CEO Corner
Updates from Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams is the President & CEO of the Pacific Battleship Center, home of the Battleship IOWA, LA Fleet Week, and the National Museum of the Surface Navy. A purpose-driven leader and storyteller, he shares updates and insights from one of the nation’s most innovative nonprofit organizations. His writing explores leadership, community, and culture — connecting lessons from the deck plate to the boardroom while highlighting the people, progress, and purpose that continue to drive the mission forward.
Newest Updates
Media Advisory: USCIS to Welcome 50 New Citizens Aboard the Battleship IOWA on Thursday, July 1st.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will welcome 50 new U.S. citizens during two special
ceremonies aboard the Battleship USS Iowa Museum on Thursday, July 1st.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE SURFACE NAVY NAMES AMBASSADOR ROBERT C. O’BRIEN RECIPIENT OF 2021 FREEDOM OF THE SEAS AWARD
The National Museum of the Surface Navy, founded aboard Battleship USS Iowa and scheduled to open in 2025, today named former U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien the recipient of the 2021 Freedom of the Seas Award. The award is presented to an accomplished individual who embodies the core principles of the American Surface Navy to protect and defend our oceans for the benefit of the free world.
A Good Sea Story
No joke – there we were in the main channel of the busiest port in North America... That’s how all the best sea stories start, right? “No joke – there we were...” Maybe the language is a bit saltier, but the idea is the same. Battleship IOWA added another anecdote to the annals of her sea “lore” yesterday. It goes a little something like this: Problem: We need to transfer our work barge from the forward end of the ship to aft. IOWA is “starboard side to” – which means her starboard (right)...
2020: How Battleship IOWA Survived the Shutdown and Expanded Its Service Mission
COVID-19 eliminated normal museum operations almost overnight, but the ship could not simply be switched off. In 2020, Pacific Battleship Center fought to keep IOWA safe, support regional response efforts, serve veterans, move programming online, and protect the National Museum vision.
Surface Navy Heroes
Exciting News for Veterans Day 2020
Join us for VIRTUAL VETERANS DAY! We're taking Veterans Day online this year, and we've got three ways for our vets to celebrate! World of Warships Virtual Fleet Week World of Warships will honor the U.S. Navy with a live virtual Fleet Week on November 9, 2020, just prior to Veterans Day. The celebration, in partnership with Verizon, will feature a mixture of historical footage along with exclusive in-game and CGI footage to recreate the atmosphere of a grand Fleet Week while also paying...
Barragán, Feinstein Introduce Bill to Designate the U.S.S. Iowa Battleship as the National Museum of the Surface Navy
September 24th, 2020 Barragán, Feinstein Introduce Bill to Designate the U.S.S. Iowa Battleship as the National Museum of the Surface Navy Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán and Senator Diane Feinstein introduced legislation to designate the battleship U.S.S. Iowa Museum as the National Museum of the Surface Navy. If passed, this bill would make this vessel the first and only museum in the nation dedicated solely to the men and women who have served in the surface...
This Date In USS IOWA History: 30 August, 1945
USS IOWA follows sister ship USS MISSOURI into Tokyo Bay, 29 Aug 1945 We continue to follow USS Iowa through 1945, moving toward the 75th commemoration of the signing of the instrument of surrender and the official end of World War II. Curator Dave Way is constantly updating and refining a timeline of the ship's life. Here are its entries for 27-30 August 1945. August 27 – An eventful day for Iowa. 0930 Commences entry into Sagami Wan, (an open bay 30 miles southwest of Tokyo),...
Battleship IOWA Tours: You Never Know Who You’ll Meet
Battleship IOWA is full of inspiring surprises. When our tour guides arrive to the ship every morning, they never know who they'll encounter during the day. And while each guest is special, every so often, one stands out. IOWA volunteer Christ Malburg had such an encounter. He shared it with us recently. He says it shows what it means to be an IOWA tour guide. “You’re an IOWA crew member, sir?” A smile big as the blue sky above spread across that parchment face. “What gave me...
Meet USS IOWA WWII Veteran Pete Bigler III
One of the most amazing things about being around Battleship IOWA is the stories you hear that you never expect. We opened a message in our Facebook inbox and discovered an absolute gem. Meet Machinist First Class Peter Alford Bigler III (1922-1975). He served aboard USS Iowa from 1943-1945 and from what his granddaughter told us, we wish we could've hung out with this character. He once got thrown in the brig for shooting a cockroach off the fantail. He'd hoard potatoes from the galley,...
Limited time only!
Kids Board Free
In the all-new Life of a Sailor experience, kids become sailor recruits, building their skills, following the story of a famous sailor, and joining Vicky the Dog on a scavenger hunt through Battleship IOWA.
Kids board free with a paid adult.