There is a reason that the USS Arizona Memorial Monument is the most visited attraction in all of Hawaii. People have probably heard of Pearl Harbor and know a little about its significance but little else. They want to see What it is and what happened that makes it so important. Visitors to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial are in luck. Not only is there a 23-minute film about the attack. Not only is there an audio tour of the Arizona Memorial. The National Park Service has also assembled two information-packed museums for visitors to learn about the events that occurred on December 7, 1941. The two museums are called “the Road to War ” and “Attack.” Both of these museums are packed with displays, including models and artifacts. “The Road to War” sets the stage for the events that led to WWII. There is some coverage of ancient Hawaii and the early history of Pearl Harbor. There are displays that cover Japan’s aggression in China and the American response. The readiness of the American military in Hawaii and Japan’s plan for attack. There is a section on American efforts to break the Japanese diplomatic and military codes and the early warning radars that were present on Oahu at that time. The second museum, called “Attack,” details the attack on Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Through models and artifacts recovered from the attack, it tells the story of the events as they happened on December 7, 1941. This museum even has a mini theater that screens a documentary about the History of the Attack on Pearl Harbor produced by the National Park Service. There are artifacts recovered from the USS Arizona battleship during salvage operations after the attack. The museum also talks about America’s response to the attack. The declaration of war on Japan and the internment of Japanese-Americans in camps. There is even coverage of the Japanese-Americans who volunteered to fight against the Axis powers in Europe and the Pacific. There is a small section dedicated to the story of a survivor of the Atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima who later succumbed to leukemia as a result of the radiation. The Sadako Sasaki exhibit is dedicated to world peace. At the end of the museum, you will see displays covering Pearl Harbor today and the story of the USS Arizona Memorial and the remaining survivors of the attack. These museums are definitely worth the visit and are open to the public, so you don’t need an Battleship Arizona Memorial ticket to see them. As an added benefit, the Arizona Memorial Audio Tours are keyed to the exhibits in the gallery so you can receive narration for the exhibits. This is a great option, especially when the museums are crowded, since you don’t have to fight to read the signs on the exhibits.