Read along to learn about the process and importance of buying Pearl Harbor Museum tickets in advance.
Pearl Harbor is the number one visitor destination in Hawaii for a reason: what happened here has incredible historical significance.
When Japan bombed the battleships stationed at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941, America’s response would change the world forever. So, it’s not surprising that about 1.8 million visitors come here every year from around the world.
With so many visitors, you want to make sure you get your Pearl Harbor tickets in advance. And, it may be in your best interest to consider booking your tickets through a tour company like Hawaii Aloha Travel, which also provides specialty tours at Pearl Harbor.
What is Included in the Pearl Harbor Museum Tickets?
The Pearl Harbor site is home to several museums and memorials. The one that most visitors want to see is the USS Arizona Memorial, which includes a video presentation and a boat ride to the site of the wrecked ship.
Other attractions include the Visitor’s Center, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and the USS Bowfin.
If you’re still confused about Pearl Harbor’s different areas and museum tickets, you’re not alone!! Listen to this Podcast about Pearl Harbor for more information.
How Much Do Pearl Harbor Tickets Cost?
It’s free to visit the Visitor’s Center and the USS Arizona Memorial, except you do need to pay a $1 reservation fee when you book them online.
The other attractions and museums have separate fees, and you’ll book those separately (unless you’re booking with a travel agent like us who can handle everything together for you).
How to Book Your Tickets to Pearl Harbor
You cannot buy passes to the USS Arizona Memorial (the main part of the Pearl Harbor site) in person. You must get them in advance online. OR, you can book them through Hawaii Aloha Travel, which will help simplify the entire process.
Here are the three options to get tickets.
1. Reserve a Ticket Online 8 Weeks in Advance
Eight weeks before your planned day at the Pearl Harbor museum and memorial, you’ll want to head over to www.recreation.gov to purchase your tickets. Some days get booked up fast, so you’ll want to mark your calendar to remember to buy your passes.
2. Reserve a Ticket the Day Before
If you didn’t get a pass when the booking window opened up, there may still be hope for you. Log onto the website at 3 PM the day before you want to visit the Pearl Harbor Museum. They offer a few tickets for the following day, so it’s worth trying your luck and seeing if you can get a last-minute (well, day-before) reservation. Of course, on dates when tickets don’t get booked up, you can try to reserve them any time between that one-day and eight-week window.
3. Book a Tour Through Hawaii Aloha Travel:
Because the National Park Service reserves a certain amount of tickets for reputable tour companies, like Hawaii Aloha Travel, booking a tour may be your best bet.
By booking a tour through the company, you can make the most of your day and not worry about buying tickets at all.
Various tours will allow you to see the USS Arizona Memorial and various Pearl Harbor sites. Or, join an even more encompassing tour to see more of Oahu, like downtown Honolulu.
What to Expect at Pearl Harbor
Tickets for the Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial grant you access to their timed programs, which run every fifteen minutes throughout most of the day.
The program starts in our theater with a 23-minute documentary about the Pearl Harbor attack. After the film, visitors board a U.S. Navy boat for a 15-minute ride to the USS Arizona Memorial. You’ll have about 20 minutes to spend at the memorial before your boat ride back. Altogether, each program takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Although they don’t receive as much fanfare as the USS Arizona Memorial, you may want to reserve time to visit the USS Missouri and the USS Bowfin submarine, both of which also hold historical significance for their roles in World War II.
And don’t forget to check out the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which features aviation exhibits significant to the Pacific realm.
No matter which path you take to secure your Pearl Harbor tickets, visiting here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So plan in advance, or try your luck at day-before tickets. Either way, if you make it out to this historical landmark, you’re sure to be immersed in this incredible story and the heroes who lived through it.
