Pearl Harbor Memorial: Visiting memorials/museums of tragic historical events with kids.
I have mixed feelings about visiting memorials of tragic events with kids. On one hand, these memorials can do a great job of showing how tragic and meaningful these historical events were and I want my kids to know about and understand the gravity of these events. On the other hand, it can be challenging when they don’t really “get it” or they act like kids and run around being loud and goofing off when it really isn’t appropriate. That is what happened to us at the 911 memorial. Gus was only 5 at the time, and, of course, didn’t really perceive the gravity of the situation. I, meanwhile, am sobbing after listening to the recordings of the first responders and our two mental states just didn’t go well together. I have learned a few lessons.
Ferry Ride to the USS Arizona, Which Requires a Free Ticket that Sells Out Immediately
My tips for visiting sad memorials/museums with kids.
Do your teaching before you go. Read stories about the event and try to explain it to them before you arrive, so they have some idea of what they are getting into.
Don’t try to do too much. You don’t have to see every single part of the museum/memorial. Pick the ones you think will be most engaging for them and keep the visit under 2 hours.
Buy the audio tour ($8 per person). Unless your kids are way more motivated than mine, they are not going to walk around the museum reading every single informational sign. They are just going to skip around, looking at the artifacts and reading small bits of information. Then they are going to be ready to leave after 30 minutes. With the audio tours, however, it’s more like a scavenger hunt. They like looking for the next station and checking all the stations off the list. They end up absorbing a lot more information and having a better overall experience.
Don’t expect too much from little kids. These things are hard for us to absorb as adults and, depending on the emotional maturity of each child, they might just not get it. That’s ok.
The Slow Oil leak from the USS Arizona, Some Describe as “the Black Tears of the Arizona.”
What to see and do with kids at Pearl Harbor.
I found the Pearl Harbor museum and memorial particularly confusing. There are several public and privately owned components. We only did the public parts and did not visit the separate USS Missouri and Aviation Museum (see point 2 above).
Gus Quietly Contemplating the Names of Those Who Died at Pearl Harbor
What we did at Pearl Harbor:
Grab the audio tour upon entry and follow it through the Exhibit Gallery: Road to War.
Check in at the desk for the boat to the USS Arizona and follow instructions to get on the boat and visit the memorial. There is normally an informational video about the USS Arizona before the boat, but that was suspended during COVID and had not resumed for our visit in February 2022.
Return to the main memorial and finish the audio tour, including the Exhibit Gallery: Attack, the Contemplations Circle, Remembrance Circle, USS Arizona Anchor, and Waterfront Submarine Memorial.
This took us about 2 hours, which was perfect. If you want more, you can also visit the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum as part of the main memorial. The USS Missouri and Aviation Museum are separate from the main memorial, privately owned and require a separate fee to enter.
Bailey Listening to the Audio Guide on the USS Arizona
Tips for visiting Pearl Harbor with Kids
The USS Arizona is the most popular part of Pearl Harbor and there are limited tickets to see it due to its small size and the ferry ride needed to get there. The majority of the lives lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor were due to the attack on the USS Arizona, and this is the most powerful part of the memorial. I would recommend trying your best to see it while you are there. You will need to get your tickets in advance. One round of tickets is released 8 weeks in advance at 3:00 PM HST. A second round of tickets is released the day before at 3:00 PM HST. I did not attempt to get the tickets in advance and had to get them at 3:00 the day before. Anytime I am trying to get tickets of this nature, I set an alarm on my phone for 5 minutes before the release time. During my first attempt, I was not logged into the app, and that 30 second delay kept me from getting the tickets I wanted. The next day, I set my alarm for 2:55, logged in, and was ready to purchase the tickets at exactly 3:00. I had no problem getting them on the second try. There is a $1.00 processing fee but the tickets for the USS Arizona are free.
The museum closes at 5:30.
Buy the audio tour ($8). It’s worth it.
I would recommend adding the Pearl Harbor museum to your Oahu itinerary. Our kids really enjoyed the memorial and seemed to grasp the significance. Even our youngest, who is 9, was really into this one. This event was a defining moment for Hawaii and all Americans, and it’s worth a visit to try and grasp what that day was really like.
