Pearl Harbor Center

NPS photo

Interpretive Programs

Interpretive programs are incorporated into the visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. Upon entering the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, visitors may obtain a free ticket for their timed USS Arizona Memorial program. While waiting for their tours to begin, visitors may explore the bookstore, exhibit galleries, wayside exhibits, or simply relax and enjoy the setting of Pearl Harbor.

The 75-minute program for the USS Arizona Memorial begins at the theater. It includes a brief introduction, a 23-minute documentary film, a Navy-operated shuttle boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, and time to experience the Memorial itself.

Note: There are no public restroom facilities on the Memorial.

Within the Memorial itself, visitors will see three distinct areas:

1. The Entry Room
2. The Assembly Room is an open area where ceremonies are held and visitors may reflect and more closely examine the remains of the USS Arizona below.
3. The Shrine Room holds the great marble wall with the names of the 1, 177 Sailors and Marines who perished on the USS Arizona. The Shrine Room also honors the USS Arizona Survivors who have chosen to be interred along with their shipmates.

During busy seasons (summer, winter holidays, and spring break), visitors can expect up to a three-hour delay for their program to begin. It is important to arrive early to be sure to obtain a program ticket. Each program has a capacity of 150 people, and programs typically run every 15 minutes, with the first starting at 7:30 a.m. and the last starting at 3:00 p.m.