They once ruled the waves, those battleships of the United States Navy—monuments to brute force that could sway wars and extend American influence to the farthest reaches of the earth. Now, they have exchanged cannons for tourist excursions. Converted into museum ships, they allow people to walk upon their decks, peer down the barrels of mighty guns, and enter the sphere of sailors who sailed upon them. But they’re more than museum pieces—they’re classrooms, memorials, and community icons.
Here’s a countdown tour—beginning with number ten—of some of the most historic battleship museums you can see in the U.S.
10. USS Utah
USS Utah’s history is half service and half sacrifice. This pre-World War I dreadnought saw action in the Great War and was moored in Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. Hit by Japanese torpedoes, she rolled over and sank, where she came to rest. Today, she’s a somber memorial in the harbor, a lasting reminder of how even the greatest warships are subject to surprise attack.
9. USS Iowa
The U.S.’s last battleship, the USS Iowa, is moored in Los Angeles. She differs from her Iowa-class siblings in that she spent World War II in the Atlantic. Now a museum ship for the Pacific Battleship Center, the Iowa provides much more than a strolling tour—people may climb into gun turrets, listen to tales of her men, and even learn about Vicky the Dog, the wartime mascot of the ship. Her caretakers put it best: “We’re not just preserving history. We’re building a more connected, resilient, and inspired nation.”
8. USS North Carolina
Commissioned on the eve of America’s entry into WWII, USS North Carolina was a design giant. Although she arrived too late for Pearl Harbor, she was instrumental in Pacific operations. Berthed in Wilmington, North Carolina, she displays the innovation and rapidity that made her a dominant component of carrier task forces. Walking her decks is a look into the high-level decisions her commanders once made.
7. USS New Jersey
Stored in Camden, New Jersey, the USS New Jersey—a fellow Iowa-class ship—was among the most armed ships of her era. While frequently held in reserve due to the costs of operation, when called out, she administered debilitating shore bombardments in several conflicts. Her exhibits today provide visitors with a look into both WWII naval warfare and the Cold War era, when battleships were still representative of American power.
6. USS Arizona
Few memorials bear the same emotional burden as the USS Arizona. Lost at Pearl Harbor with 1,177 on board, she lies under the waters of Hawaii both as a tomb and a site of remembrance. A visit to the memorial is a somber reminder of war’s cost in human life and the catastrophic price of being unready.
5. USS Massachusetts
The USS Massachusetts battled from North Africa to the Pacific, earning a distinction as one of the most combat-hardened ships of WWII. Located now within Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, she’s among the most open and accessible battleships open to visitors, providing a glimpse into everything from ammunition storage to the ship’s bridge. Boarding is akin to walking back in time onto a ship still prepared for war.
4. USS Alabama
Based in Mobile, Alabama, this South Dakota-class battleship served in both the Atlantic and Pacific. She provided crucial anti-aircraft protection and delivered shredding bombardments. Now a museum, she allows visitors to feel the magnitude and intricacy of battleship operations, exposing the cooperation needed to maintain such a huge war machine operational.
3. USS Missouri
Famous as the “Mighty Mo,” the USS Missouri is renowned as the place of Japan’s official surrender in 1945. Now she’s a prominent military tourist attraction in Honolulu, Hawaii, her decks having hosted world leaders, vets, and millions of tourists. She’s a strong symbol of both victory and reconciliation at the end of WWII.
2. USS Wisconsin
With her marginally greater hull due to a bow replacement, the USS Wisconsin is the biggest of the Iowa-class vessels. She operated in both WWII and Korea, and now sits in Norfolk, Virginia, close to the world’s largest naval base. Her imposing 16-inch guns and vast decks show how much naval firepower had progressed before aircraft carriers became the Navy’s showpiece.
1. USS Texas
The crown jewel of old battleships, the USS Texas, is the oldest of any to have survived and the only one to have been used in both World Wars. She’s the last dreadnought, a turning point in shipbuilding. In dry dock now to be repaired, she gives special tours allowing visitors to view her restoration firsthand. Her survival is a testament that keeping history alive is as much an investment in the future as the past.
These vessels are not mere cold steel—they’re pages in America’s seafaring history. They each have lessons to teach about strategy, sacrifice, and ingenuity. Standing on their decks, one can’t help but ask: What was it like to have such power at sea? How did these ships alter history? And what do they still have to tell us today?
