USS Arizona Memorial Monument

Overwater memorial honoring 1941 battleship casualties at Pearl Harbor

The USS Arizona Memorial spans the sunken battleship at Pearl Harbor; visitors take a Navy ferry, view commemorative plaques and tour the adjacent museum documenting the December 1941 attack.

Main image

USS Arizona Memorial at a Glance#

Address: USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor National Memorial, 1 Arizona Memorial Pl, Honolulu, HI 96818, USA

Website: https://www.nps.gov/valr

Hours: Daily (visitor center hours vary); check official site for schedule and boat departures

Admission: Memorial access: timed tickets are free; reserve in advance via official site

About USS Arizona Memorial#

The USS Arizona Memorial is a white memorial structure that spans the sunken hull of the battleship USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu, Hawaii. It commemorates the sailors and Marines who lost their lives when the ship exploded and sank during the surprise attack on December 7, 1941.

The memorial is reached by a short boat shuttle that departs the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center; the Visitor Center includes exhibits, interpretive displays and a documentary that provides context for the attack and its consequences. The memorial structure allows visitors to look down at the submerged wreck and view the inscribed names of the dead.

The Arizona remains entombed beneath the memorial and oil from the ship can still be seen at the surface in small amounts. The site is part of the larger Pearl Harbor National Memorial and is managed as a solemn, commemorative place with interpretive programs and preservation work.

The memorial is located at Pearl Harbor on Oʻahu, within the urban Honolulu area and adjacent to Ford Island and other historic sites preserved as part of the national memorial complex.

  • Casualties aboard the Arizona: The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941; 1,177 crew members aboard USS Arizona were killed when the ship exploded and sank.
  • Visitor access: Access to the memorial is by boat shuttle from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, and timed tickets or reservations are commonly required due to visitor volumes.

What to See#

  • Arizona Memorial: The USS Arizona Memorial structure, built above the sunken hull and allowing visitors to view the wreck and the names of the sailors and Marines who died aboard.
  • Visitor Center: Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, which provides exhibits, a short documentary film and ticketing for boat shuttle access to the memorial.
  • Adjacent memorial sites: Nearby historic ships and sites within the Pearl Harbor National Memorial complex, including moored museum ships and the Battleship Missouri on Ford Island and nearby berths.

How to Get to USS Arizona Memorial#

The USS Arizona Memorial is at Pearl Harbor on Oʻahu, about 8-10 miles (≈13-16 km) west of downtown Honolulu. Drive west on Nimitz Highway (HI‑99) or H‑1 and follow signs to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial/Visitor Center; the drive from Waikīkī/Honolulu is typically 20-30 minutes depending on traffic. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center has parking and a short walk to the memorial embarkation area; many visitors also join organized tours or use TheBus/public shuttles that serve the Pearl Harbor area-check schedules and the National Park Service ticketing requirements before you go.

Tips for Visiting USS Arizona Memorial#

  • Obtain the free timed-entry boat ticket for the USS Arizona Memorial from the National Park Service website or arrive at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center early to secure a same-day slot-the boat runs fill quickly.
  • If boat reservations are sold out, spend time in the Visitor Center museum and exhibits first; you can still get the full historical context even if you miss the memorial boat that day.
  • Plan to arrive at least an hour before your assigned boat time to pass through security screening and to see other Pearl Harbor sites nearby-many visitors underestimate the time needed for tickets, screening, and the short but popular memorial boat ride.

Best Time to Visit USS Arizona Memorial#

The USS Arizona Memorial is accessible year‑round; visit in the drier months (Apr-Oct) or early in the day to avoid heavier visitor traffic.

Drier season
April-October · 24-30°C (75-86°F)
Warmer, drier weather-popular time to visit with steady visitor numbers; mornings tend to be less crowded than midday.
Wetter season
November-March · 23-29°C (73-84°F)
Slightly wetter months with warm temperatures year‑round; weekdays and early mornings typically see fewer visitors at the memorial.

Weather & Climate near USS Arizona Memorial#

Climate

USS Arizona Memorial's climate is classified as Hot Semi-Arid - Hot Semi-Arid climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Temperatures range from 18°C to 31°C. Moderate rainfall (803 mm/year).

Air Quality: AQI 17 Good
Best Time to Visit
MayAugustJune
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
31°
Warmest Month
18°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Excellent 18° - 27° 23° 116 mm some cloud 75% 4.2 m/s 1.3 high 10.9h
February Excellent 18° - 27° 23° 67 mm partly cloudy 75% 4.3 m/s 1.6 very high 11.3h
March Excellent 19° - 28° 23° 59 mm partly cloudy 75% 4.8 m/s 1.9 very high 11.9h
April Excellent 20° - 28° 24° 57 mm partly cloudy 75% 4.8 m/s 2.2 extreme 12.5h
May Ideal 21° - 29° 25° 43 mm some cloud 74% 4.6 m/s 2.4 extreme 13.0h
June Excellent 22° - 30° 26° 53 mm some cloud 74% 4.8 m/s 2.6 extreme 13.3h
July Excellent 23° - 31° 27° 46 mm some cloud 74% 5.0 m/s 2.7 extreme 13.2h
August Ideal 23° - 31° 29° 42 mm some cloud 74% 4.8 m/s 2.6 extreme 12.7h
September Excellent 23° - 31° 27° 57 mm some cloud 74% 4.3 m/s 2.3 extreme 12.2h
October Excellent 22° - 30° 26° 90 mm partly cloudy 75% 4.3 m/s 1.8 very high 11.5h
November Excellent 21° - 29° 25° 72 mm partly cloudy 76% 4.4 m/s 1.3 high 11.0h
December Excellent 20° - 28° 24° 101 mm partly cloudy 77% 4.2 m/s 1.1 high 10.7h

Nearby Attractions to USS Arizona Memorial#