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
Where It Began – and Why It Still Matters
Two hundred fifty years ago, our nation was not yet a nation at all.
Would You Climb Down 30 Feet Into This Steel Cave?
Where’s Battleship IOWA’s intrepid team off to this time? We’re taking you into a space rarely seen by ANYONE.
Finding a Lost Airliner | Explorer Russ Matthews
Explorer Russ Matthews describes the search for a passenger aircraft lost beneath the ocean for more than seventy years. The expedition combines historical research, underwater drones, autonomous vehicles, scanning technology and teamwork to show how modern tools are opening parts of the ocean that remain largely unexplored.
How Close Is Battleship IOWA to Disneyland? Plan Your Visit.
Battleship IOWA is approximately 30 miles from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, making it an easy addition to a Southern California vacation. Depending on traffic, the drive typically takes about 40 to 60 minutes.
IOWA recommissioning ceremony August 25, 1951 / the Korean War
New Collection Added to Battleship IOWA's Archives: Photographs and Written Memories from the Korean War Commissioning Lt. Robert McKinnell served aboard BB-61 as Assistant Outgoing Stores Officer during the Korean War. His daughter, Susan, has generously donated these materials to ensure his experiences remain part of the ship’s living history. Here is a taste of what Susan shared with us. BB-61 Recomissioning Ceremony Photographs by Allied Photographers, San Francisco. IOWA's...
USS IOWA Education Programs Leverage Historic Battleship to Bring STEM Lessons to Life
Battleship IOWA transforms history into a hands-on learning experience. Through its STEAM at Sea programs, students explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math aboard a historic battleship, connecting classroom concepts with the ingenuity that designed, built, and operated one of America’s most iconic ships.
Ethos of Preservation
Preserving a historic ship is more complicated than simply keeping it from rusting. The Battleship IOWA team discusses how restoration, maintenance, modern building needs and historic authenticity come together when caring for a massive industrial artifact that must continue functioning every day.
STEM Lesson: Sound, Sonar, and Underwater Detection
Battleship IOWA Lesson Plan: Sound, Sonar, and Underwater Detection Recommended grade range: Grades 5-8, adaptable for older studentsTime: 60-90 minutes for a condensed lesson, or 2-3 class periods if completing several activitiesSubject areas: STEM, Physical Science, Maritime Science, EngineeringTheme: How sailors use sound to understand an environment they cannot see Lesson Overview The ocean presents a major challenge: humans cannot see very far underwater, but sound can travel long...
STEM Lesson: Battleship IOWA Oil and Water Lab Tour
Inside the Battleship IOWA Oil and Water Laboratory: How Sailors Monitored a Battleship's Engineering Systems How did sailors aboard the Battleship IOWA monitor the oil and water needed to operate one of the U.S. Navy's most powerful battleships? In this behind-the-scenes tour, Battleship IOWA crew member Don takes viewers inside the ship's Oil and Water Laboratory, located on the third deck just off Broadway—the longest passageway aboard the ship. The laboratory played an important role in...
STEM Lesson: Knots, Bends, and Hitches
What is the difference between a knot, a bend, and a hitch? For sailors, knowing how to properly handle and secure a line is a fundamental seamanship skill that has been used aboard ships for generations.
Limited time only beginning on September 5, 2026!
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.