,000 hours, valued by the organization at more than $2 million. Forty-three percent of active volunteers were veterans, while 61 percent were over age 55. Those figures help explain the character of the museum: the ship is preserved and interpreted not only by employees, but by a multigenerational crew whose experience is itself part of the institution's value.

LA Fleet Week brings an aircraft carrier to Los Angeles

LA Fleet Week 2024 became one of the most visible demonstrations of Pacific Battleship Center's expanding role. The seventh Los Angeles Fleet Week brought USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne to the Port of Los Angeles, along with sailors, Marines, soldiers, Coast Guardsmen, aircraft, vehicles, bands, STEM activities, competitions, community-service projects, and neighborhood events.

The four-day waterfront festival attracted more than 100,000 guests, while broader activities reached communities across the Los Angeles region. More than 2,000 military personnel participated, according to event coverage.

The importance of LA Fleet Week was not simply attendance. Visitors could walk from a battleship that served across five decades to an active aircraft carrier and meet the people serving today. That connection brought together history, current national service, STEM careers, disaster readiness, and community participation into a single joint experience.

Memory and meaning

In April, the IOWA community marked the 35th anniversary of the April 19, 1989 Turret II explosion and remembered the 47 sailors who lost their lives. Former crew members returned to the ship, and today's crew renewed an obligation that has shaped the museum from the beginning: to preserve not only the steel but also the people and experiences connected to it.

That responsibility linked the year's most visible accomplishments. Deck work protected the ship. Museum construction created new ways to tell the Surface Navy story. Education and veteran programs converted the platform into public benefit. LA Fleet Week connected remembrance with people serving now.

Why 2024 mattered

Pacific Battleship Center reported approximately $8.95 million in revenue and $8.03 million in expenses for 2024, producing about $916,000 in net income on an unaudited basis. Much of the year's progress, however, is better understood as capacity than as a single financial result: a lease extending to 2057, a major preservation phase, actual construction for a national museum, a growing national support network, and an LA Fleet Week capable of welcoming an aircraft carrier.

The year established the foundation for Battleship IOWA's next chapter. The organization entered 2025 with the ship stronger, the museum increasingly visible, and the relationship between naval history and contemporary public service clearer than ever.

Research basis and further reading

This retrospective consolidates the organization's annual report, dated website updates, and official or independent coverage. Figures are presented as reported by the cited source; annual-report financial figures were identified as unaudited.

Pacific Battleship Center 2024 Annual Report
Port of LA Harbor Commission update, March 15, 2024
Freedom of the Seas Awards update, October 9, 2024
2024 year-end message
DVIDS: Army Meets Navy at LA Fleet Week

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2024: Building the Foundation for Battleship IOWA’s Next Chapter