Battleship USS Iowa Museum Tickets San Pedro, CA

My husband and I took the Presidents Tour aboard the battleship USS Iowa BB61 on Sunday, July 6, 2025. We were privileged to have as our guide, "Battleship Larry" who was so knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the workings and stories of this impressive ship. We are both WWII babies and it was amazing to see the technology that went into this ship a generation ago.

We pre-booked the Presidents room tour and we were the only two participants. We received lots of information about the history of the ship and the presidential visits. Our guided was happy to answer questions about the ship and her sister ships. The Iowa and the Missouri are almost identical. The guide’s information saved us from making a trip to the Missouri in Hawaii.

The Battleship USS Iowa is located at the Los Angeles shipping port of San Pedro and is not far from LAX airport. Known as the “Battleship of Presidents,” it was outfitted with a bathtub when Franklin Roosevelt sailed to Tehran for a conference with fellow allies (Churchill and Stalin) to strategize and coordinate the allied effort against Nazi Germany, particularly planning a second front in Europe known as Operation Overlord – invasion of France. It was later used again during the Bush administration and also sailed into NY Harbor on Independence Day, 1986. Now docked as a floating museum, walking the decks, gangways and passageways below was exceedingly interesting. Battleships ruled the seas from the early 1900s thru WWII when they were eclipsed by aircraft carriers.

Great overall experience. I was initially welcomed by a team of volunteers as it was opening time of the museum. I was made to feel very welcome and offered lots of advice for my visit to the museum and how to best see and use my time. I was then met by my tour guide Dale, as it was off season it was quieter than usual and just two of us on this particular guided tour. This then led to one of the most informative, and immersive experiences I’ve had at this type of museum. Dale was full of information, and most of all passion for the museum and what it represented. It was the best way to spend my last day in LA. I’d certainly revisit both on my own or with friends!

I returned to the Iowa after my last visit about ten years ago. Surprisingly, not much has changed. There are a few more little exhibits to see and there's running water now. But really it's the same as back then. I've lowered my last review (3 starts) to 2 stars. There's a lot of work being done on the decks. Replacing old plywood with a poured decking that actually looks outstanding. This is the only real upgrade over the years. My biggest problem is with the staff/volunteers. Like last trip, there was no one to talk to on the ship except the guys at the entrance and at the exit. I went to Midway about a year ago and talked to about twenty guys & gals (Docents) that answered lots of questions and really added to my tour. Not so much on Iowa. The audio tour was OK but lots of extra questions came up with no answers. I would rate the personal touch as one star. Another issue: The overall appearance of the volunteers is dismal. I'm told they are called "Tour Guides". Other than an ID badge hanging around their neck, you can't tell who is a volunteer. Some of the them are wearing jeans and an Iowa shirt under their tattered hoodie. A few are wearing obviously brand new navy dungarees that look like they came right off the store mannequin. Some have more pins attached to their shirts and jackets than waitresses at Chili's. Overall not a very professional looking organization. Again, it's a great place to visit if you like to look at the big guns (I do) and if you're into the history of battleships (I am) but I can see how most of the visitors will walk away thinking "It could have been so much more." It might be ten years before I return. Maybe there's more to come.