Anchored along the Camden waterfront, Battleship New Jersey is a can’t miss landmark—stretching the length of three football fields and weighing over 57,000 tons. With turrets, radar antennas, and cannons, the massive ship offers a close-up look at naval life during wartime.
Begin your visit in the gift shop (which also has some grab-and-go food) and choose a self-guided or audio tour.
You’ll start your tour along the green route, which has marked walkways and arrows that take you through life as a sailor. The main tour starts on the quarterdeck, where kids will look up at the massive machine guns and cannons.
Then head below deck and begin your tour inside. What’s striking at first is the size of the crew’s quarters – super small with rows of twin-sized bunks stacked three high, packed tightly into narrow spaces. Kids can climb into one to see what it was like to sleep aboard the ship.
There are checkers and backgammon tables, plus lockers and memorabilia. You’ll see the tiny bathrooms they used, a laundry room and tons of equipment.
The commissary is also a trip back in time, with items like Chiclets gum, Certs, cigars and snacks that sailors used to buy on board. Along the way, look for the impressive wall with the signatures of soldiers who served on the ship before USS New Jersey was decommissioned in 1991.
Then head up to the Admiral’s Cabin, which is much different than the crew’s quarters: there is a private room with a huge bed, dressers, a TV, and a living space. It’s much more airy. And there’s a huge dining area for the administrators, much larger than the mess hall on a lower level.
Walk through to the wardroom, and then stop at the Adm. Halsey Theater for information delivered via video. The Division Chief’s Office has 1980s-looking mannequins set up to give a glimpse into life back then.
Ask your kids if they know what a rotary phone, old-school TV and old-fashioned computer are as you tour the ship.
You’ll walk through the Mess Deck, which looks like a school cafeteria. There is a poignant table set for POWs and MIAs. There’s a chapel and library off the main area, too.
After about 45 minutes, you’ll come to the end of the green route, where you can take any of the other three routes to learn about weapons and navigation, the crew’s life, and The Citadel. Follow blue to the medical space, a World War II radio room and the engines; yellow to the barbershop, main laundry area, print shop and jail; and red to the top side with the helicopter flight deck and bridge.
Keep in mind, this was an active wartime ship dating back to World War II in 1942, so it’s a realistic picture of military life on the water. That means some spaces are tight and are not for the claustrophobic; you can also talk to the staff members stationed around the ship for more information on the exhibits or ways out. The tour is not handicap-accessible because of the ladders you need to climb to the different levels of the boat.
But there is more here than just a museum tour. You can fire either a 5-inch gun or a 40mm saluting gun. Youth groups like the Scouts can schedule an overnight visit, where they sleep in the bunks from the 1980s. And there is a full events calendar, with options for various twilight tours for 21+, Small Sailors Tours, sensory-friendly quiet days, summer happy hours, Star Wars Day on May 4, a cornhole tournament on May 10, sunset yoga on May 18, the Battleship Beer Fest on June 21, the Sporting Clay Invitational on June 26; and Cigars on the River on September 27.
Battleship New Jersey is located at 62 Battleship Pl. in Camden. It’s open 7 days a week, 363 days a year, from 10 am to 5:30 pm (last entry is 4 pm). Tickets range from $20 to $40 per person, plus parking is $15 (along the train tracks) to $20 (VIP closer to the ship).
Another option for admission is the Philadelphia CityPASS, which offers options to buy a package for 3, 4 or 5 attractions from a selected list at a discounted price.
Learn about life as a sailor via our Instagram page.
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