Battleship New Jersey

The Experience

At 887 feet of armor-plated steel, the 45,000-ton Battleship New Jersey dominates not only the New Jersey waterfront, but also American naval history. Winding through tight, narrow companionways, visitors see the communication center, officers’ and enlisted men’s mess halls and sleeping quarters, which range from small private rooms for senior officers to even smaller cots stacked atop each other for enlisted men.

The dimly lit Combat Engagement Center displays radar and sonar tracking stations, while videos show the launch of Tomahawk missiles. A highlight of the tour is the turret where 2,700-pound shells were loaded and fired. Best of all, some of the tour guides served active duty on the “Big J” and are more than happy to share their personal experiences.

History

Through World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Gulf War, the Iowa-class Battleship New Jersey earned an unprecedented 19 Battle and Campaign Stars for outstanding service. As technology changed, the ship’s equipment changed, too.

Today the battleship is preserved how it was when it was decommissioned for the fourth and final time in 1991. Visitors can travel back to an earlier time in the battleship’s history on the 4D flight simulator’s “Seahawk” program, which re-creates a WWII era dogfight over Iwo Jima.

Other Information

Open daily April – December and Friday – Monday, January – March

Insider Tip

The temperature in the engine room often reached a brutal 130 degrees, limiting sailors to four-hour shifts.

Kids’ Stuff

Everything here, from the voice powered phones to the torpedo loading stations to the Combat Engagement Center, will captivate kids age 5 and over.

Get Tickets at the Independence Visitor Center

Tickets to the Battleship New Jersey are available for purchase at the Independence Visitor Center. Click here for more information