PEARL HARBOR

Accessibility

The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is a very friendly destination, with easy handicap accessibility. The stores, tours, museums and theaters, Navy Shuttle, and outdoor pathways have all been specially built to accommodate slow walkers and wheelchair guests.

Accessibility differs between the different Pearl Harbor Historic Sites at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. When in doubt, it is best to ask the staff at the various Historic Sites so that they may provide you with solutions that fit your needs the best. The US Arizona Memorial at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center has many accessibility options for the vision impaired, the hearing impaired, and those with wheelchairs.

The Ford Island shuttle bus is able to accommodate wheelchairs. For those going to the USS Missouri, the staff does have wheelchairs available to check out for your visit to the USS Missouri. The USS Missouri does have elevators and ramps to access the different levels of the ship by wheelchair. The Battleship Missouri does facilitate sign language translators, but arrangements need to be made at least a week to ten days prior to your visit. The USS Missouri is accessible to the vision impaired, provided that they have a friend or family member to guide them. The USS Missouri is a warship that has a lot of places where you can stub your toes, hit your knees or head, so care must be taken when navigating the ship, though this would apply to everyone. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is also on Ford Island. They do not provide wheelchairs; however, the Museum is on level ground and is accessible to wheelchairs. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum does have audio sets that can provide narration for the visually impaired. The USS Bowfin is a submarine and is unfortunately not accessible to wheelchairs. In addition, the low ceiling, various protuberances, and the high steps make the submarine hazardous to the visually impaired. The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, however, is fully accessible. The USS Bowfin and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum also have an audio tour that provides narration. Finally, please keep in mind that many tour companies have vehicles that do not have lifts for wheelchairs and would only be able to accommodate lightweight travel scooters and folding wheelchairs, provided the passenger is able to board the vehicle on their own, regardless of the tour company. Please be sure to make the tour company aware of any needs that you may have, as some accommodations take time to arrange. Service animals are allowed at all of the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites, but keep in mind that they will have problems navigating the stairways and ladders of the battleship USS Missouri and the Confined spaces and steep stairs and high steps of the USS Bowfin.

You are encouraged to inform the National Park Rangers at the theaters and Navy sailors that you are escorting a disabled person, and they will take good care of you. If you are accompanying a deaf person, they have the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour in braille, and no fees or reservations are required; check in at the Narrated Tour desk for assistance. The Museum and outdoor interpretative signs are also done in braille. But if you need a sign language expert for your tour, please provide a seven-day notice to the National Park Service by calling 808-951-8778 or 808-422-3399.

The USS Missouri battleship has lifts to take people up to different deck levels. The USS Arizona Memorial has ramps to accommodate wheelchairs, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is on level ground, and the USS Bowfin submarine for obvious reasons, is the only attraction that is not accessible.