USS Missouri and USS Bowfin: Pearl Harbor's other two ships

Two more ships, two more tickets, two different organizations

Most people arrive at Pearl Harbor knowing about the free USS Arizona Memorial and stop planning there. That leaves two of the site’s best attractions as an afterthought: the battleship USS Missouri, where the Japanese surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, and the submarine USS Bowfin, a World War II fleet boat you can walk through top to bottom. Neither is part of the National Park Service’s free memorial program.

Both ships sit within the Pearl Harbor memorial complex on Oahu’s leeward shore, but each is operated by its own nonprofit, sells its own ticket, and runs on its own visit format. Treating them as one combined “Pearl Harbor ticket” is the single most common mix-up visitors make, and it is worth untangling before you book anything. For how these two sites fit into the full Pearl Harbor day alongside the Arizona Memorial and the aviation museum, start with the full Pearl Harbor day guide; for the free memorial’s own reservation process, see the USS Arizona Memorial ticket guide.

This guide covers what each ship actually costs, how long you should plan for each one, what a combination ticket does and does not include, and how you physically get to the Missouri, which is the one part of the day that surprises people who assumed everything at Pearl Harbor is within walking distance.

The core distinction to keep straight

	USS Arizona Memorial	USS Missouri	USS Bowfin
Operator	National Park Service	USS Missouri Memorial Association (nonprofit)	Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (nonprofit)
Cost	Free (about 1 USD reservation fee via recreation.gov)	Paid, tiered ticket	Paid, tiered ticket
Typical visit length	75 minutes total, including the film	1 to 2 hours for a full self-guided or guided visit	45 minutes to 1 hour
Location	Visitor center, then Navy shuttle boat	Ford Island, reached by dedicated bus shuttle	At the visitor center’s edge, walk-in
Access style	Timed entry, film plus boat	Self-guided with audio tour, or guided tours at extra cost	Self-guided walk-through with audio guide

Verify all figures against ussmissouri.org and bowfin.org before you travel; both organizations adjust pricing and tour formats periodically, and neither publishes numbers this guide should repeat as fixed.

USS Missouri: where the war ended

The Missouri is a full-size Iowa-class battleship moored on Ford Island, across the harbor from the main visitor center. It fought in the closing battles of World War II and later in Korea and the Gulf War, but its defining moment happened at anchor in Tokyo Bay: the instrument of Japanese surrender was signed on its deck on September 2, 1945, closing the war that had opened at this same harbor less than four years earlier. Standing on the “Surrender Deck” with the Arizona Memorial visible across the water, marking the war’s beginning, is the reason most people put the Missouri at the top of their Pearl Harbor add-on list.

What the ticket buys. A standard admission covers a self-guided route through the deck areas, the bridge, and a portion of the interior, typically with an audio guide included or offered as an add-on. Guided options, including a “Explorer’s Tour” style walkthrough of areas not open to general visitors, cost more and run on a separate schedule. Because the ship is large, plan on genuinely spending the time: a visitor who wants to see the deck, the surrender site, the bridge, and part of the below-decks area should budget one to two hours, not a quick 20-minute photo stop.

Who it suits. Anyone with an interest in naval history or World War II gets real depth here that the Arizona Memorial’s shorter, more solemn program does not attempt to provide. Families with children who want to walk a genuine battleship deck, look into gun turrets, and stand on the bridge tend to enjoy it more than any other single stop at Pearl Harbor. It is also the most physically comfortable of the three paid and free sites: wide decks, mostly flat routes, with only limited stair sections if you choose to skip the interior spaces.

USS Bowfin: a submarine you actually board

The Bowfin is a Balao-class fleet submarine that completed nine war patrols in the Pacific and sank enemy shipping throughout 1943 to 1945; it survives today essentially as launched, moored at the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum grounds a short walk from the visitor center. Unlike the Missouri, there is no shuttle involved: the museum and the sub sit right at the edge of the main Pearl Harbor complex, making it the easiest of the two paid ships to slot into a tight schedule.

What the ticket buys. Admission includes a self-guided walk through the submarine’s compartments, torpedo rooms, and control spaces, generally with an audio guide, plus access to the adjoining museum exhibits and outdoor displays, which include a Japanese kaiten manned torpedo and a Poseidon missile. The submarine itself is compact and the route is linear, so most visitors move through it in 45 minutes to an hour, faster than the Missouri simply because there is less ship to cover.

Who it suits. The Bowfin rewards visitors curious about what submarine service actually looked like: cramped bunks stacked next to torpedoes, a single narrow passage running the length of the boat, hatches you climb through rather than doorways you walk through. It is a tighter, more physical experience than the Missouri, with steep ladders and low clearances, and it is worth checking the minimum height requirement for children before buying tickets, since younger kids are sometimes restricted from boarding for safety.

Combination tickets with the Pacific Aviation Museum

Both the Missouri and the Bowfin sell bundled packages that add on the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which covers the air side of the December 7, 1941 attack and later Pacific air combat across two historic hangars. These multi-attraction passes are usually priced below buying each ticket separately, but the discount and the exact combination on offer changes, so treat any specific percentage as unverified until you check the current options on ussmissouri.org or bowfin.org at booking time. If you are weighing whether the aviation museum earns a place in your day at all, decide that separately from the Missouri-versus-Bowfin question; it is a third, distinct ticket with its own hours.

Neither combo includes the USS Arizona Memorial reservation, which stays a separate, free booking through recreation.gov regardless of what else you buy.

Getting to the USS Missouri: the shuttle bus, not a walk

This is the detail that trips up the most visitors. The Bowfin sits right at the main Pearl Harbor visitor center complex, so reaching it is a short walk. The Missouri does not: it is moored on Ford Island, across the water, connected to the mainland side by the Admiral Clarey Bridge. Missouri ticket holders board a dedicated shuttle bus, boarding near the visitor center, that crosses the bridge onto the island and drops passengers at the ship. This shuttle is entirely separate from the Navy boat that carries USS Arizona Memorial visitors out to the memorial platform; the two use different lines, different waiting areas, and different tickets.

Build the shuttle wait and ride into your time estimate, particularly at midday when lines run longer, and confirm current shuttle departure points at ussmissouri.org before your visit, since boarding locations have shifted in the past. If you are coming from Waikiki without a rental car, the Pearl Harbor from Waikiki transport guide covers the options for the trip out, none of which get you onto Ford Island directly; that last leg is always the Missouri’s own shuttle.

Sequencing a Pearl Harbor day with both ships

A realistic full day that includes the free memorial and both paid ships runs four to six hours once you account for security screening, the bag check (Pearl Harbor enforces a strict no-bag policy across the whole complex), shuttle waits, and the visit time at each stop. A workable order:

1. Arrive early and go straight to your timed USS Arizona Memorial entry, since that slot is fixed and everything else can flex around it.
2. Walk to the Bowfin next, since it sits closest to the visitor center and takes the least time.
3. Cross by shuttle to the USS Missouri, budgeting the longest single block of the day here.
4. Add the Pacific Aviation Museum if your schedule and combo ticket allow it, or save it for a return visit.

For families managing this pace with young children, the guide to Pearl Harbor with kids has more detail on realistic timing and rest breaks. If you only have a half day rather than a full one, the half-day versus full-day comparison walks through which of these four stops to cut first; the Missouri, as the longest single visit, is usually the one to skip on a half-day itinerary, not the Arizona Memorial or the Bowfin. For the full logistics of the day, including parking, the bag policy, and hours, the Pearl Harbor tours guide is the hub guide this page defers to. A one-day plan that fits Pearl Harbor alongside other Honolulu stops is in the one-day Pearl Harbor and Honolulu itinerary, and first-time visitors deciding how much of their trip to give Pearl Harbor at all should check the first-time Oahu planning guide and how many days on Oahu.

Doing it as a guided tour instead

Visitors who would rather not manage two separate ticket purchases, a shuttle schedule, and the Arizona Memorial reservation window on their own can book a guided small-group tour that handles the reservation logistics and narrates the history on-site. A guide typically adds context you would not get from a self-guided audio track alone, particularly around the Missouri’s surrender deck and the strategic picture of the attack.

The private Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona tour covers the memorial with a dedicated guide and more flexible pacing than a large group tour, while the small-group World War Two history tour of Pearl Harbor is built for visitors who want deeper historical framing across the whole site, including the Missouri and Bowfin, rather than the memorial alone. Confirm directly with the tour operator which paid sites, if any, are included in the tour price versus paid on entry, since inclusions vary by departure.

If your day also includes an evening plan, pairing Pearl Harbor with a Polynesian Cultural Center visit or a luau lets you use the whole day productively rather than returning to Waikiki mid-afternoon with nothing booked. The combined Polynesian Cultural Center and Pearl Harbor day tour packages a Pearl Harbor morning with an evening luau program at Laie, on the North Shore side of the island; more detail on that combination is in the Polynesian Cultural Center guide. Travelers looking for an Oahu-based luau closer to town rather than a full North Shore evening can also compare the Mauka Warriors luau for a shorter drive back to Waikiki after a full Pearl Harbor day. For a broader comparison of luau options across the island, see the best luaus on Oahu guide.

What to book, and when

Reserve the free USS Arizona Memorial slot first: it opens eight weeks ahead and is the one piece of the day with a hard, unmovable time. The Missouri and Bowfin tickets do not require the same lead time and can usually be bought closer to your visit date, including at the gate, though buying online ahead avoids a wasted trip if a tour or time slot sells out on a busy day. For a general sense of what across Oahu is worth reserving ahead of arrival versus what can wait, see the booking-ahead guide. Check the official sites, ussmissouri.org and bowfin.org, for current hours; both ships typically close on the same limited set of federal holidays as the rest of the Pearl Harbor complex.

Frequently asked questions about USS Missouri and USS Bowfin tickets

Are the USS Missouri and USS Bowfin included with the free USS Arizona Memorial?

No. The USS Arizona Memorial program is free through the National Park Service, but the USS Missouri and the USS Bowfin submarine are run by separate nonprofit organizations and each sells its own paid ticket. Budget one to two hours for the Missouri and 45 minutes to an hour for the Bowfin, on top of your Arizona Memorial time.

How much do USS Missouri and USS Bowfin tickets cost?

Both sell tiered adult tickets, typically in the 30 to 45 USD range for a self-guided or standard tour and more for a guided or behind-the-scenes add-on, plus a lower child rate. Prices change and neither is included in the other, so check ussmissouri.org and bowfin.org directly before you go.

Do I need a separate ticket for the Bowfin submarine and the Bowfin Park museum?

The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum grounds and memorial are typically free to walk, but boarding the submarine itself requires a paid ticket. Children under a certain height are not permitted inside the sub for safety reasons, so check the minimum height before you buy.

How do I get from the Pearl Harbor visitor center to the USS Missouri?

The Missouri sits on Ford Island, across the harbor from the visitor center. Missouri ticket holders board a dedicated shuttle bus that crosses the Admiral Clarey Bridge; it is not a walk-up site and it is not the same shuttle used for the USS Arizona Memorial.

Is there a combination ticket with the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum?

Both the Missouri and the Bowfin sell multi-attraction packages that bundle in the Pacific Aviation Museum at various tiers, sometimes at a discount over buying separately. These bundles change over time, so compare the current combo pricing on each site’s own ticket page rather than assuming a fixed discount.

Can I visit the USS Missouri and USS Bowfin in the same day as the USS Arizona Memorial?

Yes, and most visitors who want naval history in depth do all three plus the aviation museum in one long visit, generally four to six hours in total. See the Pearl Harbor tours guide for how to sequence the full day.

Which ship is better for kids: the USS Missouri or the USS Bowfin?

Both work well for curious children old enough to walk a ship’s deck and climb steep interior stairs or submarine hatches. The Bowfin is more physically demanding in tight spaces; the Missouri is larger and more open on deck but involves more walking overall.