Combining elements of an escape room and a scavenger hunt, this exciting adventure experience gives you two hours to save the ship from being scrapped. Explore one of the most powerful weapons of the past and experience naval history through fascinating permanent and temporary exhibitions, including a naval artifacts gallery and the Korean War-era HUP-2 helicopter. She was built as the lead vessel of the newest class of battleships, designed during the s as the world was rapidly moving toward war.
One of the most significant events she took part in during the war was ferrying President Franklin D. At the end of the trip, the president gave a parting speech to the crew to inspire naval personnel who would go on to serve in important engagements in the Pacific. The rise of aircraft meant the dwindling of the importance of battleships. After many years of service, IOWA was decommissioned for the final time in But as you plan, how much time should you allow? That depends on the type of visitor you are.
Some people like to take their time, peek into every available nook and cranny, read every bit of text, and imagine what life aboard was like for the thousands of sailors who served on this venerable ship.
You can have a fascinating visit and see a lot in an hour or two. Battleships were the most important naval vessels from the late s until WWII. This type of ship had its origins during the US Civil War, when both the North and the South produced iron-clad warships. One of the changes that began to show up on Civil War ships was the replacement of broadside guns pointing out of portholes in the side of the ship with guns mounted in swiveling turrets on the main deck.
From that point, battleships got bigger, faster, and sported guns with increasing range and caliber. USS IOWA, for example, was built with 9 inch guns that could fire 2, lb shells a distance of more than 20 miles with great accuracy. In total, the naval history of the U. The United States Navy no longer has any battleships in its fleet. The answer has to do with the rise of naval aviation. Large ships like IOWA are vulnerable to attacks from above by aircraft.
