Battleship Memorial Park is a national treasure, a fascinating side-trip, and well-worth the price of admission. Anchored by the historic USS Alabama (BB-60), the state-sponsored park also hosts the USS Drum (SS-228) as well as an impressive collection, indoors and out, of well-preseved and maintained WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam era vehicles, planes, and materiel. Best of all, you set the priorities and pace for your visit. Guided and self-directed tours available. Helpful staff and volunteers on site with plenty of open space, signage, rest rooms, picnic areas, parking, and a gift/refreshment shop. Family and child friendly. Discounts for veterans and active-duty personnel. The memorial park is a walk through American and World history.
It has been a while since we have visited. Things have changed a bit. The last time we were there, the Drum was in the water. The grounds have been vastly improved and are well-maintained with so many additions. I appreciate being able to walk through a historic vessel and be immersed in so much greatness.
This is definitely a must stop to visit!!! I'm always so touched anytime I visit military museums and this one was wonderfully set up... from the Korean War Memorial do the museum in the battleship ... you could spend hours here just learning about our military history!! It was a weekday so it wasn't that crowded and there was plenty of parking available. There's a wonderful little gift shop inside and a cafe!
Very well maintained battleship & submarine, as well as museum and grounds with tanks, planes, memorials, etc. Encountered several employees eager to share information. Great experience. Highly recommend.
Interesting visit exploring the ship and the submarine. You can explore so many parts throughout both taking stairs up and down throughout the decks. There is some air conditioning on the inside making it more comfortable on hot days. I’d suggest going during the fall or spring. Also several planes were on display in the hangar. Even avoiding much of the interiors (not a fan of tight spaces) there was plenty in the open air to see. The staff was super inviting! Be prepared to spend $100 for a family of 4 for tickets and a few extras.
The USS Alabama is the most popular tourist destination in Alabama for a reason. It’s amazing!!
My grandpa was in the Army Air Corps in WWII. To see a sub and battleship from that time is just incredible!!
My pop and favorite cousin were in the Navy and to walk through a sub and battleship in peace time (decommissioned, of course) was incredible! We planned 3 hours, got two and it wasn’t enough. Plan on 4-6 hours if you can.
This place is incredible!! Thanks for making it available. The static aircraft displays are super too!
$15 admission plus an additional $5 to park gets you lot to see and experience via sea surface warfare, aviation and underwater warfare with tours of the USS Alabama, a WW2 battleship, the USS Drum (submarine) and various aircraft and vehicles inside and outside an air-conditioned hanger, a great place for kids (supervised) and adults alike, expect to spend 3 to 4 hours minimum to look around, time well spent with a gift shop and cafe on premises to cap your visit. Highly recommended!
Excellent way to really understand the complexities of war and the demands on Navy personnel and ships. A great history lesson. Strongly recommend spending a couple of hours here. Touring Alabama's decks and reading the exhibits is fascinating. So glad there were future-minded civilians who mounted the effort to save her from becoming scrap.
This was a spur of the moment trip and it was absolutely worth it. Worth the drive. The value you get after paying for parking and tickets far exceeds the cost. Being able to freely roam a battleship (also the USS Drum!) top to bottom, bow to stern, is an incredible experience. They also have the self guided tours that are divided into three different paths. They also have some amazing artifacts. Exhibit posters at different points were informative and had interesting pictures. It truly gave an insight into life aboard a ww2 warship. The only thing I would caution is that in some parts below deck it was incredibly hot and we were drenched in sweat 80% of the time. There was a spot to buy water in one of the mess decks though. The ladders between decks are steep and can be tight fits. It's very easy to hit your head in some areas such as inside the gun turret. Doesn't take away from it at all. Will definitely come back when I have a chance.
The ship was a sight to see and walk. I'd never experienced anything like it before in my life. I got an appreciation for how life could have been on such a vessel. I'd recommend this to anyone. Only wish we had been able to see the bridge up close and personal, but sadly this was not open to the public. Bring your walking and climbing legs.
Amazing experience!
Both the Sub and Battle Ship are worth stopping to see.
The self guided tour is easy to follow and takes you on every part of the ship. The museum did a great job explaining the spaces and having enough room for multiple people to be in the same room.
We went in mid September and it wasn’t too crowded.
+100 points for free active military admission.
We stopped by this memorial and museum in hopes of killing an hour or so before a flight, and we were pleasantly surprised with how interesting everything was. When we visited, we were able to go into the decommissioned sub as well as go into the battleship. The restorations are beautiful, and you quite literally are able to see almost everything in the battleship in submarine. It was worth the price, but if you’re wanting to learn a lot of history about World War II, you may be disappointed. However, if you want to see military vehicles up close, you will not be disappointed. It was definitely a unique spot and worth a visit if you were in the area.
Amazing experience!
A beautiful place to honor and remember those who sacrificed it all. Even the war dogs are honored.
Everything is perfectly taken care of, clean and we'll maintenanced. Highly recommended
What an experience to behold, treasure and absorb. Ample parking. This takes time and has a lot of steps and ladders to climb for the Alabama. Both the battleship and submarine are tight going about and can get really warm. So be prepared to take your time. In the middle part of the Alabama is a little theater playing a video of her history, also a cool down spot for a break. The gift shop has lots of souvenirs and books. The restaurant has delicious food but is pricey. There is plenty of tables to sit at indoors and outside with umbrellas.
Fantastic! It is so much better than I expected! There are so many more exhibits than I thought! The gift shop/photos were more affordable than I expected. I really can't recommend this destination enough. My teenage daughter even liked it!
This was a great place to come and visit. It was a beautiful day. Got very warm on the decks of the Battleship, but they had places that you could get cool. Museum was very informative and had things from all service branches. The Submarine was very cool. I don't like tight and small spaces, but I was able to handle it. Gift shop was nice. Had a lot of different things for everyone. The burgers at the restaurant was delicious! Would highly recommend this place for families.
This was a really awesome experience to get a hands on experience seeing inside of a battleship and a submarine. The museum was very well organized and informative on almost every aspect of the life of this ship and sub. I highly recommend this for families looking to learn some American history or any history buffs.
Great park to visit if you're a veteran. They have a little something for every branch of the military. Awesome experience walking through the sub, destroyer, and indoor and outdoor museum. It'll take you two to three hours to get through and be sure to wear good walking shoes and something to drink while walking around. It gets hot on the deck of the ship and while you are walking outside touring the airplanes. Coming here is the equivalent of seeing the Yorktown Museum in Charleston, SC.
Real world interactive military history museum. You will go inside the USS Drumm submarine and USS Alabama battleship self guided. Just do it, you will not be disappointed! Not to mention all the military aircraft and vehicles surrounding this wonderful place of honor to those who served, bled, and died for our way of life. Wheelchairs can do quite a bit of the exhibits. There are stairs and NO elevators to go inside the submarine and the lower decks of the battleship. We did video on our phones so my wife could see the areas she could not journey into. The battleship is huge so set aside an hour just for her, 45 minutes for the submarine, 30 minutes for the exhibits inside the main building and 45 minutes for the surrounding grounds. There is a restaurant and gift shop left of the battleship. The photos at the end of the main building exhibits are NOT free. When climbing into the gun compartments you will bonk your head so be careful and look up! I would definitely do the museum again.
Awesome place! So worth the experience. Not taxpayer funded so your very reasonable entry fee helps cover the cost to operate and maintain this excellent experience. Clean restrooms on site, drinking fountains, etc. Aircon in many areas of the ships. Can tour the battleship and submarine as part of the same entry fee. Restaurant and gift shop on site. Friendly, informative and helpful staff.
This site is awesome. The USS Alabama can be toured with signs to guide you through. The USS Drum is a WWII Submarine and you can tour that as well (be aware that it is tight if your big like me). On the grounds you have aircraft; including a SR71 and B52, tanks, vehicles, and boats. In the hanger there are displays, vehicles, and more aircraft. Good discounts for seniors, veterans, and active duty or family. Definitely a stop I highly recommend.
Found the USS Alabama on our road trip one day. Great museum and a very cool ship.
We had a great time exploring the ship and reading all of the signs depicting it's history.
The museum and the ship are very well maintained and the entire staff was outstanding, very friendly and informative. you could tell they were passionate about explaining the history to all of the visitors.
I highly recommend a visit to this amazing piece of America's past!
Came on a Saturday morning, 8/2. Quite a lot to see and explore. It's self guided, at your own pace. Wear your walking shoes! Good information and history here. Our 4 year old enjoyed exploring the ship. Seeing the different floors was amazing. We'd love to come back again sometime.
This place is awesome! If you like military items, this is the place for you. Exploring the sub and the battleship was great. The sub is setup nicely to be able to see everything inside. The battleship is neat as well but it is super easy to get lost or turned around because it is so huge. Definitely recommend going as low as you can in the ship and as high up as you can for some great views!
Wow! What a great place to visit. There is so much to see and the prices can't be beat.
My husband did the tour of the USS Alabama and loved it. Meanwhile, I looked after my dog in his little stroller as we walked around the park and looked at all the displays, This alone can take up quite a large amount of time. There were all sorts of aircraft to look at, as well as the USS Alabama and the USS Drum (from a distance). I took all sorts of great photos. The 9/11, Vietnam War and Korean War Memorials were very impressive!
The gift shop was full of all sorts of quality merchandise and souvenirs. While we didn't eat at the adjoining restaurant, the aromas coming from it smelled wonderful!
I highly urge anyone interesting in visiting this park to do it!
Great museum/memorial. I will say be very mindful and hydrated if you’re going on a summer day like we did! It was so so so hot!!! The main museum has AC and a few spots of seating. The memorial and ships had a few places to buy cold water, which you will definitely need! We were so impressed with the amount of exploring allowed and how much space was accessible for individual touring! It was very cool to go throughout the battleship and the submarine! One thing to consider is the amount of stairs in the USS Alabama, and on the USS Drum the size of the hallways and the entrances are small and do require to a certain extent a level of physicality! You won’t regret visiting. A great family outing as well.
This place was truly impressive—I’ve been recommending it to everyone since my visit. The preservation is excellent. That said, it’s not very accessible for strollers or wheelchairs. If you’re using one, there’s not much you’ll be able to see, as the tour involves climbing up and down ladders.
Excellent memorial & museum. The mighty Alabama & the USS Drum are fascinating, awe inspiring displays of American engineering and industry. The aircraft collection is also very impressive. Among the aircraft is a B-52 and a B-25. There is a nice cafe and gift shop; I always make sure to buy a book and donate a little extra. Most highly recommended
Such a great place to visit! Expect to climb some stairs and watch your head in a few spots. I remember visiting as a kid, and now I get to bring my own kids — such a full-circle moment. It’s fascinating and fun to explore the ship, submarine, and all the planes. Definitely worth the stop! Make sure you have a lot of time to devote to seeing everything ,
This is a must do! We had a great time here. There is so much to do and explore, plan on spending the day here. We started out inside the hanger pavilion. It was mostly filled with aircraft and a few vehicles. We then toured the USS Drum submarine. It was very fascinating. We then headed over to the USS Alabama battleship. It was so big we didn’t have enough time to tour everything. There is so much to look at and explore. We ate lunch inside the cafe on the side of the gift shop. The food was good and priced right. After the battleship closed we looked at the outdoor aircraft and tanks before we left.
Make sure to visit the gift shop early because it closes before the battleship does. I don’t understand this from a financial standpoint. They are missing out on a lot of revenue from all the people leaving after the battleship closes. I would have the gift shop close 30 minutes after the battleship closes.
Jun 29, 2025
Nearest Junkyards to USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park
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