Waterfront Event Venue
Battleship USS IOWA Museum is a waterfront venue at the Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro – near Long Beach). We’re ready to host you and your guests for your memorable special event, meeting, picnic, party, or outing.
Celebrate on her storied decks, enjoy the quiet shade of the fantail or the awe-inspiring view of the foc’sle, or in more intimate locations, including our verandas, Captain’s Cabin, and stately indoor officers’ spaces. If you have an idea, we have an option to cover it, including:
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- Special Events
- Corporate Events & Meetings
- Weddings & Receptions
- School Events & Proms
- Family & Class Reunions
- Team & Leadership Building
- Birthdays & Bar Mitzvahs
- Private & Company Picnics
- Festivals & Concerts
- Custom Events
- Military Ceremonies
Groups of all sizes are easily accommodated onboard or adjacent to the Battleship IOWA. Your guests will long savor the memories and experiences they create with you aboard the Battleship of Presidents. Best of all, your event helps preserve the legacy of the Battleship IOWA and the Surface Navy.
Whatever the occasion, we have the perfect space for your event. Book your event today or inquire for more information.
Contact Us
Pacific Battleship Center
250 South Harbor Blvd
San Pedro, CA 90731
877.446.9261 ext. 724
events@labattleship.com
Location:
The Port of Los Angeles
Battleship IOWA is located on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles, the Western Hemisphere’s busiest port complex. Moored against the backdrop of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, the ship offers stunning views of the main channel and ships passing throughout the day.
Conveniently situated between Los Angeles and Orange County, IOWA is a perfect venue to ‘wow’ your guests.
- 7 miles from Long Beach Convention Center
- 25 miles from Downtown Los Angeles
- 21 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- 30 miles from Disneyland
Options
In-House Rentals
72″ round tables, cocktail tables, folding chairs, folding chair covers, expanded stage, expanded audio / visual including a LED wall, media multi-box, and more.
Catering
Our onboard Vicky’s Cafe provides catering options for small to mid level events including breakfast, lunch, reception, and dinner. We also have our beer & wine license, allowing us to provide beverage service for your event.
Download the Vicky’s Cafe catering menu.
Battleship IOWA is an exclusive Pepsi property for soft drinks.
VIP Tours
There are many areas of Battleship IOWA not yet open to public tours. Among these are engineering spaces, senior officer’s wardrooms, sick bay and the post office. Special VIP tours can be arranged for your special event guests. Please inform IOWA in advance if you desire a VIP tour.
Exclusive Tour Guides
Bring Battleship IOWA alive for your special event guest by reserving an Exclusive Tour Guide. Many of IOWA’s Tour Guides are US Navy veterans, and their personal insights will create a unique experience for your guests.
Ship’s Store
When Battleship IOWA was an active Navy vessel, this was the spot for sailors to buy official IOWA stationery for letters home, IOWA ball caps, and new dungarees. Today’s IOWA ship store is an exciting source for all things IOWA! You can arrange a gift package for your special guest from among the many affordable sourvenirs stocked in the ship’s store. With advance notice, IOWA will extend the store hours for your evening special event guests.
Filming on the IOWA
Battleship IOWA is perfect for television, movies, news segments, and independent films. The ship has played herself in historic documentaries, a modern ship in TV shows, a submarine in movies, and landing zone for special operations.
There are many decks and compartments that represent from World War II to a modern day warship. The ship has been a submarine, destroyer, cruiser, aircraft carrier, and even a merchant ship. Complete compartments include mess decks, gunnery, engineering spaces, hospital, sleeping areas, combat areas, senior officers’ cabins, helicopter deck, captain’s cabin, bridge, and more.
Call 877-446-9261 ext. 3 or email filming@labattleship.com to schedule a location visit.
Filming Department
877-446-9261 ext. 703
filming@labattleship.com
Additional
Information
Public Events
Contacts
Venue Rental: 877-446-9261 ext. 724 events@labattleship.com
Filming: 877-446-9261 ext. 703 filming@labattleship.com
THE FANTAIL
Think of the fantail as IOWA’s back porch: a large open space with 360-degree views of the ship, Vincent Thomas Bridge, LA Harbor, Palos Verdes, and San Pedro. Featuring full tent coverage, the fantail is the most popular venue on the ship and one of the more unique outdoor venues in the city.
It offers great flexibility and easy access from the dock. There is room for a band or DJ, a dance floor, and plenty of capacity for seating and food service on the expansive deck.
The lights of the city and cooler night air make this a great choice as a wedding venue or one of the most unforgettable prom locations Los Angeles has to offer.
Options available for this space:
- Full tent covering (60 x 50)
- Lighting
- Stage
- Basic audio
- Room for up to 24 tables with 240 white folding chairs
- LED wall
- Heaters
- Cocktail tables
- Podium
Additional enhancements and variations are possible. Please contact our team for details.
WARDROOM
The most formal setting for crew dining, the Wardroom was where generations of junior officers were served by white-clad orderlies.
Your special event guests will long remember the spacious and open atmosphere of IOWA’s Wardroom. Easy sightlines accommodate speaking programs and award presentations against the backdrop of nautical decorations and large portholes with heavy brass fittings.
The Wardroom has a fixed seating arrangement, projector, screen located for easy visibility, and basic audio. Additional TVs can be added for a fee.
THE CAPTAIN’S CABIN
Battleship IOWA’s most exclusive special event venue served as the in-port Captain’s Cabin for the ship’s three tours of duty.
The historical significance of this amazing space will leave a deep impression on those who attend your event. The cabin is a striking artifact of IOWA’s unique role in American history.
This venue immediately adjoins the president’s berthing space. Your guests will sip their cocktails at the table where FDR approved D-Day plans and relax in the lounge space where the president and his five-star military chiefs watched movies after dining. The Captain’s Cabin directly connects your special event guests with some of America’s most influential figures.
This space comes with fixed seating arrangement and couches in a lounge area. For an additional fee, you can add basic audio and television.
THE VERANDAS – The Admiral’s Veranda and Captain’s Veranda
Located on the first levels above our main deck, these verandas, one on port and one on starboard, were the spots from which FDR and his War Cabinet took in the sea air while sailing to the Tehran Conference in 1943. They feature wooden deck planks, porthole exterior backdrops for a nautical theme, and railings overlooking IOWA’s massive 16″ guns.
This historic area provides an exclusive “upper deck” site – a comfortable, yet stately setting for midsize to smaller groups. The stunning views of the harbor are a perfect backdrop to enhance the atmosphere for an elegant, special night.
IOWA’S DOCKSIDE PLAZA
Battleship IOWA’s starboard profile raises a dramatic backdrop for this outdoor location. Your guests will relax in an expansive, casual setting that is ideal for barbeques, small festivals, and other midsize to large group gatherings.
Dockside events are perfect for family-friendly events, and the sunsets over Palos Verdes are striking!
THE BOW or “FOC’S’LE”
Since before the days of Admiral Nelson’s Royal Navy gunboats, the fo’c’s’le or forecastle, pronounced “fohk-suhl,” has been the area was where the ship’s company would muster – and in early times, where the crew would bunk down at sea.
Aboard IOWA, the foc’s’le is an open-air venue unique among event spaces. Anchor chains and windlasses line the forward deck, and the turrets of her mighty main guns loom behind you. The forward decks slope gracefully downward from the bow, affording guests their best view of her imposing superstructure.
Mid-size receptions are ideal in this extraordinary, visually striking venue.
CPO LOUNGE & MESS
The Chief Petty Officer (CPO) occupies a storied and highly-respected position in Navy hierarchy and custom. These natural leaders of the enlisted crew were salty, experienced, and knowledgeable.
Veterans and guests of military-themed events will feel right at home – even though this space was hallowed and off limits to all but the tight fraternity of Navy Chiefs.
Your guests will settle comfortably in this “club” atmosphere, perfect for small to mid-size gatherings.
CREW’S MESS DECKS
Your special event guest can “grab some chow” at the same tables as did generations of Battleship IOWA sailors! This ruggedly attractive venue is evocative of chowtime for IOWA shipmates, after-hours “scuttlebutt,” or poker games.
Dozens of tables and generous interior space gives your special event flexibility for casual dining, breakout groups, and fun gathering spots. Adjoining kitchen and cafeteria-style serving lines adds convenience for your catered event.
This space comes with a fixed seating arrangements and is best for intimate groups.
