The USS New Jersey Museum operated by the Home Port Alliance is responsible for operating the finest example of a U S Navy fighting ship ever built. I served in six ships and have visited over a dozen ships operated as museums but never have I seen one which stands out as such an example of what a museum ship should look like. The pride of those volunteers who maintain the ship is evident in every aspect of the ship from the uppermost level to the very bilges. I am proud to have served in her and excited every chance I get to visit her.
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As a former crew member, September 1967 to December 1969, I find that the Home Port Alliance has done an outstanding job of presenting the ship as it was when operating. I am impressed with the state of preservation. My only disappointment is in the wooden decks. I know that they are trying to raise funds to replace the decks and I support that. I understand that the State of New Jersey is once again contributing some funds for the upkeep, but they could certainly do more.
The Quarterdeck staff are amazing, need more of these people on board. We spent an hour talking with them, good people. We met the museum supervisor, knew a lot about the ship, but nothing about Navy life, never served.
Ship in rough shape, really showing her age. Needs a lot of paint, but happy to see the deck being replaced. Many of the displays were either incomplete or did not work, some lights out and the recordings either difficult to hear or had static. Routes were a little confusing, seemed to go in circles, we skipped the lines and went our own way.
Much of the ship is open and explorable, we were able to explore from shaft alley to the aircraft radars. There aren't many signs explaining things to non Navy personnel, bring a book or go back to Quarterdeck, they will explain what you saw.
Take you tour Thursday morning then join the crew at Victor's Pub, just down the street, for several rounds of cheer between noon and 5pm. They crew is very knowledgeable and great drinking buddies!!!!!!!!!
The Home Port Alliance works to preserve the monumental and historically significant Battleship New Jersey and keep it open for visitors. They have been innovative in their interpretation of the storied vessel and the sailors who worked on her. From special events to sleep overs to virtual programs, the Alliance continually finds new ways to make the Battleship relevant and interesting for new audiences.
A fabulous group of volunteers and staff make this museum ship shine! Come check out what’s newly polished up on your next tour.
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Superior tour routes and beautifully repainted interior let you see and feel what it was like to serve on the greatest battleship The Turret 2 experience is fantastic! Pull the triggers and hear the guns roar. And don't miss the engineering tour, climb deep down into the bowels of the engineering spaces from Broadway into the fireroom and then through the bulkhead into the engineroom.
The Battleship New Jersey offers a plethora of programs supporting our Military and Veteran communities while providing educational opportunities to school and civic groups in history, math, art, science and technology.
The ship's maintenance is exemplary. many museum ships struggle with tis but not the NJ!
Queries are answered quickly. I did a book signing aboard the ship and the staff were all both extremely knowledgable and their enthusiasm for the ship was manifest. If all museum ships had such people entrusted with their care, naval history would be commonplace!
The Battleship New Jersey provides excellent hands on experiences with history, technology, and science at a one of a kind venue. The staff and volunteers are well trained and happy to engage with the public. As an organization they are trying consistently to engage and better their community as well.
I have worked on other museum ships and visited well over 50 of them. New Jersey has more open (1.5 miles of tour route), far more restored, and far more that visitors can touch and do than any other museum ship I've visited. Be sure to set aside a full day to see everything. If you go on the weekend there are even more programs and tours, some free, some for an additional cost, but they're worth it.
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My personal story about the Battleship NJ. My name is Phil Walmsley and I have been working on the Battleship NJ since March 2017 as a tour guide and a part-time Quarter Deck Officer. I have a family history with the Battleship NJ as my father was one of the approximately 5,000 men and women that built BB62 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. My father told us, when we were kids, that he welded his initials (GJW,JR) in the ship’s hull. So. When I am on the Battleship, I can feel his presence. When BB62 came back home from Bremerton WA, three generations of the Walmsley family were there to escort her up the Delaware River. My mother and daughter Kim were invited by Governor Whitman to sail with her and the other dignitaries on the ferry out of Cape May. I was on the river with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary as part of the security detail. It was one of my life’s greatest honors. As a tour guide, I thoroughly enjoy taking our guest around the ship and sharing the Battleship’s honored service to the US. I also enjoy sharing with the guests, what life was like on the ship during her 4 commissioning and the stories of the brave men who walked her decks. The favorite part of my tour guid duties is the honor of taking former crew members around the ship when they come back to visit. It is an extremely heart-warming and humbling moment for me. As a matter of fact, I was so moved after my first “plank-owner” tour I went home that night a turned a pen out of an actual piece of the Battlesip’s teak deck and I sent the pen to the plank-owner who resides in Connecticut. I retired from GlaxoSithKline after 42 years of service and I have found a new home on the Battleship. I was always told to find something that you love to do and you will never work a day in your life. I have found that“something” and it is working on the Battleship NJ. It is both an honor and a privilege to be associated with the Battleship NJ and I plan on being associated with the ship for many years to come. Everyone that I have encountered, that are part of the ship’s museum crew, from Phil Rowan, to Jack Willard, to my fellow tour guides, to maintenance, security and the other volunteers, are all top notch individuals and it is a pleasure to be working with them. Well that is my story and thank you for taking the time to read it. If you are ever in town, don’t forget to visit the Battleship NJ. It is and experience that you will never forget. Warm regards, PHIL Walmsley.
The Battleship New Jersey museum and memorial keeps the memory of this ship and her sisterships but more importantly their crew's memories alive. Never again will one of these awesome ships go to sea and the museum tells the story of the USS New Jersey and her sailors through informative static displays and very knowledgeable guides and docents aboard the ship. The men and women that are the "crew" today have a plethora of information about the ship and are very eager to pass the information on to guests.
I am a Battleship Wisconsin Veteran and the crew on the Battleship New Jersey is VERY knowledgeable about the Big"J". I am impressed!!
I have worked aboard the former USS New Jersey for 12+ years as a Tour Guide, Encampment Assistant and Gun Crew Member. It has a great crew both during the day and the Encampments. From the CEO and Staff, Plank owners, Tour Guides,Watch Officers etc we all work very hard to keep her clean and orderly for our guests and try to insure they have the most positive, pleasant experience when they visit this ship. We take great pride and caring in everything we do to help support this great piece of history. It has been nothing but a privilege and an honor to serve aboard with this fine crew as we look forward to the future. If you have not visited us, I strongly recommend that you do with your families and enjoy the historical greatness of this Legendary ship.
The Battleship New Jersey is a wonderful historic US Navy ship for the family to tour. You can walk about the ship on a self guided tour with an audio phone system which tells you all about the ship in wonderful detail. Also available is a wonderful tour of the Turret 2 which allows you to go deep into the ship below the turret into the powder magazines, shell decks and even gun plot where the guns are controlled by analog computers. The Battleship NJ is a must visit experience.
i recently had a tour with 56 Navy Veterans on the Battleship New Jersey and it was wonderful I have probably toured about 30 museum ships around the country and find your ship has the best trained guides of any that i have seen. Many guides seem to wing it at many ships but I understand your method requires approval of the content of what they are telling the visitors I think that is great.
Our group[ was broken up into groups of 18 or so , each with its own guide. the reports I got back from the groups was all positive about the knowledge that was presented. my guide had complete knowledge of the ship and presented it in a superb presentation manner. The condition of the ship was excellent and I would recommend a vyoung or old.
Anthony Accatatta, USS Harwood DD-861 Reunion Association
The "Big J", is living history. This most decorated battleship in World War Two is a lesson in Naval history from the sailor's bunks to Admiral Halsey's quarters. You can see it all on a single visit from the anchor chains on the bow to the helicopters on the stern, and the electronic "war room" from which the guns and rockets were controlled. It is truly an amazing ship in pristine condition, with veteran docents to escort you through.
The Battleship New Jersey is the largest battleship ever built and the most decorated battleship in the history of the US Navy. Berthed in Camden, NJ, the New Jersey offers tours, group discounts, events and a nationally recognized overnight program.
They need money to replace the teak decking, but the rest of the ship is incredible. Whether you take a guided tour with a docent, or do a self-guided audio tour, you will fall in love with this ship. It is amzing how the ship is presented.
Review from Guidestar