The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Photo by Star-Advertiser.
This article was originally published on Sept. 26, 2016, and was updated Sept. 21, 2025.
The USS Arizona Memorial is Hawaiʻi’s most-visited landmark, and it’s one you don’t want to miss.
Related: Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Pearl Harbor
Located within Pearl Harbor, just west of Oʻahu’s main city of Honolulu, is the official headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and where you will find the USS Arizona battleship – one of seven battleships tied up along “Battleship Row.”
The USS Arizona was onsite at the southeast shore of Ford Island when the first wave of Japanese fighter jets began their infamous attack on December 7, 1941. After suffering a devastating hit and exploding at approximately 8:10 a.m. that day, the battleship sank — along with some 1,177 of her crew — within a mere nine minutes.
Arizona Memorial: Hawaiʻi’s Most Popular Attraction
Aptly named the USS Arizona Memorial and widely recognized as the state’s most popular tourist attraction, the Memorial welcomes more than 1.5 million people per year. This vast amount of visitors is not surprising, as it is the ideal place to pay respects and learn all about the rich and storied history of Hawaiʻi’s Pearl Harbor attack.
The Memorial was recognized with national honors as a National Park on Memorial Day in 1962.
Take A Walk Through History
While visiting the Memorial, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about one of the most important and pivotal moments in American history that prompted the U.S.’s entry into World War II.
Serving to preserve and honor the individuals and personal stories of this Pacific War, the historical site comprehensively documents — via rare memorabilia, photographs, documents and other mixed media — the time period spanning this integral era of U.S. history.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center complex features two exhibit galleries, outdoor exhibits, an audio tour, a theater, and a bookstore, as well as nearby access to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pacific Aviation Museum.
We Still Remember
During your visit, you’ll have the chance to honor and learn about those who served and sacrificed their lives at Pearl Harbor, both military members and civilians.
Also represented are fascinating and illuminating personal accounts of the individuals who survived the attack.
Learn how to get free tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial here.
