GRAND OPENING: Life of a Sailor Immersive Experience

Open Daily ⭐ Family Friendly ⭐ Minutes from Long Beach

Enjoy a 2–3 hour immersive journey aboard L.A.'s hidden gem, Battleship IOWA.

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Open Daily

10am - 4pm

Aboard Ship

75+ Things to Explore

Location

LA Waterfront

Highly Rated

Google 4.8/5

Experience the Surface Navy’s Life of a Sailor

Aboard Battleship IOWA — the Battleship of Presidents

Step aboard L.A.'s hidden gem, Battleship IOWA, and experience Life of a Sailor, the new immersive experience from the National Museum of the Surface Navy.

A Navy ship is a city at sea. It needs power, food, water, systems, purpose, and a crew connected by the mission.

On Battleship IOWA, you step into that world. Explore where sailors lived, worked, trained, and served while discovering the skills, teamwork, and responsibility it takes to keep a ship moving and a crew ready at sea.

New immersive exhibits, including Great Ships, Blueprint, Bootcamp, What’s My Rate?, and Cutaway, bring the experience to life for guests of all ages through hands-on moments, real ship spaces, and sailor stories that stay with you.

For younger explorers, Vicky the Dog, Battleship IOWA’s beloved mascot, adds another layer of adventure as kids follow her through the ship.

This is more than a museum. It is a real Navy ship, a hands-on experience, and a powerful way to connect with America’s sea services.

Now open: Life of a Sailor

Learn About Our Programs →

Learn About the Ship →

TripAdvisor
★★★★★ 4.7/5

Google
★★★★★ 4.8/5

Yelp
★★★★⯪ 4.5/5

Choose Your Experience

Experience the Surface Navy Life of a Sailor.

Life of a Sailor

Step aboard the legendary Battleship USS Iowa and experience the new National Museum of the Surface Navy’s Life of a Sailor in one of America’s most iconic naval settings.

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President’s Tour

It’s November 1943, and Battleship IOWA is on a covert mission. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his entire staff are aboard, headed for top-secret meetings with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin.

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Overview Experience

The overview experience is a 90-minute crew-led tour that brings the ship’s legacy to life through the stories of those who served, and those who preserve her today.

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Gun Tour

This exclusive, behind-the-scenes journey puts you inside the systems that made Battleship IOWA one of the most powerful warships ever built.

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Engineering Tour Experience

The Engineering Tour takes you below into the hidden heart of Battleship IOWA, where eight boilers and four steam turbines once generated 212,000 shaft horsepower, enough to power 650 Ford F-150 trucks, and drove IOWA to a blistering 35 knots, the fastest of any battleship ever built.

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Escape the Fleet Adventure

In 2011, a small team raced against time to pull Battleship IOWA out of the Navy’s reserve “ghost fleet” — or watch her be scrapped forever. Now it’s your turn to live that mission.

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ALL EXPERIENCES INCLUDE

Life of a Sailor

Vicky the Dog Scavenger Hunt

Stewards of the Sea

Living Blueprint

Great Ships Exhibit

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Learn more about our day and overnight youth programs that follow Maritime Pathways.

Youth Programs →

Group & Private Events

Host your group for a memorable experience from car clubs to weddings.

Groups & Private Events →

Support Our Mission

Your support helps more people discover their place in America’s maritime story.

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PLAN YOUR VISIT

Hours, directions, parking, accessibility, and helpful tips before you come aboard.

Hours & Tickets

Open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Most guests spend 2–3 hours aboard. Life of a Sailor is included with all tours, and guided tours should be booked in advance.

Getting Here, Parking, & Luggage Storage

Battleship IOWA is located on the LA Waterfront in San Pedro, CA, at the south end of the 110 Freeway.

250 S. Harbor Blvd.
San Pedro, CA 90731

We are a 5-minute walk from the LA World Cruise Terminal and about 10 minutes from Long Beach.

Parking

Paid parking is available in the adjacent shared LA World Cruise Terminal public lot. The first hour is free, then $3 per hour, up to a maximum of $23 per day. Limited street parking may also be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Public Transit

We are located across Harbor Blvd. from a Metro Silver Line/J Line stop. The Metro Silver Line/J Line connects Downtown LA and Union Station to San Pedro. The ride from Downtown LA is approximately 1 hour.

Luggage Storage

We have a luggage storage lockers available for day use rental pierside by our aft brow, closest to the cruise terminal.

Aboard & Accessibility

Battleship IOWA is a real Navy ship with indoor and outdoor spaces, historic decks, passageways, exhibits, and shipboard areas to explore.

Some areas include steep stairs, also known aboard ship as ladders, narrow passageways, uneven surfaces, and outdoor decks. Comfortable shoes are strongly recommended.

The main deck is wheelchair accessible, and chair lifts provide access to three decks when available.

Boarding ramps and gangways may be steep, especially during high tide. For safety, guests using wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, or other mobility devices are strongly encouraged to board under their own power when able and transfer to a wheelchair once on deck.

Because this is a historic ship, many spaces may not be accessible to all guests. Guests board and visit Battleship IOWA at their own risk and are responsible for determining whether they can safely board, move through the ship, and follow posted signs and crew instructions.

Families & Kids

Life of a Sailor includes hands-on exhibits, real ship spaces, and interactive moments designed for guests of all ages.

Kids can explore how a Navy ship works, discover the skills sailors use at sea, and follow and take a picture with Vicky the Dog, Battleship IOWA’s beloved mascot, on a scavenger hunt included with general admission.

Food, Gifts, & Nearby Attractions

Ship’s Store

Visit the Ship’s Store on board for souvenirs, apparel, books, and Battleship IOWA items.

Food

Vicky’s Doghouse is a highly rated gourmet hot dog counter-service restaurant on the fantail of Battleship IOWA. It is open Friday through Sunday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

You can eat at Vicky’s Doghouse without paying museum admission, and parking is free if your visit is under one hour. Ask for the special menu.

We are also within walking distance of the San Pedro Fish Market on the LA Waterfront and numerous restaurants in Downtown San Pedro.

Nearby Attractions

Spend a day on the LA Waterfront with nearby attractions including the LA Maritime Museum, SS Lane Victory, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the Korean Bell, CRAFTED, and Downtown San Pedro restaurants.

Coming soon: the new West Harbor waterfront development.

Luggage Storage and LA World Cruise Terminal

Battleship IOWA is located at the L.A. World Cruise Center and shares the adjacent parking lot with the cruise terminal. We are within a 5-minute walk of Los Angeles–based cruise ships, including Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and many others.

For passengers sailing from Long Beach or the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, Battleship IOWA is a short 10-minute taxi or rideshare trip away.

Day-use luggage storage lockers are available pierside near our aft brow, closest to the cruise terminal.