The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is the Pearl Harbor museum where visitors climb aboard a real World War II fleet submarine, the USS Bowfin (SS-287), and walk the same cramped compartments her 80-man crew lived and fought in.
Nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” the Bowfin was christened on December 7, 1942 — exactly one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She went on to complete nine successful war patrols in the Pacific between 1943 and 1945.
Key Points
- The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last admission to the submarine at 4:30 p.m.
- The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum charges $25.99 for adults and $14.99 for children ages 4–12, with a free self-guided audio tour included.
- The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum sits beside the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, so it is the only paid Pearl Harbor historic site you can reach on foot.
- The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum pairs a submarine tour with three museum galleries, outdoor exhibits, and a waterfront memorial.
- Children under 4 are not permitted aboard the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum submarine, though they may visit the museum itself.
- Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum submarine, museum, and grounds combined.
By Best Pearl Harbor Tours — your guide to Pearl Harbor’s historic ships, written for first-time visitors.
What the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum Actually Is
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is two experiences in one ticket: the submarine herself, moored on the waterfront, and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum building beside her.
The museum covers the wider story of the U.S. Submarine Service, known as the “Silent Service.” Its three interactive galleries trace submarine warfare from World War II into the nuclear age, with artifacts, models, and personal stories.
Outside, the grounds hold missile and torpedo exhibits, including a Poseidon C-3 missile, a Regulus missile, and a Kaiten torpedo. The Waterfront Memorial honors the 52 U.S. submarines and more than 3,500 submariners lost during World War II.
Best Pearl Harbor Tours recommends starting in the museum galleries before boarding the boat. The context makes the cramped compartments below deck mean far more than a quick walk-through would.
Boarding the Bowfin: What Life Below Deck Feels Like
Boarding the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum submarine is a self-guided walk through a restored Balao-class fleet attack submarine, returned to her 1945 configuration.
The compartments you walk through
The route runs from the forward torpedo room, through the officers’ quarters, control room, and radio room, to the galley and crew’s mess. You then pass the crew’s berthing area and two engine rooms before reaching the aft torpedo room.
Space is tight everywhere. Bunks were stacked wherever they fit, meals were cooked for 80 men in a galley smaller than a home kitchen, and the engines filled entire compartments with noise and heat.
The free audio tour
A free audio guide is included with admission, in seven languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese. A family version tells the same story in a shorter, child-friendly form.
Best Pearl Harbor Tours tip: take the adult audio version if you are visiting without young children. The crew commentary explains what the bare compartments cannot show on their own — the noise, the heat, and the waiting.
Who should skip boarding
The submarine itself is not wheelchair accessible. It involves steep ladders, tight hatches, and low overhead clearances, so it suits visitors who are steady on their feet and comfortable in confined spaces.
Visitors who cannot board can still experience a virtual tour of the submarine inside the museum’s World War II gallery. The museum building, the grounds, and the Visitor Center are fully accessible.
Tickets, Hours, and the Passport Question
Hours and closures
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last admission to the submarine is at 4:30 p.m., so arrive by mid-afternoon to avoid a rushed visit.
The museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. No reservations are required for general admission — you can walk up and buy tickets on the day.
Ticket prices
Walk-up general admission is $25.99 for adults and $14.99 for children ages 4–12. Military and kama‘aina tickets are $18.99 for adults and $9.99 for children, and military personnel in uniform are admitted free.
Prices are subject to change, so treat these as the published walk-up rates at the time of writing and check bowfin.org before you go. Children under 4 are not permitted aboard the submarine for safety reasons.
Is the Passport to Pearl Harbor worth it?
The Passport to Pearl Harbor bundles the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum with the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, plus a Visitor Center audio tour and a virtual experience.
The adult Passport costs $99.99 and the child Passport $49.99, and it is valid over two consecutive days. Best Pearl Harbor Tours is honest about the math: the Passport’s real value is convenience, not a large discount.
Buy the Passport if you plan to visit all three paid sites and want one ticket for the Ford Island shuttle. Buy the Bowfin ticket alone if the submarine is your only paid stop, or if you are pairing it with the free Arizona Memorial program.
Planning Your Visit: Practical Guide
Getting there
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum stands at 11 Arizona Memorial Drive, immediately beside the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center in Honolulu. Free parking is available at the Visitor Center.
Unlike the Missouri and the Aviation Museum, which sit on Ford Island and need the free shuttle, the Bowfin needs no shuttle at all. That makes it the easiest paid site to add to an Arizona Memorial morning.
Best time to visit
Arrive at opening, 7:00 a.m., for the quietest submarine tour and the coolest compartments. Midday brings the biggest crowds and the hottest conditions below deck.
A sensible half-day order is: Arizona Memorial program first, then the Bowfin submarine and museum, then lunch at the waterfront food truck. That order keeps the most solemn stop first and the hands-on stop second.
What to bring — and what to leave behind
Wear closed-toe shoes with a good grip. The ladders and hatches are steep, and the decks below are narrow and metal.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center’s no-bag rule applies across the site, so bags, backpacks, and camera bags are not permitted inside. Paid storage is available near the entrance if you arrive with one.
Bring water, reef-safe sunscreen for the waterfront grounds, and a phone for photos on deck. Photography below deck is possible, but space is tight — keep gear minimal.
Visiting with children
Children ages 4 and up can board the submarine, and the family audio tour keeps the story short and clear. The museum galleries and outdoor exhibits give younger visitors room to move when the boat feels too tight.
Families with a child under 4 should plan to split up: one adult boards with the older children while the other explores the museum galleries. The under-4 rule is a safety rule, not a suggestion, and staff enforce it.
Location Map
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum sits on the Pearl Harbor waterfront, beside the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Open the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum in Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are USS Bowfin Submarine Museum tickets?
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum tickets cost $25.99 for adults and $14.99 for children ages 4–12 at walk-up rates. Military and kama‘aina tickets are $18.99 for adults and $9.99 for children.
Do I need a reservation for the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum?
No reservation is needed for the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum — general admission is sold on a walk-up basis. Arrive early in peak season, since the submarine’s narrow compartments limit how many visitors can board at once.
How long does the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum take?
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum submarine, museum galleries, and grounds combined. The submarine walk itself takes around 30 minutes; the galleries and memorial deserve the rest.
Can children under 4 visit the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum?
Children under 4 may visit the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum building and grounds, but they are not permitted aboard the submarine for safety reasons. Families with a toddler should plan for one adult to stay ashore with the youngest child.
Is the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum wheelchair accessible?
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum building and grounds are accessible, but the submarine itself is not, due to steep ladders and tight hatches. A virtual tour of the submarine is available inside the museum’s World War II gallery.
Is the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum included in the Passport to Pearl Harbor?
Yes, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is included in the Passport to Pearl Harbor, along with the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. The Passport does not include a reserved USS Arizona Memorial program, which is booked separately.
Conclusion
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is the most hands-on stop at Pearl Harbor. The Arizona Memorial asks for reflection; the Bowfin asks you to squeeze through a hatch and imagine 80 men living, working, and waiting inside a steel tube.
Pair it with our USS Arizona Memorial guide for the full Pearl Harbor story, our USS Arizona Memorial tickets guide for the reservation rules, our USS Missouri Battleship Memorial guide for the ship where the war ended, and our Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu guide if you would rather not drive yourself.
By Best Pearl Harbor Tours — Best Pearl Harbor Tours recommends the Bowfin as the best second stop after the Arizona Memorial, because it turns Pearl Harbor’s history from something you look at into something you step inside.