Reviews of USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park. (Museum) in Honolulu (Hawaii).

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park

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Museum

Museum

11 Arizona Memorial Dr, Honolulu, HI 96818, United States

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Information of USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, Museum in Honolulu (Hawaii)

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Reviews of USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park

Tricia Pearl

I’ve been here twice. The first time we toured the submarine and outdoor areas, the second time we explored the indoor museum. Both are included with your admission price and both are fantastic! This is a well thought out museum. As a surface Navy family we know all about ships but very little about the silent service. My 8 year old son loved learning different aspects of undersea warfare and history! The interactive quizzes and hands on displays are VERY appealing to a curious elementary aged student. I’m sure most people come to Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona Memorial, but if you have spare time or the boat tours are full, I highly encourage your visit to the Bowfin and Submarine Museum, instead. It’s mainly indoors so a great option for a rainy day. You could easily spend a few hours here if you stopped to read and interact with everything. They do offer a military discount. So if you have a military ID please let them know when you’re paying. Enjoy!

Andrea Gold

This museum is in the same national park as the USS Arizona Memorial. This is a real hands-on experience, walking on the sub and seeing exactly how the crew actually lived. It's a real special opportunity. How they lived practically on top of each other is beyond me. Not only on top of each other but in some cases the beds were literally next to the torpedoes! If you have the funds and the time I highly recommend this tour, both the museum part and especially the self tour on the actual sub. You get to walk on the top outside deck, around the conning tower, and one deck below. You can see not only beds and torpedoes but tiny kitchen facilities and workman areas and even the shower and toilet. Plus you are surrounded by all the massive metal equipment that made the submarine run. You get to walk through the hatches most of the length of the sub. Fascinating to observe, when you consider these people lived on the sub for 2-month tours at a time. If you have a Go city pass, this tour is on it.

Arnold D Isaac

Great place for school, field trips or history, buffs or just anyone who is interested in history of the nation in general or even the world. Check out the pictures I posted for pricing for tickets to enter the museum and tour the submarine. There is a short movie on the other side, and lots of artifacts and plenty of memorials with explanations and names of those who served and died with honor and the names of survivors. We traveled halfway across the world to see the site and other things we are glad we were able to make it.

Ian E

One of the great Museum ships in Pearl Harbor. Definitely a must see if you are going to be in the area. With the day pass you can see the USS Bowfin, USS Missouri, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Part of the exhibit is the USS bowfin itself and the Fleet Museum. You can do a self guided tour through the inside of the USS Bowfin and then finish inside the Fleet Museum itself. If you are planning on being in the area for the day i would highly recommend getting the day pass to the 3 venues so you can seem them all at once and even save some money :)

Royans Tharakan

A fantastic place to visit if one hasn't been to a submarine before. For everyone else, go there for the stories and not the physical submarine. The museum was impressive and tells a story which needs to be told. But not sure I would recommend this over other things if you are visiting the island just for a few days.

Corey Barnard

The Bowfins story is such an awesome piece of history. Being able to experience it in such an awesome fashion is really incredible. The staff here do an awesome job of guiding you through the exhibit and everything is very well labeled and explained. They also have several interactive exhibits which was awesome, I’d highly recommend it

Chris Short

This is an exceptionally well done tour and museum. The museum was just opened in '21 and provides a wealth of information about the submarine history and operations. Recommend touring the boat first, with the free audio, then visiting the museum. Very good time spent!

Christian Fadgen

Great way to experience history. Ticket gains access to the sub and nearby exhibition. Both are reverent reminders of war, freedom and sacrifice. Do it (once in a lifetime.) Unless you really like expensive keepsakes, skip the option to buy the digital photo. Poor quality digital photo download. Your phone will likely take a better group photo.

Junior Brown

We loved this section of the pearl harbor museum there are several different and absolutely beautiful views of the ocean and there are statues, monuments, the submarine, and torpedoes on display here. Maybe it's because you have to pay to enter this area, but it is beautiful and the staff are very friendly. We enjoyed being able to see the different torpedoes and submarines. You are actually able to walk on the submarine and go inside of it and see the different parts/functions. The gift shop had really cool souvenirs and purchases fund the parks upkeep. The food offered at Jake's was really good with decent prices. If you enjoy submarines or simply want to pay your respects and visit pearl harbor I suggest this area.

Pablo Listingart

The USS bowfin is a must while in Pearl Harbor. The visit to the submarine itself is not very long, but it will give you a great overlook of how life is/was inside a submarine. It's an incredible experience and everyone in my family enjoyed it. Once you finish at the submarine the museum includes other exhibitions and places to walk around and read more about the topic.

Dinger Chat

What a fun Museum. If your a larger person like me, you will have to turn sideways to get through the ship in some spots. If your closterphobic this adventure may not be for you, because it does get tight in places. Over all an excellent experience, and there is a food truck / setting area to enjoy right outside the subs entrance also if needed.

Thomas Azzopardi

This was all part of our Pearl Harbor Tour. My wife and I visited the museum and the submarine. We were quite impressed with the attention to detail as well as how well kept everything was. The brass was super polished as was the chrome. The self-guided tour was worth it. Glad they offered that option. Would love to see again.

MsKrayola

We enjoyed touring the USS bowfin submarine and the museum. We did the self guided tour with the audio. It was nice listening to the history of the submarine and the information on the attack on pearl harbor. The museum itself was filled with artifacts. The photo they take of you is added to a newspaper replica from back in the day. Very creative and the only photo souvenir we bought the entire trip.

Sarah Head

If you like history and WWII definitely a must-see! Somewhat biased because my family is in the military. The only thing I really have against is the fact that once you get inside the bowfin, you are packed with a slow moving line. We also went on a weekend post pandemic. Perhaps going during the weekday it will be less crowded. My 4 year old enjoyed the submarine and the museum both.

Maggie

Very cool walking through this submarine!! We enjoyed learning the history. Not very crowded which was nice, we were able to take our time. **BONUS** If you purchase TWO copies of the picture they take ($30) you get a coupon for a free oyster that has a pearl in it!! Super cool, I got a black pearl which is rare😃

Steven Cheng

It is a eye opening experience to view the how the seaman live and work in a submarine of WWII. The museum it self is not so big but very well designed and displaying so many items that makes you salute the servicemen and women at that time. No bags or backpack of any kind are allowed in the park, you need to checked-in in a locker. No outside bottle water allows also. There are food and drink stand inside the park and water fountain by the restroom.

Michael Ong

Great area to walk through a WWII submarine and see exhibits about US submarine history from WWII to present. Food truck in this area has best food at the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites unless you take the shuttle to the USS Missouri or the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum.

Wayne O

This was a fascinating tour at Pearl Harbor. Didn't realize the length of the Bowfin until you walk the entire length inside. Compartments are well displayed, very clean and kept shiny. The museum has much to offer for the history of submarines up to modern day.

Logan Teodoro

Great submarine museum! I do wish there was a little more detail in the submarine itself. I have toured a couple public submarines such as the USS Cod in Cleveland, Ohio. The distinction I would make is that the Cod had little trinkets and knickknacks that made the submarine feel real and also had a little informational placards all over the place which were helpful. But I would definitely still recommend this museum/submarine. The museum itself is pretty informative. I love the exhibit on nuclear reactors, launch controls, and different types of submarines. They also have cool outdoor exhibits

Allison King

Amazing experience! The Bowfin is beautifully preserved. If you want to go to the Arizona make sure you get tickets in advance. The standby line was hours long and we didn't make it out.

Keith A.

Visiting this museum was more than just seeing military artifacts . Touring the grounds and understanding some of the stories really drives home the sacrifices that were made and how harrowing the events that unfolded on 12/7/41, and during this era, really were. It is a must see when visiting.

GLR

We had some great stops on the island I on our last vacation and we can add this one to the list. While waiting for our timed tour to see the Battleship Missouri BB-63 we took a side tour to go through the Bowfin Submarine museum. It was quiet a tour and gives added respect for our Navy men who defended our nation over the years

Vincent Randy Heslop

Great exhibit, especially if you haven't experienced life on a submarine. The submarine museum located right across from this exhibit shares the amazing history of American submarine. In-between both is a nice shaded picnic area where lunch is offered by a foodtruck specializing in the most delicious rice and grilled shrimp dish. FOLLOW ME for more thoughtful recommendations as I travel the world 🌎

Rovik Robert

Not exactly a cheap ticket but how often do you get to explore a WW2-era submarine. The submarine exhibits teach you about the structure and technologies within, while the land museum has some exhibits on the actual use of submarines during WW2. Overall, definitely a good learning experience.

Joe Zeppetello

Very interesting exhibit. The sub was definitely worth the visit. I thought it was a little pricey. No senior discount.

Hooks and Needles Co.

When you're in Honolulu you MUST visit Pearl Harbor! History comes to life here, humanity is reestablished when you see the faces of the men who fought. It's no longer words in a history book.

Nicholas Quintillan

This is a pretty cool attraction. It’s probably the least desirable out of the big four activities at the Pear Harbor site, but it’s still worth a visit. I’d be sure to do the other three first if you’re choosing between them but either way, highly recommended!

Daniel Messiha

Nice museum and submarine. You can go inside the submarine and walk above it. There are also several outdoor exhibits relating to the submarine and a indoor museum.

Craig Kirsner, MBA

This is an amazing place filled with history! Great submarine that you can go into! It closes at 5pm. A must see in Hawaii! Definitely visit the submarine! We'll worth it! I highly recommend it 👌👍 …

Karynn Leach

Such a cool experience! So much fun to spend time exploring history! The audio tour was awesome, the museum was spectacular and the submarine was for fun to learn about with hands on experiences.

Nicole Douglas

So incredible! The walking tour was so fun! Make sure you have your masks on hand though, hubby and I forgot ours in the car so we couldn't go into a few areas. Also make sure to not bring a bag with you!!!

S H

Nice experience to get on a submarine and see how the living quarters are. However, I do feel that the museum is a bit overpriced. Its $20 to enter. However, they do not have nearly as much memorabilia and plaques as the pearl harbor museum.

Brenda Daulton

Was all over pearl harbor while in Hawaii. Hubby had military discount. 2 of us got to go through sub all over it.for 42 Inside and out. Included musuem.If you buy a poster they make for 20 I got to pick a oyster for a pearl. I got a real big pink pearl. Which are rare. I will have that mounted. Not allowed purses. So charge you 7 bucks to store. Recommend this place. Parking free.

connie leung

If u never been in one, this a good opportunity. it is sparkling clean. But if u r caustrophobic, this is not for u. I went in and immediately I want to get out. It was hot and tight space. Not sure how people can go to war and stay a long period.of.time inside a submarine.

Jakob Z

What an amazingly fantastic museum! This place is far from your run of the mill drab museums as it has a complementary electronic tour offered (disposable headphones provided by park), interactive exhibits, and places with hands on experiences for the young ones (physically and at heart). There is a lot here, in the museum and the submarine so please give yourself some time to take it slow and take it all in. Currently must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccine and valid ID to enter. Please do not harass the folks there, if you are adverse to this policy. They are simply following the rules.

JV Sy

Not the main attraction at pearl harbor but a must see imho. Very nice chance to see the inside of a submarine.

Gator Chris

Worlds at war lead to men dying and memorials being built to honor them. The Bowfin is an example of war technology for the era.

Ivelisse Gonzalez Ferrera (Dona)

Nicely organized audio tour of the museum. Staff available and some interactive activies for the younger ones.

Nicole Wang

Amazing tour in the Pearl Harbour Avenger! The USS Bowfin, with lots of precious WWII traces. Worthy to visit.

Steven Paquin

Pretty cool to visit a sub. Even with covid you can still go thru the sub. Crazy to think how those things work. The kids really loved the area where they explained how all the sonar, torpedoes and how to navigate the ship outside the sub. Inside it’s really impressive kids got a kick out of how they have a glass of water in one of the rooms.

Peter F

We visited as family and purchased Passport to Pearl Harbor. Pricey, but recommended as the passport provided access to Missouri, including shuttle, and Bowfin plus museum. We did not go to Aviation museum. Overall, recommend a day at these sites. Pleasant surprise by quality of food trucks, we had nice lunch outside Bowfin. Strongly recommend.

Kathryn McAndrew

Amazing place. Maintained to a very high standard. Extremely informative. Definitely not to be missed if you are in Oahu.

Stan R

Ever wanted to see what a battle submarine looks like from the inside? It was like diving into history and yet satisfying a fantasy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Take it all in but remember Pearl Harbor is a memorial to those who served to protect our freedom.

Steven Johnston

This museum is the place to go for all things submarine. Most of the exhibits cover the WWII era in the Pacific, but they do cover the cold war and modern submarines, a bit. The ticket also allows visitors to board the USS Bowfin. You can go down into the inner parts of the vessel and get a feel for how cramped the conditions were for the sailors of that era. All around a good and educational experience.

Uncle Skuby

Super cool, very informative. I learned a lot about our country and our Navy. You get to tour a Submarine which was a lot of fun. I would def suggest getting the guided audio set for the Sub. It goes off automatically when you enter rooms. Excellent way to honor what happened there.

Michelle

Interesting museum with both a submarine you can go on, and exhibits about Submarines in WW2 and more recently. The submarine is designed to be a one-way path. There's a lot of climbing through narrow/high doors and not much room to pass others, so may be difficult if you have mobility issues or don't like confined spaces. The museum exhibits were interesting and comprehensive. There is quite a few interactive areas kids might enjoy.

Gregg

A very humbling and inspiring experience...if you don't leave this exhibit feeling incredibly grateful, you somehow missed the point. Thank you to all who have served to preserve our freedom!

Bryan Underwood

Great tour of this WW2 submarine. Very tight spaces so be aware. See photos (hat added on hatch for size comparison). Excellent views from the top deck. Very interesting sites within.

Rachel Drake

Worth the cost to check it out. It’s a self guided tour but they give you headsets to narrate and guide you. When you are the sub the clips automatic play when you reach certain spots which my husband and I appreciated. There is a good amount of climbing though if you have any health conditions please be advised. Also if you have any kind of height to you be prepared to walk hunched over and constantly be ducking down. Other then that it was so cool to see how it would have been for our Navy men back then and the sacrifices and conditions that they had to live in.

Amy Lee

Had a great time. This was really well done and I'm so glad we went. Enjoyed the audio tour. The displays are great, and as a Submariners family, we can totally relate

Lisa Holzhausen

3rd time to Pearl Harbor, Ist time on the USS Bowfin. We took a tour for the day, so I'm not sure of the cost.

Town Traveller

Self guided tour and easy access, worth the visit and learn about a sailor's life in a submarine.

Christine Traynor

Very neat to tour this submarine. Thank you to all who served here!

Christine Robson

Marvelous engineering inside and it's shiny clean. Great family visit spot. Also the pork tacos just outside are really good.

Chandra

Our family of five from Texas and Oklahoma visited Oahu and the Big Island for Spring Break! While at Pearl Harbor, we visited the Bowfin Submarine. The submarine has been well maintained and we enjoyed our visit. It was interesting to see the technological advances of our submarines today compared to the Bowfin. Would recommend if you are visiting Pearl Harbor!

Perry Steines

The museum is great, get the audio player. You will hear cold war sub and nuclear sub. The Bowlin is cool to walk through, hard to imagine living on the sub, but they held the line ND defended the US. They did all this with out many noticing. Nice tribute to those who served.

Matt Keefe

Both the sub and the museum are a great experience with a lot of information to learn about. I would recommend the audio tour as it tells you about various rooms in the sub as you walk through them.

Vince Clark

Never thought I'd have the opportunity to see an actual WW2 submarine!! This is an amazing opportunity 🇺🇲 …

Scott Hendison

Lots of history, and a friendly staff, including some US Navy personnel. I'd definitely recommend this museum for anyone interested in World War II history. Go early though, because the place gets packed, and we got there at 7:30 which made for a great time. When we left, about 10, it was so crowded and we definitely would have been rushed through the submarine.

Devon murrray

Awesome historical experience! I'm glad I got to visit to see how are brave, courage, selfless men and women lived while serving their people and country!!

Ej Amoj

Worth going to, features self guided audio tours. Finish the battleship Missouri and the aviation museum first in that order, especially if you plan to see USS Arizona.

Sunny -

Great to go into a real sub, you get to touch the controls and have a feel for the ship, and how it worked. The audio tour is great - it's automated, and plays the tour as you walk into the various chambers of the sub. It was very nice to get there at the end of the day, almost no one else was there. Was able to go at a nice pace and get some great photos.

Kayla Jauregui

This is a short tour of a historic submarine. Prices were fair for military members. During your tour you have a headset that describes different parts of the submarine to you. It even has recordings of Veterans sharing their personal experiences. It was definitley worth the trip. I will say it's not handicap friendly as you climb up/down things and through small holes. You can't bring bags or purses, anything bigger than a small clutch / large wallet is a no go.

Sam Bartleman

Great tour - this is a no-frills and highly educational tour of a real decommissioned military sub. All the levers and knobs still work and everything is in great condition. There are very few restrictions on this tour - most things are hands on. If you want to touch something, you can. Nothing has been removed. Takes about 30m to see it all. A bit pricey but thoroughly enjoyable. Can combine with your visit to the USS Arizona. Doors inside are very small - at 6ft I felt like I was at risk of a head bump all the time.

Agnes Bartha

Innovative method for an audio tour: it automatically adjusts to the room you're in. Highly recommend the experience for education/insight. Parking is tough even midday on a week day.

Diana luxuryretreathawaii Vacation Rental Hawaii

A very nice site to visit and appreciate our history at Pearl Harbor! I enjoyed every site here, and I highly recommend it. Ensure you plan a full day, as there is so much to see and fo. It is great for families with children also. There are food courts and snack shops.

Saranac11

Very nice piece of history. Educational and eye opening. If you like the Pearl Harbor history, read about a relatively unknown vessel called the USS Vestal. Very heroic.

daniel chen

Another must visit attraction if you're visiting the pearl harbour memorial. Journey down into the submarine which seems larger than it appears to see the inner workings. The brass and the gauges look almost brand new and operational. You get to see and experience the squeeze of the crew sleeping quarters and hit your head plenty of times moving through hatches. Although this sub offers only a short tour, it is definitely one worth experiencing.

LIC. Romero

Beautiful place for visit in your tourist trip

Kt Roberts

My boyfriend and I we able to purchase the Groupon right at the visitor's center and go on the tour immediately! I initially didn't think we would go on the tour, but once we saw the ship I knew that I wanted to see the inside of the submarine. Very cramped once on the boat and it was a little hot we when we took the tour, but you can't expect the sub to be cool. We also received headsets that explained each area of the ship as you were walking through it. Very interesting and don't regret going!

John Paul Davis

Awesome, just see, great perspective on life at sea!

Chela p

After the boat dropped us off at the visitors center we went straight for the Submarine USS Bowfin. This was included in our package so it was already pre-paid and we were given our tickets ahead of time. I believe the entrance for this is $15 for adults and $7 for kids. The museum part was closed when we came, they are doing construction so we were unable to check that out. I would say if you're claustrophobic probably stay away from doing this tour of the Sub. It can feel a little cramped in there and hot, they do have little fans going though. Walking through the Bowfin was pretty cool and yet I can't believe how these men could live here in this cramped space for so long. I mean even I had problems going through some of the hatch doors, I'm short people I have short legs lol. This is definitely worth a stop, very interesting it would have been even better if we had a chance to go to the museum but this was a good experience.

Paul Elrick

Not very often you get to have a look inside a submarine. Let's you see the conditions that these brave men had to live in for long periods of time under war conditions. Truly remarkable. Staff were friendly at the shop and full of information.

Foreverblue

Didn’t get to Pearl Harbour early enough to catch a decent time to go out to the Arizona so we went over to the Bowfin instead. It’s worth checking it out. You can walk through the ship with a guided audio tour and get a sense of what life on board would have been like. Prices were reasonable and I’d definitely recommend it.

Claire F.

We visited this museum using our Go Oahu card purchased from Costco. If you are using your Go Oahu card, you still need to line up at the ticket booth first to get your actual tickets. This is a self guided tour and headsets will be provided. You can press the number you see on the wall into your headset to listen to the recordings. Low ceiling inside the submarine so it might be uncomfortable for very tall people (over 6 feet). Hard to climb some stairs so it might not be a place to visit for small children.

Jirka Just

I loved it. First time, I saw submarine from WWII. It is excellent museum with self guided audio tour. Especially to see how submariners lived in such small quarters. It highly recommend to see it when visiting the Arizona Memorial.

Steve B

Nice stop next to NPS area. We didn't do it the first day due to time, but the following time since we couldn't get out to the Arizona we decided to try it and glad we did. I've been on a few submarines previously, and this one is the best well kept. They were undergoing maintenance but I couldn't even tell from how great it was. You get to tour both the museum as well as submarine within and on top. It's tight quarters but the one I've been to in NY was even tighter.

mitchell Kaplan

Historical and informative. The museum allows you to see exactly how the Bowfin is built and operated. Tight bulkheads to walk through but is easily traversed.

Rick Jones

Very impressive restoration of the submarine, able to see all thru out the Sub. A fantastic part of history you can visit.

Paul U

This was something that was neglected in my history classes. If it was mentioned, we never talked about it. This is my first time knowing about it. Before I got on the sub, they took a picture of me. They imprinted and image of me within another picture in the Hawaiian newspaper when Pearl Harbor was bombed. I thought it was pretty steep to what they were asking for it. When they told me that the money goes back to sub on maintaining it, I bought the newspaper.

Shinji Tota

Made to feel very welcome by staff. could go evrywhere on baot, just next to big memorial site of sunk ship and big battleship ... good to see both big ship and little ship ... lot to see so can spend easily entire day at all 3 cites

Louis L

The Bowfin Museum is great. The significance and history behind many of the parts is amazing.

Tony Jones

O man getting to go down inside the sub was the coolest thing I have ever got to do. Just a heads up if you want to go down if you are not able to get around good then you might not want to do this.

Mike Beltzner

Excellent exhibit, mixing interactive with educational. Good for ages 10+, and the walk through of the USS Bowfin is spectacular.

Csilla Fekete

It was something unbelievable. I was amazed of the technology, the engineering and the whole atmosphere of the submarine. I loved it the best.

andres hidalgo

Get there early, they used open at 7am. You can pay optional for tour guide, but is free to go memorial. They have a submarine (20usd adult, 12usd kids), it worth it, you get the submarine and also go to other museums..

Carl Mazur

A MUST SEE TOUR!! This was just as good as the Arizona Memorial (no disrespect here, it's just different and more hands on). It was a very powerful and sobering experience that really took you right back to what these men did for our country. The sigh, sound and even smells of being under the water level in such small compartments is really super awesome. It's not too cramped for a regular sized person. *NOTE: One that have difficulty bending, kneeling or conditions that require a wheelchair, this is not a tour to do the lower deck areas on. You have to crawl through the submarine's lockouts and it is quite cramped at times. Another thing that is neat is that you get to play with some of the sub's gadgets freely.

Grant Atwood

Had a great experience visiting the Submarine and learning more about the history of America. Growing up, Pearl Harbour was only something we touched on in the history books in Canada. I wanted to learn more for much of my life and finally, after 28 years, got the chance to visit. I did not know when I arrived that I would get to tour a Submarine and it was awesome! The museum is well managed and it is air conditioned! Had a ton of fun.

James Allen

This is a great museum and well done. We did it a bit backwards (date) the flow from early subs to nuclear was not really marked well. So kind of did it out of order. But great displays and a lot of interactive stuff for the kids.

JETS

A great opportunity to enter and explore a submarine! Be mindful of tight walkways down below and walking on the top when it rains. Wonderful experience to see.

Sam Marks

A well kept glimpse into the period and an added historic bonus to seeing Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.

David Londeen

Very well done. The audio your was exceptional. It's important to understand what our men and women of the armed went through to preserve our freedom, especially those below the sea.

kelly mullenax

Great place to visit, a lot of history here.

Veronica Kimes

Tight quarters going through it. Don't go if you have a bad back or injury to legs. The holes connecting each room require a lot of movement. It really brings to life what people in a submarine have to do and live. Completed the tour of the inside in about 17 minutes.

Hando Sutter

Well arranged, gives great overview of US submarines activities since 1941 till nowadays

Kevin

Nice tour that brings you on and in to the submarine showing you all the various rooms and jobs that were done during it's time of use. Audio guide tells you about every room you step in to so don't go too fast if you want to listen to it

Mike the IT Guy

Showed up at 0730 to get our free tickets to see the Arizona and when we arrived the ticket we were handed said 1015. So naturally we had some time to kill... off to the museums. The USS Bowfin was our first, knowing nuttin' about the Navy and especially Submarines, I really enjoyed this tour. On the way over they have different types of torpedoes laying around. We paid the $10 for a self paced audio tour, which included admission to the Museum, and we really enjoyed it. Get there early! We had almost no crowd and while in the submarine nobody was rushing us. As we left however, about 45 minutes later, it was starting to get busy. Great way to learn about history here. Thanks for reading.

Kyra Beaty

If it's busy it's easy to feel rushed through as it's pretty cramped for space (it's a submarine so that's expected). You get an audio headset to follow along key points of the ship which is really interesting but we had to fuss with technical issues with our packs on a couple occasions.

Nick Alvarez

A somber experience to be at Pearl Harbor and to also see the Bowfin Submarine and all of the different aspects of Pearl Harbor and what happened on that faithful day of December 7 1941.

Patrick Jones

Good exhibit at Pearl Harbor. You go at your own pace, with audio automatically triggered for each room.

Eddie Olliver

Quite amazing to see what is like on a submarine. Very confined space and all the equipment is so tightly packed in, a really brilliant piece of engineering.

Justin H

So much to see and a very educational experience, my 9 year old loved it, especially touring the submarine.

Step Hendricks

Short but worth it if you add this to the others nearby. The audio tour was a helpful touch. Walking through the inside of the sub was great.

Lawrence Quesada

Located at pearl harbor memorial. It's always great to honor our history

Michael Furlow

A great place to see history. Audiotours are provided and very informative. Being able to walk through a submarine really brought the ideas home to my kids. If you are 6' or taller, watch your head when below decks!! When you are at the aft, you can look across Pearl Harbor and see the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri.

Jonathan Kobayashi

Last time i was here was 30 years ago. Everything looks better than it did back then.

Akshay Jawharkar

Really cool place to visit and learn a bit about the history of pearl harbor. The tour in the submarine though is really fun. You walk through the whole submarine from front to back and get a great sense of life on a sub. Definitely recommend visiting the museum after the submarine tour. Great place to visit.

Crystal Sharp

This submarine was awesome! The audio is really interesting to hear as you walk through the inside of the sub. The submarine is huge! You will not believe how many bulk heads you have to walk through from front to back. Nice little gift shop but be careful, they get you on the "free pearl"!

Tonya McBride

Very detailed and humbling experience. Valuable information learned and I will definitely be back to bring my kids to learn more about the true history of Pearl Harbor

Karen Kelley

This Submarine museum at Pear Harbor is amazing. You get to walk thru the Submarine and learn the history of the "Pearl Harbor Avenger"

Brian Reams

Incredible glimpse into the life of a WW2 submarine crew. A fantastic mix of history and technical explanation. If you love submarines, you must see this.

Christine

The tour is short but interesting. It does get a bit crowded but is understandable since it's a submarine. You can get an audio track and earphones to listen to while walking through.

Ève S.

Loved it! Make sure to get the audio guide. It’s a really cool experience and I learned a lot. Its a shame the most interesting parts of Pearl harbor at an additional coast. Also charging more than the entry price for a “newspaper photo” seems disproportionate. There might be a better way to sell them than printing everyone’s photos only to throw them in the garbage afterward. Paper are trees and that’s definitely a waste of trees.

Henry Darden

Nice submarine and museum exhibits.

Dave Wollenhaup

Was cool to be able to go inside a submarine. A fun little museum. Probably my favorite thing in Pearl Harbor

Max M.

So grateful for all who served and remembering the lives lost during this tragic event. It was a really cool experience to tour and pay our respects. We didn't spend too much time at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. The USS Arizona is closed for maintenance but there's a free Memorial program which includes a documentary film with actual attack footage as well as a ride on a US Navy Shuttle boat to the Memorial. Tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial program are given out free of charge each morning on a first come, first served basis. There were plenty at 945 a.m. when we grabbed ours. It rained when we arrived but skies were clear again within 15 minutes. Dress appropriately. I didn't get sick on the shuttle boat but I will say I was dizzy for the following 3 days because of it. I regretted not taking a dramamine (I get nauseated easily- even in car rides). Our online $45 ticket included the Battleship Missouri, where the documents ending World War II were signed and the USS Oklahoma Memorial. We also explored the Bowfin submarine using an audio tour. Make sure you reserve enough time to explore everything! Everyone went with a tour guide on the Missouri, but because our time was limited, we winged it and went solo. We got there at 945 a.m and left at 130 p.m and let me tell you, that was us rushing. We didn't stop to eat or shop in the stores. It took about 20 minutes to wait for the shuttle bus to go back. You can snack on the nearby $6 hot dog while you wait, like I did. Overall, it was a great experience! Edit: I forgot to add I did stop at the jewelry shop. Opened a clam and found a pearl. It's located on the left side of the entrance to the overpriced store. It's $15, but it's free if you buy your expensive newspaper photo after the tour next door. Or if you mount it, which I did on a white gold ring with a diamond. So beautiful and fun to do. But expect to spend about $200 and up to mount it on a jewelry (ring, necklace etc.) I'll post photos!

MIchael Ross

Great piece of history. Friendly staff. The restoration on the submarine is beautiful.

Matthew L

The boat is a great example of a WWII submarine. You can see how cramped the inside was. And the boat is in great shape. It's a must see when visiting the Arizona Memorial.

vikki kimble

Great place to visit really interesting to see the inside the sub however the man taking pictures was rude and yelled at us because we kept walking towards the sub we didn’t know we was supposed to wait until he told us to go there was no instructions on what to do and he never said to wait he had no right yelling at us very rude man.

Markpaul Chohan

Wow, this was amazing. It was my first time in a submarine. This is a must see, you will understand how the life was in the submarine. It's a great educational experience.

David Vonk

It's interesting to explore the submarine. The connected museum was impressive. My kids (10, 11, and 13) all enjoyed it thoroughly. For our family, it was better than the Arizona memorial.

Thad Ashford

A must see at Pearl Harbor the Bowfin Submarine is great!!!

V Portillo

Love walking around Pearl Harbor and seen all the history.

Michael Td Roberts

What a magnificent submarine located on the shore of Pearl Hsrbor. Inside the USA Bowfin you get yo walk around and see how 115 sailors lived inside and how well maintained it is to this day. This is well worth the visit and if I were you grt the audio tour. #localguides

Luz Apodaca

Very interesting and I can't imagine how the sailors lived in such small confined spaces. I'm not very tall and it was difficult for me to climb over foot partitions and not bump my head maneuvering through the different walkways. Military personnel made many sacrifices for our freedom and I truly appreciate all their work for our freedom and we as Americans should be very thankful!

Roger Lam

Very informative museum. Had a lot of fun visiting the submarine. I recommend visiting if you haven't yet

Andrea Oviedo

Beautiful place to visit and remember the men and women who gave their life for our freedom. I loved this place. I thought I would skip it but I am glad did not.

Lincoln Watson

They gave us audio devices that guided us through the tour and we got there at 9AM and it was not crowded at all.

Stephen Gibbons

Amazing to see how small inside is. Great experience. Highly recommend it.

Kristina Lynn

I'm so glad we paid the extra to go inside, it was money well spent and really put into perspective what life on a sub is like.

Veronika Řídelová

Kids under 4 not allowed to visit the submarine, but there is an outdoor installation and indoor piece for toddlers too in the museum.

Nicco Colprit

Great time aboard this historic sub, definitely worth a visit if you are exploring Pearl Harbor!

Courtney Putnam

Great experience. Be warned that after you tour the exhibit, you and your COVID mask will smell like the submarine...for the rest of the day. Make sure you visit the museum. The employees were very friendly. The food that they serve looked fantastic, but my son wanted to look for a local restaurant to have lunch. We ate at 604. It was good.

Tresha King

Great museum! We were hesitant to spend $20 to get in but the submarine tour made it all worth it.

Heather Smith

Really great museum providing vast history of subs from WWII through today. Audio tour is part of the ticket. Once through the museum you can walk aboard the sub and see what life in cramped quarters is like. A small gift shop and snack area too.

Gasper Castro

I wish to thank our Navy men for their service. This sub of the early days was no joke to operate.

Javier Gómez García

Really nice experience to go through all the facilities of a real submarine! A must in Hawaii!

Bradley Bevis

I love seeing the old ww2 submarine, the nostalgia is truly worth the small price you have to pay.

C-ADVENTURES

This was very cool experience, I learned a lot and the audio guide was really good, definitely a must do, you’ll get to see the whole inside of the submarine and how they work and live in it and afterwards you’ll get your picture printed as a news paper for $20 dollars, and they’ll give you a coupon for a free pearl on the pearl shop, you get to pick the oyster and they opened in front of you, super cool.

Jojo Jojo

7/23/2022 = 5 Star = Very interesting how old submarine design.

Shannon Fields

What's not to love about climbing around an old submarine honestly. The inside museum was super nice too! Lots of interactive exhibits for the kids

James Ward

This was tremendously fun for my kids--and we could even go on the submarine because one of my boys was under four. Never the less, the museum abounds with interactive submarine apparatuses: a plastic submarine and a working periscope they can peer at you with, consoles with a hundred switches and buttons they're allowed to play with, command stations they can sit in, and more. But adults with have just as much fun here enjoying the artifacts, documentaries, historical collages, maps, and excellently displayed reading material. There's also a submarine playground-museum outside their regular museum. It dosen't have a tunnel slide, monkey bars, or seesaw, but your kids can walk through a real-life submarine bridge, climb unto gun turrets, and straddle torpedoes. How cool! It's a boy paradise (and a girl's too). Plus, it shares the same parking lot and grounds as the USS Arizona so you'll get a twofer out of this place. I highly recommend coming here, especially; it's family friendly.

Bobby W

History of submariners, and their role in defeating Japan in WWII. Very informative and if you are a history buff, it is not to be missed.

Anthony Pelaez

This was such a great experience. So much history.

Veronica Palacios

First time inside a submarine! Loved the audio tour and the way everything was displayed there was always someone we could ask questions to. Tickets were always available no reservations needed!

George Tucker

Great self guided tour, amazing history.

Nick R

Great way to experience a WWII relic firsthand. Well-preserved and organized. Make sure the visit the adjacent submarine warfare museum (it's very good).

M.e. E.

you should go there if you visit pearl harbor because you can explore the uss bowfin at the inside - very cool !

Chris Ramsey

Neat experience to go down inside and on top of a WW2 Era submarine!!

Cathy Wright

Beautifully renovated submarine tells the story of its missions, as well as those of other submarines. Get the audio guide, which tells you a lot about the sub. The museum has a lot of information with some interactive exhibits that allow you to try your hand at command. The only thing I'd love to see more of is hand sanitizer, as there are a lot of things to touch or you need to touch (hand railings).

David

Great place to visit if you have never been

Kevin Mullett (Kev)

This is a well kept and beautiful submarine it is the first sub to go out and avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor. There is a really cool tour and a great museum next to it all about submarines and sub warfare

A. Makela

Cool submarine you can enter with extra charge, located next to Pearl Harbor exhibits. No wait for me during a weekday visit.

Joebina Vanegas

Place requires mask but no one was wearing them. Great place to learn the history.

Hannah Gauthier

A beautiful, incredible piece of history. Eye opening to how hard the sailors had to work to survive an underwater quarintine. Children under 4yrs are not allowed on the submarine but a playground of similar gear is provided. They even set up a periscope by the play equipment!

richard pagliara

Great history lesson. Amazing what those boys went through on those subs.

Mike Roberson

Cool to see how small a sub really is. Torpedo shoots were the coolest.

James Taite

Such an interesting museum. The information is incredible and the ability to get on an actual WWII sub just helps you understand what it was like to be a part of the crew. Well worth your time.

Melissa Wheeler

It was really interesting walking through the submarine. The real star for my kids was the indoor submarine museum. So many interactive areas for kids to explore and learn from.

Vic Hop

Very nice tour. Amazing to see the cramped conditions the sailors were subjected to and still managed to get the job done. You would not want to be over 6 feet tall serving on such a small submarine.

Steve Naples

The experience at Pearl Harbor includes the Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, the Airwar museum and the museum dedicated to the silent service the USS Bowfin. In the dark days after December 7, 1941 it was the Navy's submarines who took the battle to the Japanese. Here you have the chance to walk through the workings of WWII submarines as well as the present day silent service. On board the Bowfin you will get an up close and personal experience fighting and living on these vessels. Make sure you take the free audio tour as well.

Jake Hoover

Very cool experience. You get to go inside the sub and go all the way through. Gives you an amazing respect for the guys that lived, ate, worked, and fought in that little tube in the ocean. The engineering for it from the 40's is also eye opening. Definitely worth it to do this tour.

alex k

Did the submarine museum, took a while to go through it. Very detailed history. Worth visiting + please consider purchasing the picture the staff takes of you... its a donation to help maintain the park.

Geoff Gephart

Very informative. Tight bulkhead passes and very warm.

Max Maybury

It’s a great way to spend an hour after seeing the USS Arizona Memorial. This is an extra $20 cost per person. The self-guided sub is the main attraction here, so avoid if you’re claustrophobic. It was tight with just two of us in it at a time. We did not experience the museums, but the bathrooms are great.

Bondh20polo

Love the sub. It's very small but total worth it.

Tim Parham

Our Pearl Harbor tour was amazing!

Lowell Kingston

I used the audio tour. Definitely worth it.

Ryan Welch

Get the full experience of what it was like to be on a submarine during WWII. One of a kind and a must see.

Mahalingam Rajasutha

Perfect experience got the best value for Oahu visit pass.

Annie Jones

The best part was the hands-on experience of seeing the museum and the submarine. Very honored to be able to witness and explore the Bowfin.

Jerry Boales (Rocksoldier)

The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum is more than what I ever expected. I took the audio tour of this historical piece of history. I just can't imagine living in the Close Quarters that are heroes did as they fought in World War II. The sacrifices made only goes to show why that generation is the greatest generation of our country today. It's nice to see that little pieces of our history are being maintained today to show and teach just exactly why we have the freedom we have today. If you're ever at Pearl Harbor I would highly recommend that you take the audio tour yourself of This Magnificent piece of History.

Maxim Kazitov

Awesome submarine, but to many people. This is part of Perl Harbor monument.

pbandj37

A cool museum where you can take a tour inside of a WWII submarine. There is also a very cool (and new) museum to the US Navy's submarine corps. The Bowfin and museum are not free but worth the money if you are into history, WWII or naval warfare. Recommend!

Jadin Stottlemyer

Historic and very well preserved and presented.

Melody Emchick

First time being in a real submarine and it was very interesting. Tickets are $10 each for adults and you get the audio tour with it. Stepping on the submarine was a little scary for me. I guess I kept thinking I was going to fall through! The audio tour is very informative. I wouldn't recommend this for people who are claustrophobic as the passageways are very narrow and you have to almost climb through the tiny doorways. Also, it can get very warm inside the submarine as there is no air conditioning. You get to see where these brave men once ate, slept, and worked. Overall I thought the experience was really cool. I can't image how it must feel to endure these long journeys in such tight quarters. Props to our Navy!

Bridgett Hall

It was incredible to see this part of history. My husband and children enjoyed touring the inside of the submarine, but if you are even mildly claustrophobic, please hang out and check out the views from the deck (which I'm sure is a no-brainer for most people... I just thought I'd be able to breathe slowly and brave though it). I made the mistake of getting a few steps down with a line behind me, and I panicked trying to push past others to get out faster. What I did see was impressive though!

Eros

great experience, loved touring the submarine.

Adrian Czyzewski

Great experience! Can't miss it!

Yizhi Zheng

Amazing experience on some of the most important WWII events. The audio tour is very detailed and informative, both in the museum and on the submarine. Highly recommended

The Real Jd

The Bowfin and the museum are a well put together example of how to make history and machines interesting for people of all ages. The sub is well presented as you walk through it and the headphones provided give a detailed account of what life was like living in a tin can under the sea during WW2. The museum further adds to the story explaining in more detail how the subs functioned and kept track of their successful missions. There are great stories of the bravery of submariners during the early and the importance of the task that they had to undertake for the allied offensive. It closes at 17.00 so get their before 15.00 to get a good run at both exhibits. If this is useful please like!

Hugh Westermeyer

It's been a long time since I had last been here. They have really improved the submarine museum. Very interesting covering WW2 through current time. $20 to get in and worth it.

jeff rhoades

The museum is beautiful. And a young lady in the front Rochelle was very helpful

Ryan Montgomery

Going inside the USS Bowfin submarine was an amazing experience, and I never knew the importance our submarines had in the war!

Trevor Howe

Being on the bowfin was neat! The submarine museum was sombering, but very informational. There are interactive exhibits that kept the kids entertained.

Khalil B

A great experience! We went quite early in the morning for the opening. It wasn't busy and we got to experience the submarine essentially alone! Just a note. If you are just visiting the submarine and museum you can get tickets from the gift shop in front of the sub. No lines at all! A touch on the spendy side. If you have kids and you visit the museum, the kids can do a scavenger hunt and get a badge and magnet. It was a huge hit. We came by bus from Waikiki. Not a bad ride and it drops you off just up the hill from the park. I wish I had more time to experience more of Pearl Harbor.

Mark Worrell

Worth the stop to walk through the USS Bowfin and the museum nearby. This sub has a lot of history and is in great shape! We understood a lot more about submarine warfare after making this stop

Jordan Henrickson

This was my first time in Honolulu and going to Pearl Harbor was a must. We bought the Pearl Harbor Passport which included the USS Bowfin, USS Missouri, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and USS Arizona all in one. They offered a military discount, for any of you active/NG/retired service members. The USS Bowfin was a must! You were able to enter the submarine and walk through to see the different parts, which was fascinating. The tour ended on top of the submarine, which was a great area for taking pictures! The actual museum was pretty amazing and informative as well! Overall, I highly recommend the USS Bowfin if you are in Honolulu!

Petr Mušal

So amazing place. Nice and realy realistic

Keith Fields

Great insights into the hard life of submariners in war

Reid Kagemoto

Went on the tour with my son and he loved it. Although we got there around noon, there was parking available and there weren't any long lines. The sub was very well kept. So much to see in there. A headset was provided to lead you on an audio tour through the sub. Definitely a must see.

Evelyn Simmons

Being a Army Veteran, very touching! Honored to have had the opportunity to be at Pearl Harbor and experience the USS Bowfin Submarine!

Randi BARTLEY

The one thing my 17 yr old son wanted to see while in Oahu, even our 18 year old was excited and thought this monument and museum were awesome! Amazing piece of history

Foothills Trail Hiker

Beautiful, well preserved example of a WWII submarine.

Brandy Coward

Incredible thinking how many men were on board. It's so compact and used every space.

Christopher Pepper

Be careful not to hit your head ! Leave all your luggage and backpacks in the car or put them in storage. You are entering an active military base and large bags are not allowed. Have fun !

Jeremy Beckett

Relatively inexpensive tour, with self guided audio included. Very cool piece of history. It's pretty cramped inside, so don't bother if your claustrophobic. BEWARE that you cannot bring bags, purses, etc inside the grounds at all. Your only choice is to check them at a shack outside, which left me a little uneasy. There are signs everywhere saying that it's a "high theft area," so they don't recommend leaving them in your car.

Isaac Eaquinto

Wonderful museum. Very clean and informative. Easy to walk through and well put together. If I can ever make it back to Pearl Harbor I will definitely be walking through here again.

Jeff Stilwell

This was a really amazing part of our history. Walking through that sub and imagining the experience of being in there for months was fascinating. The details provided by the audio tour were great. The museum attached had a lot of interesting details about the silent service.

Chris Mason

This looks like a fitting memory to those who lost their lives. What an excellent reminder that those who mess with the might of the American navy get what they deserve. As a veteran of the British Royal Air Force who worked closely with the navy submarine fleet and our American brothers I would love to visit one day.

A V

The tour gives great insights of US naval history.

Miroslav Horký

Another must visit place for any Navy enthusiasts. Highly recommended.

Hai Martin

This was a great learning experience and super-interesting. The self-guided tour with real veterans' expereriences added a lot to this. Be advised though, if you are not comfortable with tight spaces, this isn't for you. I saw several people go down the first stairwell only to have to try to fight their way back the wrong way because it only gets smaller. There is a seating area and places to eat and drink, and other artifacts to enjoy very close to the Bowfin, so if some members of your party want to go aboard the Bowfin and some don't, it is really convenient to accomodate everyone. They also take a neat memorial photo (a fake newspaper) which was the cheapest memorial group photo of any we had on our Hawaiian vacation, so that is a nice souvenir.

Stephen Tack

Amazing to board a real sub, the smell was worth it alone.

Michael Poole

A must visit for anyone first time on Oahu

Stan Chan

Very descriptive audio tour. The submarine and museum floor is filled with artifacts from ages past, with the submarine itself being accessible in most of its parts, giving you a better sense how it is like to be with 80 others in the tiny can under the ocean (minus the heat and tension of course)

Dino aroundtheworld

the submarine was a great visit and without a wait.

Bailey Chitwood

It was definitely interesting to see. Be warned it is really hot in there. The museum was really informative as well. We did not do the narrated tour just self guided as we were short on time.

Diane York

The opportunity to walk through a submarine is not to be missed. The whole area is clean, well set out and informative.

Jay

Amazing to walk through such an important piece of US... world history. To see the extremely tight quarters the sailors lived in, and the weaponry used against the Japanese is just remarkable. Audio tour is also available (for free with your ticket purchase) before you get on the boat if you want to hear history behind the boat and crew as well.

Andy R

Great place to visit. Self guided. Not for the mobility impaired or those carrying a lot of weight (how can I avoid the point being larger myself) as it can be tight and a lot of stairs up and down. But well worth the effort if you can make it.

Jose Rangel

Great historical sight and many things to see including an actual submarine highly recommend it.

Ryan P

This is a self guide submarine tour with head phones. Not a long tour but how often do you get to be in a submarine. Tour offers a walkthrough of the ship with views of the torpedos, sleeping areas, and kitchen and other areas of the ship. Definitely worth doing at least once especially while waiting for the Arizona memorial. Enjoy!

Nancy Thome

Neat tour. You are given an audio tour device and then you go through the submarine at your leisure, stopping to listen to the segments of the audio tour. The audio tour automatically advances to the next segment as you go through the submarine.

elias chavez

Excellent tour, next time will do all of them. Great history on submarine life.

thejudge 1897

Came over from the UK to have a look. I'm big into my history and this is well worth a visit. Well maintained submarine with an excellent history and fair price. The main Pearl museum, tour and local aviation museum are all worth a visit.

Matthew Chan

Cool sub that you can go in and see almost every part

Farid S.

Very interesting visit. Everything is well preserved and it is a historical masterpiece. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and took my time looking at each individual piece there. Sadly, my bus had to leave so I felt a bit rushed.

Jeff Reese

Audio tour helps in the submarine. Make sure to go through the museum and see all the submariner artifacts.

Susan Sullivan-Smith

Self guided by tour. It's hard to believe that 80 man crew could be living in such close conditions & do what they did! My grandson loved climbing in & through it! His great grandfather was on a similar sub, the Tilefish. Great history lesson.

Joseph Principe ll

What an excellent tour of the USS bowfin submarine tour, we had an excellent time while the tour guide explain the US submarine force operations during World War II, it was a phenomenal tour and we salute all the The members of the US submarine force Pacific for their sacrifices in World War II. Again an absolutely great tour

lotchell Famacion

We paid $180 for nine people not even have a penny of regret....was good tour and experience....

Justine Tunney

Walking around the inside of this submarine was an incredibly emotional experience. I felt as if I could understand the struggle of the men stationed in this submarine many years ago. The fear they must have felt riding this vessel beneath the waves, where death could come at any moment. The power they must have felt manning its controls. I imagined the camaraderie of being in such close proximity with so many individuals. I was also enthralled by the mechanical wonders present in all crevices of the submarine that made no effort to conceal themselves. Of all the historic sites I've visited, this was one of the most enriching.

royalsamurai1

After our visit to the USS Arizona Memorial (reviewed), we toured the museum and gift shop followed by a walk to the "waterfront memorial," which is dedicated to the 52 U.S. submarines lost during World War II. I think our children got a kick out of seeing the antiaircraft guns and missiles that told a story of their own. From the waterfront, you could see the USS Missouri (Battleship Row). After a bite to eat at the only outside hot-dog and hamburger stand that didn't have refreshments. For that you had to go the "soda machine" which I thought was tacky. After our delightful meal (just kidding) I purchased our tickets inside of the gift shop for a tour on the USS Bowfin. in my opinion, our kids wanted to take the tour aboard the USS Bowfin (SS/AGSS-287), looks like the USS Pampanito out at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf (See my review). After a quick walk around topside, we started the steep climb into the interior of the sub. I think pretty much the entire tour was self-guided which included headsets to hear the audio portion. Since we were with a tour, it was crowded and once inside, got even tighter! It also became quite warm inside with no air conditioning and only fans to blow the warm air around; I can only visualize what it must have felt like serving as a crew member in one of these "tin cans." Trying to maneuver through the tight spaces and going from one section to another was sometimes challenging. With the cramped bunks to dining quarters it must've been pretty crowded and lord help you if you had to pass gas! Speaking of, during our little tour, we, I mean I, heard a couple people in front of us yelling, "oh man, he farted didn't help much, since we were in the rear and approaching fast!" I held my breath but another behind me gave me dirty looks like I did it! I couldn't tell what they were saying, but I'm guessing it wasn't nice.... Wow, it was nice to get back upstairs and feel the cool breeze of the outside! I'm not expert when it comes to submarines, but once again, the interior looks similar to the USS Pampanito. Of course there were those pictures of us, which were taken earlier and now depicted us in a new clipping which looked pretty cool, but not for $10.00 a pop! I enjoy doing "Biography's" on the places that our family has visited which has been noted in a lot of my reviews for YELP. Reviews of others are great to read, but not much is said about the place they visited which was often the case. Anyway, here's my two-cents. The USS Bowfin is a Balao Class Submarine (diesel electric) and was launched on December 7, 1942, which is the first anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In May 1943 she was officially commissioned with a length; of 311 feet, 8 inches, Beam; 27 feet, 2 inches, Draft, 17 feet (surface trim), and Displacement, of 1,525 tons. She carried ten 21-inch torpedo tubes, one 5-inch/25 caliber gun, one 40mm gun, and one 20mm gun for armament. The USS Bowfin completed nine combat patrols in two years and was considered one of the "top-scoring U.S. submarines of WWII. She is credited with the sinking of 16 Japanese vessels. On a patrol in November 1943, she sank 12 vessels, but only five were officially credited to the boat. After serving in the Pacific Fleet, she was transferred for active duty with the Atlantic Fleet and later after the war served as a training boat in Seattle Washington until she was decommissioned in 1971. The USS Bowfin was only one of fifteen U.S. WWII submarines that was fortune enough not to have ended up as scrap metal or as target practice for another ship. The USS Bowfin would resurface when she opened to the public in 1981. In 1986, she was officially declared a National Historic Landmark and by 1985, over one million visitors toured her decks and learned about life aboard the submarine. In 1987, the USS Bowfin appeared in films when she was dry-docked and portrayed three different submarines in the miniseries "War and Remembrance."

L0stCherokee

Loved the audio guided listening tour. Definitely recommend - get the complimentary listening device and ear listening device.

Von Hara

If you like war machines or have always wanted to be inside submarine then choose this place. Okay everything is shiny and so on but it's ok. This is memorial place now. All things are still very authentic. You will walk inside the submarine from front to rear. There are torbedos and all items like should be. You can also imagine how hard is to live in submarine when you see the places where crew has sleeped. Warning! If you are not familiar with narrow places, do NOT go.

Eric Shonk

Seeing from the inside puts a submariner's life in prospective

Davin Miller

Never really knew much about submarines in WW2 so being able to go inside one was really cool! There is a lot of information you can learn and it is a definitely a spot you want see when going to Pearl Harbor.

Kipp Ellsworth

My family thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park. The museum, focusing on submarine warfare during World War 2, proved enlightening, especially when paired with the self-guided tour of the Bowfin. We were disappointed that the USS Arizona was closed for renovations, but the Bowfin exhibit and tour proved a worthy consolation.

Claire

Neat way to see the navy life and torpedo/control/crew's mess rooms

Kendra Hazel

Such rich history; being able to touch and see it all up close and personally makes all the difference! Definitely a "must see" for the entire family! God Bless America! 🇺🇸 …

Steven Lee

Step aboard history. Felt like I entered into a show on the history channel. First time aboard a sub and man this joint is a tight ship, can't imagine what soldiers had to endure during wartimes back then. A piece of history that is still intact. Feel free to touch the gears and handles of this place. One way in, and one way out from the sub to keep traffic going. You will have to duck down and up to get through this sub, but it worth living and experiencing history. There is a AA gun on the top of the sub, great spot for a picture pose.

Marvin Gleish

Great exhibit of not just the USS Bowfin, but of the history of the USN Submarine Service. There are many displays showing the mechanical as well as the human side of the story, some of which are hands-on. However, expect to get kicked out early, despite the posted closing time of 5:00. The museum closed 30 minutes early, and the gift shop 45 minutes early. I guess that's what they mean by "aloha time".

alex carter

I worked here in the 80s. It was great fun; the people who ran the memorial at the time wanted to be "historically accurate" which means if you were white you could work here - a rare thing in Hawaii. We used to compete in "submarine knowledge". I was last there in 2003, Dan Del Monte had taken over, the workers are all Filipino, and they don't know dick about submarines. Many fun memories from working there! The hand-blown vacuum tubes in the radio/radar gear, the day they got the dive alarm working, and the fun we used to have with the chunks of dry ice the ice cream man let us have - I almost got fired for dumping some overboard, just deep enough to not be visable, but still shallow enough that the bubbles of CO2 that came up had vapor in them, and telling some visitors it was "leftover radiation from the atom bomb" or some such thing. There's a "sister boat" in San Francisco, with a Liberty Ship that has a ham radio station on it, too, and it's probably much more historically accurate. I doubt WWII submariners spent all that time polishing brass/copper that we did on the ol' Bowfin.

Alex Guad

Super nice and neat, great tribute

Steven Yurgelevic

Great information on sub advancements and excellent models. The actual sub is amazing to see. Look through the optics to the entire site. Not often do you get to see a submarine

Klaus Klingenschmid

Nice presentation, great audio-guide offering an adult, and a family-version suitable for kids 8 or older; in order to avoid queuing, you should be there before 9:30 a.m. (weekends); the tour with the audio-guide takes approximately 40 minutes;

Amy

Interesting place to see real submarine

Aaron Belleville

Great tour of the sub and museum

M. Wang

See that 24h clock? Many details to learn about a unique life style.

Tomer Emmar

Truly fascinating to imagine that people lived inside this submarine for long periods of time. The living quarters are super small and some of the rooms have 3-4 beds. Considering it was under water for most of the time, it must have gotten crowded real quick.

Terry Tulak

The USS bowfin is another way to understand some of what are service people went through to defend our country. Having an opportunity to actually walk through the tight quarters and try to imagine the living conditions these men endured in defense of our freedom is humbling. With all of today's modern conveniences to observe this window into the past was quite educational. Thanks to all those that served.

Anna Simons

Very amazing park, great mix of indoor and outdoor pieces that allowed comfort moving through the park. Very tidy and informative all the way around.

Brad J

This whole area is awesome. If here, you need to tour the Arizona, Missouri, and Bowfin. The Bowfin is pretty cramped which is a testament to the sailors who operated it. I brought the whole family. My boys enjoyed going inside.

vance watson

Last thing I did there ran out of time before I got into the sub museum but going through the entire sub was great once I got around the slow people doing selfies every 5 foot or so.

Anne Gross Ayankoya

Nice to enter the space to see how the sailors lived during that time my reflection was that they weren't big people because the space was very narrow and tight and you certainly could not be claustrophobic..

Fery Suryadi

Well-preserved submarine from WW II

Steven Prior

Like the USS Arizona, this is a really cool opportunity to walk through a genuine military vessel. Takes about 20 minutes altogether. By its nature the sub is too crowded to permit a tour guide inside, but a guide outside is available for questions.

David Clifton

I recommend the audio tour. After the submarine tour, be sure to visit the Waterfront Memorial. The USS Bowfin (SS/AGSS-287), a Balao-class submarine, was a boat of the United States Navy named for the bowfin fish. She has been open to public tours since 1981.

David Ashbaugh

Incredible experience to see first hand how difficult serving in a sub on WWII was!

Nellie Rodriguez

It was rich in history and I could have spent much more time there but the kids can only take so much history. The exploration of the submarine was much more captivating for the kids to enjoy.

jared howes

This was a amazing and eye opening experience to what it would have been like to be stationed on this sub. I feel the audio tour is a must for this exhibit to truly understand everything you are seeing.

Lynn Ryder

Very affordable and a great tour.

Randy Merta

A privilege and honor to be able to go aboard this submarine and walk where others stood against the Japanese who attacked our country. The Avenger of Pearl Harbor and the men who served on her have my greatest appreciation for their service. Thank You!!!

John Tarpley

Go inside a submarine that was in the WWII. Very cool to see what it was like to be on this vessel. Great museum of submarines as well.

Amelia Kolesa

Was very interesting to explore the submarine. Though I don't think it was worth $40 for 2 people. However, I do understand some of that goes to help the place.

David Ren

Good place to learn knowledge of submarines

Mario Rodriguez

Great place to learn the History. Enjoyed seeing more than what the movies & pictures show from home!

Desiree Mickens

An awesome experience. I feel privileged to have visited and be amongst the remains of such brave men!

Rick Green

The new museum facilities are great! If you are visiting Arizona make sure to include in your visit.

Marcus Occhi

Awesome museum and boat tour. Lots of info about the WWII submarine force and the brave crews!! Kid friendly!!

Bryce Caster

For $12, you get both the submarine and the nearby submarine museum. Audio guides are free and highly recommended. Otherwise, you won't understand what everything on the ship means.

Hope Reynolds

Our visit to Pearl Harbor was best in class. We learned so much about the struggle, the courage, the determination of all participants in World War II. Our visit to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park was unique as I had never been inside a submarine before. It was launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine on 12-07-1942 exactly one year after the Pearl Harbor attack. Due to this historic coincidence, and in hopes of future success against the enemy, she was appropriately dubbed the "Pearl Harbor Avenger." Bowfin was christened by Mrs. Jane Gawne, wife of Captain James Orville Gawne who was head of the Portsmouth Navy Yard. USS Bowfin takes her name from the hard fighting, aggressive, and voracious fish found in fresh water from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi River, and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico. As the last survivor of the family Amiidae, which dates back to the Jurassic Period, this living fossil is at home in backwaters and marshy areas. Due to its primitive lung, it thrives in water with low oxygen content, and can survive for days at a time in little or no water. A more appropriate name could not have been found for an air-breathing diesel boat, this one soon to be legendary in the submarine force for her bold determination and insatiable appetite for enemy shipping. As we walked about, the tight spaces, the concise use of every inch, the sleeping quarters... and the bathroom facilities are incredible. Bowfin was reactivated because of the Navy’s need to expand the fleet to support United Nations led forces during the Korean War, the submarine was recommissioned on 07-27-1951 and, following shakedown training, sailed for the Pacific. After arriving at San Diego, California, on 6 October, she worked from that port for the next two years, devoting her time to training operations and local exercises. The nominal ending of hostilities in Korea in the summer of 1953 reduced the Navy’s need for active submarines and prompted Bowfin’s second inactivation. She arrived at San Francisco on 8 October 1953, and was placed out of commission, in reserve, at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 04-22-1954. The warship remained there until moving to Seattle, Washington, on 05-01-1960 to replace Puffer – SS268 as the Naval Reserve training submarine there and to begin a little over a decade’s service. Her name was finally struck from the Navy list on 12-01-1971, and she was taken back to Pearl Harbor, to serve as a memorial. One of the photos shared features Kaiten, a one man Japanese suicide torpedo... Imagine piloting toward death!

Alré Thomas

Very nice old sub. Not allowed to use ladders into all the tight places, just a simple walk through from front to rear but incredible to see the amount of guages, knobs, pipes and other details that went into this old war machine.

Ahmad Ali

Shocked and angered by the attack, the country joined the Allied forces to fight World War II, inspired by the call of “Remember Pearl Harbor.” A moving reminder of the service and sacrifice of those who fought, the USS Arizona Memorial is jointly administered by the U.S. Navy and the National Park Service. Photos from World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument by National Park Service.

Chris Sanfino

A nice self guided tour through the historic sub should take about 45 minutes. Located at the main Pearl Harbor historic sites visitor area.

Keith Watson (Mitchkee)

Very cool experience.

Emmy Dorchak

They told us it would be 5 hours to tour the whole pearl harbor museum, it took 7 hours..

Candace Fairchild

Amazing experience. I enjoyed walking through the Blowgun. The audio tour was worthwhile and very enjoyable!

Jess McConnell

My daughter and I really enjoyed the tour through the Bowfin. It gives you a remarkable sense of perspective on life aboard a WWII submarine in wartime.

Richard Rehder

Really interesting tour, would have given 5⭐ if they had been more signs or someone told me the audio tour was included free with admission though, as now I can't go back in and just spent ALOT of money going in and not learning anything

Gregory Su

Such a great piece of history!!

Cory Bravo

Really cool museum to see! Amazing experience!

Pamala Williams

Just fun to tour, you get an audio tour as ur walking through the submarine, which is really cool!

Michael Peters

This memorial and museum are excellent educational opportunities for people of all ages.

A.J. Mc

Really great museum at pearl harbor. Not too crowded because it is a bit out of the way. Very cool to see how life aboard a submarine would be.

Venus

The USS🇺🇸Bowfin submarine was one of the highlights of the Pearl Harbor Memorial sites! It was incredible! What an experience to remember! …

Eric S

Additional fee to see this exhibit.

Remus Maghiar

Clean, well organized war museum. Both US and foreign war machinery is on display. Launch point for the Arizona memorial tour.

Jeremy Yamaguchi

A great step back in time. Watch your step, and your head. It's a bit cramped in here. They take a cute picture of you when you board that is printed for you when you get off. The staff aboard are friendly and happy to answer questions. Be sure to bring your camera.

Lauren Hewey

We went in June it was HOT and there was limited shade. Bring sunscreen and an umbrella.

Grady Woody

The museum and submarine tour are great. Educational and interesting.

Derek Bridges

Great experience and educational

Akira Miyazono

Just what you expect from a US museum. Great history, lots of patriotism, and big boats.

Prasad Karnik

This is the place to understand the impact of submarines in world war 2 and how they helped America rebuild its maritime authority after Pearl Harbor.

Patrick Kelley

While on shore-duty at the Submarine Repair Facility, Pearl Harbor (Subase Pearl) in 1980-83, as LPO of X38E, the Air Compressor Shop, I was able to do a couple of small jobs for the team working on the restoration. On October 8, 1981, I re-enlisted on the aft deck of the Bowfin. As a modern Submariner I found the USS Bowfin to be a tremendous connection to those that went before me and helped to dedicate myself to be a better submariner for my shipmate that were to come after me. There is no "John Wayne" to the Bowfin, just an incredibly accurate display of the conditions that so many submariners willingly and voluntarily endure to defend the United States after a devastating attack and to rain down the wrath of injured nation on those that would do her harm. That is the message and legacy of the USS Bowfin, her sister submarines and all of those that took them to sea.

Aravind Anna

Went into the submarine but have to pay separately for each memorial/sub etc. Food available for purchase.

Randy Gideon

History History History let us not forget.

ash jo

Super cool too see the inside and get a real feel for what it was like inside!!! Lots too see and take pictures of

Christine Burbank

The Bowfin Sub was an interesting site to see you get to walk in it with audio telling all about it, where they slept, ate it was so beautiful inside copper and steel just a intriguing place to take the children! A must go to site for family!

Bernadette Killick

Well preserved and a magnificent piece of U.S history. I highly recommend reading the memorial plaques, they portray amazing stories.

Steve Cairns

Great experience! I now have a whole new appreciation for what submariners went through...

Sridhar Iriventi

pearl harbour the heroic story , the reality , the emotion and the elation all blended in to one unforgettable experience with veterans explaining it all eyes on

Dutchman 72

Just a complete bummer the Submarine was closed until further notice.

Forbes Borthwick

Big disappointment! Bowling. Submarine was in dry dock for repairs!

Maria Munoz

Very nice

Kushal Juneja

An awesomely amazing place to learn more about the submarine technology and how it provided a winning edge to the navy in the WWII

MS Brown

An amazing experience. If you have the chance to visit, this is a must see.

wwihawk37

Hard to walk through but fun to visit. Much respect for the sailors who served on her.

DawnLee Walton

Great museum.

Robert Garcia

Very neat experience along with Pearl Harbor. Could not imagine how those serving a board the USS Bowfin lived in those conditions let alone doing their respective jobs.

S L

History. Hear those who served tell the story via audio

Jason Haap

Not bad. A bit shorter of a tour than I might have thought for the price.

Candace Wu

Great history, very interesting

Manny Aranda

A great history experience come with time , some of the tours can take a few hours

Magical Mystery Tour

Audio tour is include in fee

Susan McCombs

One of our many places to visit while in HI It was very interesting and knowledgeable.

Scott Mekley

Definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the inside of a WW2 era submarine.

Andrew Simpson

Amazing, historic monument.

ATC

A must see if you are interested in WWII history, or have never been in a submarine

Greg B

i use to work on this Sub in the 90s im pleased to see it open still,it was a great exsperience and i was privageto enough to be there during the 50th Anniversary of the attack of PH i recomend to all who can visit the memorial of Arizonia and the history of the Bowfin 287 please do i was also blessed with meeting some of those who served on this boat and here the storys they had to tell ..

Emjay Byers

Great place to visit, hickam, and pearl harbor in general is breathtaking, knowing that 70 yesrs ago japan, our ally now bombed the daylight out of it.

Karen Wilson

Moving experience, to walk through and see the close quarters of the crew, it was mind boggling to say the least.

Tracy Schmit

We got the pasport for the full Pearl Harbor experience. It was great.

Woovin Youn

Leave bags in the car, if its bigger than a clutch bag they wont allow it in.

Peter Ruetz

Really interesting even if you seen other submarines. The brass is highly polished and it looks great. A nice piece of history

GregS_72

Awesome, self-guided tour thru bowels of WW II active sub. Don't be claustrophobic though!

Christine Cantone

Great experience. Make us appreciate our military.

James

Price is ok, you can take a pretty good self guided tour of the sub. Its best to go in the morning before it gets to warm inside the sub.

Kenneth Waters

Very nice well kept.

Vanessa Gonzales

Wonderful memorial. The tour was awesome and informative.

bill Johnson

We paid $15.00 for military, $20.00 if not. Watch your head.. Tall folks be aware for head hazards...

Teresa Gillikin

Amazing. You have to see the aviation n submarine areas. All done great .

L Purcell

Excellent museum with self guided audio tour. Going through submarine is amazing too

Michal Frühauf

I visited the submrine already for the second time (5 years between the visits) and it still worthy to get on board and see how life in silence might be.

Rachel B.

Wish I had more time to explore this museum. Very interesting. Took lots of pictures.

Rosalyn Cox

Some really cool historical items here. A great bit of submarine and submariner history.

Jay C

Wow, you get to go inside and on top. Staff were so nice and the Sub full of history

Calen Holman

Amazing

Devon Van Ess

Very clean and alot of cool history but to many covid restrictions for 20 cases state wide

Kelly Young

Awesome, I loved it!

אלונה מ,

Historical museum, must be there.

Melanie Ward

Worth the entry fee. Enjoyed seeing the ins and outs of the entire ship.

DJTT Moeller

Great tour through the sub. Very interesting to see how much has changed.

Mariano Machado

Awesome attraction! Really well preserved, though a bit more info on the instrumentals might come handy

Luis Lares

Wonderful people, amazing experiences, Definitely recommend you should go at least once.

Helen Jackson

This was realism. This made me realize what those 18 to 21 year old boys had to live, or to drown in. It was well worth the visit to for everyone.

Romuald Cieszynski

Interesting view of submarine

Christopher

It is hot and cramped, but it is a WW2 era submarine. What do you expect?? Great tour!

Saulo Meneghini de Britto

Simply amazing! You have the unique chance to walk all the way inside the a real WW2 sub!

Benny Mak

Deff puts tears in your eyes. Great place to visit to read about our history.

Summer Ebaben

Must see experience. It was great for my 5 year old as well.

Jonathon Seiffert

Incredible piece of history to check out. Let alone the only submarine I have been able to explore.

Corinne Barber

We purchased the passport tickets

Carolyn Howes

So interesting. Recommend going through the museum before going onto the Bowfin.

Robert Adams

Excellent bit of history. Get the free audio with the tour!

Patrick Benoit

So cool to be walking the decks of a legendary vessel

Spencer

What a great true story about bravery.

Christa Ottesen

Such an amazing experience. Definitely recommended if you haven't been.

Ty Whiteman

You have to take a walk through this submarine to get a idea of what it would have been like to man it during WWII is mind blowing.

Khan-Temir Temirov

It’s ok for one visit. 21.40$ ticket costs KG AlGA !

Steve Jones

Really enjoyed the visit. Lots to see and interact.

scott moeller

Really interesting history of submarines in WW2 and beyond

Sam

Very narrow space. Wouldn't suggested if you were claustrophobic. Great stuffs to see.

Tony Fay

Wonderful experience, and nicely done.... Recommend a visit if you get chance.

Eddie Alcazar

Had an amazing experience at this historical site.

Sue Salyers

Awesome to see and tour this piece of history

Luke Walton

I enjoyed the war flags and submarine, appearantly a sub sunk a train?!?

Michelle Selgren

Awesome history experience. Brings history to life.

Jerry Wong

Absolute must. How often do most people get to board and wander around a submarine, not to mention one with so much historical value.

chongliang guo

Remember those glory soldiers who defend the American land and people.

Jacob Jarrell

Very cool to learn the history and get to go through the Bowfin.

Marlon Vega

Great Naval history vessel. It is a submarine and the place is tight but that is expected.

Andrew Campos

Hats off to the Navy. This is a great place to see what submarine living is like. It's not glamorous however.

Alexander Williams

Awesome tour. If you get to Pear it's a must see.

Jack Sanders

Had a great time, the people there let you flip the buttons on and off.. Was enjoyable and fun.

Greg Hogue

The USS Bowfin Museum is a place of peaceful remembrance.

Honest Joe

Great experience! Would recommend for children.

Daniel White

I highly recommend reading the memorial plaques, they portray amazing stories.

Clint Scott

What else is there to say this is awesome don't miss it! Take your time to listen to the audio tour.

Dave Mallett

Step back in time and see what it was like for the men who served in submarines around the world in ww2. Living history.

Timothy Ho

Very informative and super cool to walk through the entire submarine.

Vadim & Irina Johnson

𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙪𝙢, 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙗𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚! …

Stephen Martinez

Didn't spend much time here but wow, so much history to take in. Please note no bags allowed so I recommend leaving it in the car or you'll have to check it.

Barry Ruiz

Great place to learn some history about submarines

vernon james

You will truly appreciate the sacrifices of our veterans

Raymond Pintor

Bring some cold water during the summertime and refill at water fountains.

Gerard Ellis

May 2015, a bucket list item, very moving. Our trip to the battleship was cancelled due to an accident.

log fox

So you're at a balao class electric diesel submarine, it really gives you perspective of what it was like during the Pacific theater.

Rs Reviews

Very interesting and informative. I really liked the audio tour.

Lance Stafford

Just do it, awesome part of history telling

rhea Nambalirwa

Loved tge audio narration of the tour!!!

Alan De La Vega

Really cool experience to see an original submarine used in action.

Sports Center

If you like WWII submarine history, this place is for you!

Rick Myers

Grateful for those that served but I don't think I could serve on a sub!

Mark Kelley

Great historical destination. Really cool to see an old sub up close.

Mark LoGiurato

An amazing experience to see how submariners lived in such small quarters.

Sandro Wienhage Blumenau-SC

Amazing

Eric Despotovich

Since our son is currently on a fast attack sub, it was very cool.

Roman Romeo

A great experience. Bring your kids.

Ali Low

It's amazing to think that people actually lived in such small compartments for extended periods.

Michael Riga

Great history can't miss at Pearl Harbor

Joab Guerrero

Awesome 👍 In one room 14 crew members with 7 beds, 7 working and then shifting to sleep …

Vasilina Bogdanova

Very emotional place, a reminder of world piece need

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