Battleship North Carolina

This battleship museum is one of the best historical attractions you can visit in the Wilmington area. Climbing aboard and exploring the nine levels of the ship gives you a real feel for life on a World War II battleship, from the massive guns and engine rooms to crew quarters and command areas. It’s both educational and fascinating for all ages.  The self-guided tour allows you to move at your own pace (plan at least 2 hours), and there are plenty of exhibits and stories that bring history to life. The staff and volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable, and the site honors the ship’s legacy in a meaningful way.  Tips: • Wear comfortable shoes — there are lots of ladders and tight spaces.  • Visit earlier in the day to avoid crowds.  • Free parking is available on site.  Overall: A must-see for history lovers, families, and anyone curious about naval life during WWII — highly recommended!

Must visit place. Iconic US battleship We went here on a whim, not expecting much. But we were bowled over by the way this iconic battleship had been preserved. There is an entry ramp for easy access. However be warned some areas inside the ship are accessible only by crawling through ladders and narrow passageways. The battleship makes for some dramatic photos against the backdrop of the beach

So much to see! Have plenty of time, go in all the sections allowed! It was a great adventure, so much we didnt know about life on a ship. My husband said he appreciated that it was a true battleship, not just a tourist attraction. The staff was very helpful and answered all our questions. It is huge but hard to imagine that there were possibly 2000+ men on that ship! Loved the info plaques and 'memories' shared by crewmen. Lots of stairs, 9 levels to see. Make sure youre up for it!!

This is a fantastic self guided tour that doesn't just show the ship but conveys what life aboard it would be like for the sailors onboard during the second World War. The interior of the ship is set up like a museum where each room is decorated as if it would be during the ship's use, with excellent lighting and signage that bring things to life. My family and I spent about 2 hours here, but you could easily spend more. The tour is an excellent value for any fan of history. I recommend wearing a good pair of shoes as some of the surfaces are a bit slippery. We went on Black Friday. The weather was perfect, slightly cool outside but comfortable inside.

Best for seeing the engineering and life style that living on the ship entailed. The segments from letters written by the sailors were effective at communicating their experiences. The scale of the ship is impressive. Not as much detail on the history as I would have liked.

There were 8 of us on a guided tour called A City at Sea today, highlighting the life of sailors on board the battleship. You can easily walk and read plaques about (mostly) everything but you learn more details with a guide. We all really enjoyed the tour and the battleship itself. I suggest visiting in winter if possible to avoid the inevitable heat in summer months. The tour focuses on the details of life at sea, from sleeping to showering to cooking to eating to shopping to watching movies and some grotty details. This ship housed over 2000 sailors. It’s really a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of history, aboard a vessel that once sailed to fight during WW11. Highly recommend

An absolutely incredible experience at the Battleship North Carolina! Stepping aboard feels like traveling back in time. The ship is incredibly well preserved, and the self-guided tour is packed with fascinating history, detailed exhibits, and authentic spaces you can explore at your own pace. Walking through the decks, crew quarters, and control rooms really gives you an appreciation for the sailors who served here. The views of the Cape Fear River are beautiful, and the staff and volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable. This is a must-visit attraction for history lovers, families, and anyone visiting the Wilmington area. Truly a memorable and educational experience!

Visiting the Battleship North Carolina was such a memorable experience! It’s truly impressive to see this historic World War II warship up close, and it gives you a real sense of the scale and strength of naval history. Walking around the grounds is free, which makes it easy to admire the ship from the outside and snap some great photos. If you’d like to explore onboard, there is an admission fee—but from what I’ve heard, it’s absolutely worth it. Since we were short on time, we didn’t get to go inside, but even just seeing the exterior was fascinating. For those planning a full tour, I’d recommend setting aside at least two hours to really experience the ship, its exhibits, and the details of life at sea. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or just looking for a unique stop in Wilmington, this is definitely worth a visit! ⚓️

My brother-in-law suggested we visit the USS North Carolina on our day trip to Wilmington. It sounded like a cool idea so we planned for an afternoon tour. The battleship was an epic sight to behold! We were super excited for the self guided tour especially since it was our first time on a battleship. We ended up touring the battleship for just under 2 hours but could have easily spent twice that amount of time. A few of my top moments were seeing the missile room, walking through the medical unit and sitting inside a turret. I highly recommend planning a visit to the USS North Carolina if you're at all interested in history, the military experience or just open to learning. Such an incredible experience!

There were 8 of us on a guided tour called A City at Sea today, highlighting the life of sailors on board the battleship. You can easily walk and read plaques about (mostly) everything but you learn more details with a guide. We all really enjoyed the tour and the battleship itself. I suggest visiting in winter if possible to avoid the inevitable heat in summer months. The tour focuses on the details of life at sea, from sleeping to showering to cooking to eating to shopping to watching movies and some grotty details. This ship housed over 2000 sailors. It's really a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse of history, aboard a vessel that once sailed to fight during WW11. Highly recommend

I did the "Hidden Battleship" tour, which only takes place on certain dates throughout the yr & costs $64, but is well worth the price, as the 4.5hr tour in groups of 10 takes you literally all through the Battleship, up into the superstructure and down into the lower levels as well as to the very front of the bow and in many unrestored parts of the ship not open to the general public. The tour is led by volunteers with different presentations done in different parts of the ship. Seeing the part of the bulkhead that got torpedoed & the officers quarters, the engine room, the radio room, and sitting in a seat in the the SkyWatch were amazing experiences! It was also nice because we were some of the last people on the ship right before it closed, so there were a couple of moments I actually had the top deck all to myself and was able to get some incredible shots with an absolutely spectacular Cape Fear River sunset as the backdrop! Highly recommend this tour, though be aware that until they get the new parking lot finished, it may still flood like it did when I went during the Full Moon King Tide on Nov 16th! Getting from you car to the visitor center may require getting your feet/legs soaked!

It's a fascinating museum-ship, and well kept. They say 1 1/2 hours is enough, but no, I would spend an entire day just looking and reading. But I have to re-join my relatives for a late lunch. I am inspired to visit more museum ships like in SC and VA around this area.

One of the greatest attractions I've ever experienced in my life. The vastness. The hardware. The endless rooms and mazes. You could spend 5 hours here wandering. It's worth every penny

Visiting the Battleship North Carolina was such a memorable experience! It's truly impressive to see this historic World War II warship up close, and it gives you a real sense of the scale and strength of naval history. Walking around the grounds is free, which makes it easy to admire the ship from the outside and snap some great photos. If you'd like to explore onboard, there is an admission fee--but from what I've heard, it's absolutely worth it. Since we were short on time, we didn't get to go inside, but even just seeing the exterior was fascinating. For those planning a full tour, I'd recommend setting aside at least two hours to really experience the ship, its exhibits, and the details of life at sea. Whether you're a history enthusiast or just looking for a unique stop in Wilmington, this is definitely worth a visit!

Visiting the Battleship North Carolina is an overwhelming and humbling experience. Being aboard, you quickly realize how rough life must have been living on a moving vessel--especially during wartime. The sacrifices made by those who served are deeply moving, and they serve as a powerful reminder of the cost of freedom. It's an experience that today's leaders--indeed all of us--should reflect on. What we have now wasn't given freely; it was earned through courage, hardship, and lives lost. We cannot afford to take it for granted or allow it to be compromised by those who put personal power above the nation's well-being. I highly recommend visiting the Battleship North Carolina. It's a place that gives you perspective, gratitude, and a renewed appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy today.

What a beautiful display of WWII history, a storied battle proven Battleship!! It really have me chills given the fact that my grandfather, and his 5 brothers ALL served in WWII with my grandfather being a torpedo man on a Dixie class destroyer so the connection runs deep. God bless our troops!

I LOVE THIS HISTORICAL LANDMARK! This place is magical and really makes you feel like you are a sailor! If you haven't been there then I highly recommend that you go and check it out!

We visited the battleship while on vacation in Wilmington. Such a fun way to spend a few hours! We loved exploring the ship and crawling in and out of all the spots. We went on a Friday afternoon around two hours before closing time and pretty much had the whole ship to ourselves. It made the experience even better! Definitely recommended!

What a great thing to have access to in Wilmington! It's been a long time since I was last at the Battleship North Carolina but I was in town with the kids and decided to take them. They really enjoyed the whole experience, and so did I. The tour lets you experience quite a bit of the ship and the exterior view is so cool. I had forgotten about the water taxi and I wish I had taken that to or from downtown but we drove. It's surprisingly easy to get to and close to both downtown and many surrounding hotels. Wear real shoes, there are a lot of stairs and they are not luxury staircases.

If you cannot climb steep stairs easily I DO NOT recommend this. The tickets were about $30 with self guided tour for two. We spent well over 2 hours at the location going completely through the battleship. It's an amazing experience to see how the lives of the navy were in the 1940s (not sure how interesting it would be to people familiar with life on a boat though). Pretty sure the guided tours would have taken atleast 2.5-3 hours since we sometimes passed areas a bit faster so I'm glad we did self guided. I do wish they had student discounts like some of the other museums but otherwise it was an interesting experience but not necessarily one I'd do again and again. There were definitely some times where my fear of heights kicked in on the stairs but I'm glad they covered the backs of some so you couldn't see down through them.

Second time coming here. This time with a big group. Staff was over the top with kindness. Always a pleasant and educational time.

My family loves history and this was the perfect spot to check out while in Wilmington. It is a very active museum with a lot of climbing so my son had a great time. We learned a lot and enjoyed checking out the ship. It was neat seeing the kitchen and bakery. I would come back again in the future.

I think this is a good attraction if you have friend and family that are currently serving or have served in the military. Touring the ship really gives you a good grasp of what military life is like. It was unbelievable seeing the intricate details of the equipment and just imagining how it was during the war. I'm not a history buff but they would definitely enjoy.

This is a must-visit destination when you're in Wilmington. Even if you're not into battleships or history or the Navy or any of that, the Battleship North Carolina is interesting just by itself. I didn't know what to expect when we visited, but my whole family ended up having a great time. First of all: Plan to spend at least an hour here, if not two hours. There's lots to see on the deck of the battleship, but even more once you enter inside. The battleship houses lots of little displays, which you can peek into and read about. You'll see the kitchen, the medical rooms, the bunks where the crew slept, the captains quarters, and even the newspaper room. The battleship is labyrinthine, and as you make your way through it, it will feel like you're getting lost. But there are lots of signs to guide your way. Be prepared to climb up and down narrow stairs. This isn't the most accessible-friendly exhibit, because it requires dexterity and the ability to walk a lot and climb a lot. But if you're able to do both, you'll be rewarded with a cool experience. I've always felt like I would feel claustrophobic on a ship, but the Battleship North Carolina has fans blowing all throughout, so you kind of feel like you're getting fresh air. Plus, there are so many cool things to see everywhere, that you almost forget that you're in a self-contained apparatus. Visiting the Battleship North Carolina was one of the highlights of our trip to Wilmington, for sure.

My son and I toured the battleship last Saturday. It's simply amazing ! It's a self guided tour, but they're also volunteers in many parts of the ship who can answer your questions. The battleship is huge and almost every area can be explored and is in virtually new 1939 era condition. It's one of the most highly decorated battleships of World War II . In addition for those interested in ghost hunting paranormal activity has been reported on the ship. Unfortunately, on our visit, we didn't see anything. Tickets are very affordable. I believe seniors were $12 and adults $14. I would allow at least 2 to 3 hours for the tour or more. You can explore virtually every compartment on the ship. The bridge the engine room the mess hall crew sleeping quarters officers cabins fire control, and can even go inside the huge main guns. If you are interested in history ships ghost hunting or if you're looking for a unique tour it's a great experience five stars ! One caveat be prepared to climb up and down ladders to the various decks just as the sailors did during World War II

I absolutely love this place; great interest and always interesting place to visit! My young girls love walking around the ship and they are in awe how life was aboard this ship.

Did the self guided tour. Wow! Really worth the money. Lots of climbing up and down ladders/steps but if you can handle that well worth it.

My 16 year old son and I were impressed with how much access you had to the ship and the amount of good information that was around the ship that you actually wanted to read.

What an amazing time for my family. The grandkids had an awesome time and we will definitely be back. If you haven't been please take the time to honor those that have laid down their life for your freedom.

Great historical information about the ship. Great photos inside and out. Would return again to visit

Absolutely amazing. We chose the self guided tour (it took 2.5hrs). The front desk person was really friendly and we met some great volunteers throughout the ship who tell you stories from the experiences lived on the boat. Especially Steve, who was absolutely fantastic!! Easy free parking and budget friendly. Also there's a patio nearby if you want to take your picnic there. Worth the trip

Great experience! Be sure to wear athletic shoes!! We had a fun time learning about the ship.

Really cool experience! Lots of things to touch and explore. $15/adult and we spent over an hour here. Neat!

This was our second time visiting the Battleship North Carolina, but the first time with a child. We had a fun time exploring the ship. If you have really little ones or if you aren't able to climb up and down very narrow steps this would be a challenging tour. Our 4 year old did a good job with all the stairs and climbing, but we had to be very careful with him and take our time! If he was any younger it would have been really tough! There's so much to see and read. I found the medical areas and store really interesting! I loved seeing the old product packaging. It was a windy, chilly day when visited. Bundle up if it's a cold day because you can walk around a lot on the upper decks.

This ship is huge and filled with so much history. Tickets can be purchased online or in person. You can do a self guided tour or book a tour guide. The boat has many levels and at times you will have to climb up and down stairs. They have an outside area too...just watch out for the alligators. My kids enjoyed exploring the ship and learning about life on a boat.

This was an amazing experience. First off, the parking is free. There's an admission price of $14.00 for adults. The ship itself is 15 stories high and about 12 blocks long. It was fun walking and climbing into the different places parts of the ship e.g., kitchen, mess hall, sick bay, sleeping quarters, and guns etc. I think we missed the laundry. We walked around for about 2 hours. They did have air conditioning on the ship, so it wasn't a hot tour. It's also self guided, so you can take your time.

Great time w our Cub Scouts pack! Self-guided tours this go-around. But I think a guide would have been great!!

Excellent museum ship with much of the ship open to tour: the turrets, the engine room, the bridge, the magazines...you saw all parts of the ship to get a true sense of how complex it was to operate a battleship. I also liked the SECU Walkway around the ship so you could view the ship from the bow, stern, port snd starboard beams.

The kiddos loved this experience so much. Everything from the lobby to the actual displays on the ship , they had a blast.

Shoutout to Ted Powers! He gave us a tour when he noticed we were very interested in the ship, all on his own accord. His tour was so informative and really helped us learn about the ship. I highly suggest checking the battleship out, it is full of history and extremely interesting. If you have time hire a tour guide, the things they tell you you would never get without them. Fascinating!

If you give this place a bad review then you have to be a communist. This is a great piece of history and they have done a great job maintaining it. This ship is huge. Lots to see on the deck, and even more to see below deck. They did a great job preserving the areas where the sailors lived and worked. Highlights - Self guided tour - They take cards for payment. Relatively inexpensive to visit. - WW2 ship if you didn't already know that - Great history here and lots to learn and admire Advice - Don't bring grandma unless she is in good health. Tight areas and lots of stairs. - If you have little kids, keep a close eye on them - Weekdays and non-holiday weekends are a lot less crowded - Take your time and follow the tour directions. Best way to not miss anything.

Great location to take kids to learn about history. Some of the areas are air conditioned but overall was a nice adventure. Be prepared to do some climbing. Free parking.

If you're a history buff and like military stuff - this is the place to go. The ship has a few decks to explore (takes about 1-1.5 hrs) and the admission for adults isn't that expensive - $14/person. You can go through a lot of areas: kitchen, laundry, hospital, bathrooms, sleeping quarters, radio, nav room, projectile storage, and even turrets. Each room has detailed posters with stories from those who served on the ship as well as general info. I enjoyed reading personal remarks and would encourage everyone to check them out. There aren't tours from what I can tell so you either need a mobile app to guide you or just follow the signs and read posters. If you're coming during hot months, make sure to dress lightly and bring some water as there is no air conditioning on the ship and it gets HOT (especially under the main deck). There are also many steep and narrow ladders so be cautious (especially kids / seniors). If you have been to USS Midway in San Diego and liked it, you will like this place (and if you haven't been to USS Midway, I HIGHLY recommend). Lastly, there's a big museum store at the end of the tour and you can purchase your photos.

This review is based on not even walking inside... This is an impressive site. They have a giant screw in the parking lot that lets you see just how massive these pieces were. And then there's the boardwalk that surrounds the ship, allowing you to walk the entire length and width of the ship. The sheer size and scope of this is something you can't appreciate until you get up close to it. If you're looking for great pictures, you can take them here because the whole ship is available to you because of the pathway. And then there's the tour. Next time I'm in the area, I'll take the tour. With all the steps, it's not great for a wee-one. But next time, next time I'll get to fully embrace this creation!

Battleship North Carolina impressed me. Of all of the many aircraft carriers, battleships, destroyers and submarines that I have had the pleasure to tour over the years this may be the best of all of them. Last Saturday, I began my visit by walking around the very nice wooden walkway (called SECU Memorial Walkway) that encircles the exterior of the ship. The walkway is open during the same hours the ship is open and allows visitors to see the ship on all sides without having to pay admission. The walkway also exposes the visitor to the marshland on the other side. It's very scenic on both sides and provides many photo ops of the ship and the surrounding nature area with Downtown Wilmington in the near background just across the Cape Fear River. The battleship is protected within a cofferdam that helps ensure its long term survival. Inside the visitor center they have a small museum honoring all of the US Navy warships that have been named North Carolina along with the ticket booth to pay for your admission. Leaving there you then walk up the gangplank to the port side near the Number 3 gun turret. It's at this point that I started to realize why this ship is better laid out for tours than most others. The #3 16" turret is open and when you enter is quite spacious to move around inside and see the inner workings of this monster. It was well lit with several clear plastic observation windows for viewing. Moving on, I saw many parts of the ship with fresh paint which added to its appearance. The OS2U Kingfisher on the stern looked great along with all of the 20 and 40 millimeter gun mounts and 5" turrets too. The deck was immaculate from bow to stern. Everything topside was ship shape. Below decks the tour follows well marked markers showing you the way. Going below decks the tour takes you to areas of this battleship that I have rarely seen on other warships. This access is unparalleled. I remember in particular touring thru under the barbette of the #2 16" turret in a huge space that showed all of the working parts and how shells and gunpowder would be moved from the magazines up to the turret. Unfortunately for me part of the upper decks were closed due to renovation work being done on the mast and superstructure. That's too bad because with everything that I was able to see those parts would have been equally entertaining I am sure. I compliment the foundation and docents who maintain this beautiful artifact. You have one of the very best. Congratulations!

Pretty d*mn cool. Lots of tight spaces and steps so might not be for everyone, and some places could really do with an attendant to limit the number of people in/out. The whole place might be a bit more pleasant if there were timed entry tickets for a set number of people. But still, wow-- what a thing to see!

The USS North Carolina was BB-55, commissioned April 1941 (before Pearl Harbor) and decommissioned June 1947. It has been here in Wilmington, North Carolina as a museum ship since 1962. North Carolina was the most decorated U.S. battleship of World War II with 15 battle stars, having participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific from Guadalcanal to Tokyo Bay. Following the surrender of Japan in August, she carried American personnel home during Operation Magic Carpet. North Carolina operated briefly off the east coast of the United States in 1946 before being decommissioned the next year and placed in reserve and finally stricken in 1960. Thanks to a campaign, she was saved and is now preserved. Enough boring facts, let's get to the museum! The ship and the tours on board are pretty well practicing their COVID protocols. The tour route is one-way and some of the closer spaces give you enough warning so that you can be sure that you'll be there alone. Masks are required throughout the entire ship. Two full hours and I still didn't do everything. I still did lots, from exploring the flag cabin, the conn, through the scullery and the turrets and officer's country all the way down to the rudder mechanisms. There are plenty of captions everywhere that tell you about the roles of people who served in these spaces, what they did and what life was like about this amazing and massive ship. The displays really show how it was when the ship was underway and what the crew went through on a day by day basis. Five stars, as good as it gets. If you're at all interested in modern history, ships, guns or just really cool engineering, this is a fab visit. Tip: The main deck is handicapped accessible but other parts of the ship are not. Some of the ladders are quite steep and some of the tight spaces could be claustrophobic. And yeah, the full complement of this ship was 1800 sailors. Tip: You will be grabbing handrails that have been handled by dozens, if not hundreds of other people. I have no guess as to how often they are sanitized. If you have surgical gloves, WEAR THEM and be much safer than just wiping with Purell every three minutes. I did and had no worries. For me, this was my special round number review and stands with other round number reviews. London's Royal Observatory (1000), Tokyo's Hachiko Statue (6000), Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (8000), Toronto's CN Tower (11000) and Munich's Olympiaturm tower (12000). [Round number review 14000 overall, 1322 of 2020, number 2640 in North Carolina.]

I had to chuckle while glancing over several previous Yelp reviews, in which the words "small ship" and "remake" were hilariously applied to this mighty warship. It's the real thing, and it ain't small, folks. Plan to spend at least an afternoon aboard. Admission is $14 for adults, $10 for Seniors or active duty military. The emotions evoked are priceless.

A well worth ticket to purchase if you're in the Wilmington, NC area. This well decorated battleship provided over 100 different facts, stories, artifacts, and stories that will leave you humbled. The entire ship was safe, clean and interesting to explore for my children. There are tour guides and or self guided tours. The tickets are not expensive at all and parking is free. There are additional historical monuments and plaques that pay tribute which are located outside the ship. There are snack and drink machines outside the ship with minimal seating area.

My nephew had a blast and it is alot of tight corners and a lot of walking. It was worth the money and learn alot. He wanted to take ship home lol. I return soon

I like a good retired ship to visit and this one is a nice one. Commissioned just before the second world war and served well. The ship is well maintained and has many rooms open for touring and lot of info and videos. Plan for a couple of hours to see the whole ship. You can rent part of he ship for private events ! My brother in-law's company had a Christmas dinner on the ship. Has a very nice gift shop with plenty of cools things to remember the visit with.

Great value and super interesting self guided tour. The ship was well maintained and it was amazing to see how the ship functioned when it was in service. All of the rooms provided a clear understanding oh the way of life on the ship. Dress accordingly as the ship is a little warm on the lower decks, especially when it is summer time. I recommend comfortable shoes as you will be going up and down some very steep steps to get from deck to deck. I highly recommend visiting and would definitely return again in the future.

This is a must see spot- but just know if you don't do heights or confined spaces, you may feel a little freaked out going down into the ship to tour it. It's a cool add-on to your Wilmington trip, just be prepared to be climbing steep ladders in and out of small spaces.

The museum is open year round 8am-5pm (opens at noon on Christmas Day), rain or shine. If you want to do tour of battleship, be forewarned--there's a lot of stair climbing (up/down). There's a ramp for those individuals who just want to tour main deck. If you don't want to do tour, there's a wood walkway around battleship with history of armed forces and seals and great views of Wilmington and wildlife as well as great views of the waterfront (including Federal Building). BEWARE--the area is prone to flooding due to high tide. If the parking lot is flooded, enter at exit as the entrance will be flooded. To enter/leave Battleship NC is a bit precarious (entering/leaving on a 55mph highway. If you turn left you have a split second decision to make to go left/right as highway splits), but well worth it! DOWNSIDE: Although they had souvenir penny machines, they do not accept cash--everything was debit/credit card only, so come prepared!

This place was so cool! I have recommended it to everyone I have talked to! There was so much to see and read, we could have spent the whole day here! It isn't a place I would bring a small child to because of the difficult stairs and ladders throughout the ship and lots of the things are difficult to see even for my 5'3 It does get hot on the ship especially on the lower decks portion of the tour but you can buy or bring water and they do have fans to help cool it down.

Very cool to explore and imagine working, living, operating, and fighting on this MASSIVE battleship. The ship was undergoing repairs when we were there so we did not get to explore the upper decks. My son (9 years old) had an absolute blast. We had no problems, but if you are claustrophobic or not confident in your ability to navigate ladders and short overhead spaces, maybe skip this attraction.

I really enjoyed the experience. I hate that they got rid of the life like mannikins, and it's definitely not handicap friendly. Other than that it was a very informative and Nice experience! Would go again.