Pacific Battleship Center - National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship IOWA

In 2011 USS IOWA, once the most powerful battleship in the world, was languishing in a back corner of San Francisco Bay as a member of the US Navy's reserve fleet. Her fate was unknown and the possibility of her being scrapped and lost forever loomed all too real.

Enter a small but mighty team with an undeniable passion to preserve this iconic vessel and all the history and manufacturing prowess she represented.

Not only did we save Battleship IOWA, a decade later we've transformed her from a vessel of war into far more than "just" a ship museum. We've opened IOWA's once-sealed hatches so she can serve again, this time as a pillar of her community, a gathering place where civilians, veterans, and active military personnel can create connections with each other, the legacies of the past, and vision for the future.

The ship serves as a vibrant platform to engage and support education, veterans services and community programming locally and throughout Southern California.

As an educational center, PBC provides STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education to students in grades K-12 on the Battleship IOWA and through outreach in the community.

Learning opportunities include:
• Half-day STEM summer camps;
• Day of Discovery on the ship
• STEAM at Sea
• Virtual STEAM at Sea provided to Title 1 schools who cannot attend in person
• STEM Outreach, with a partnership with the LA STEM Collective and funding from Great Public Schools NOW, provides 1.5 hours of STEM learning in the community.

Overall goal: introduce STEM concepts through experiential learning to foster interest in STEM, inspiring future generations of scientists, technicians, engineers, and mathematicians.

As a resource and often a lifeline for veterans, PBC's military and veteran affairs department "Veterans West" serves approximately 25,000 active-duty and veteran service members, of all ages and branches, annually.

As a hub for the community, the ship offers unique convening opportunities for everyone, supporting public safety exercises, fundraising activities for local organizations, socialization activities, and community development. The Battleship IOWA is also home to LA Fleet Week, which mobilizes approximately 150,000 people across Los Angeles during the multi-day event and provides the opportunity for civilians to connect with and show their support for visiting service members. The Battleship IOWA has grown to become a cultural icon and an inclusive venue to gather and interact with people of diverse backgrounds and ages.

Our goal is to raise $25,000 to increase our educational outreach and to support our ability to provide transportation to attend in person programs and events on the battleship for students in underserved communities.

Testimonials

• This was an AMAZING opportunity for my students and me. Our students were fascinated by all aspects of this field trip. They watched in amazement at the cargo ships across from the Battleship USS Iowa and tried to salute everyone they came into contact with. The men and women in uniform & veterans were outstanding representations of excellence and high expectations. You all were hospitable, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. This field trip was a GREAT way to wrap up our school year. -Dr. Chanel King, Purche STEAM Magnet

• The program is very educational and hands-on for the students. -Kathy Lee, Barton Hill Elementary

• The program activities are great. The students were extremely curious and wanted to see even more of the ship! -Ron Green, Birney Elementary