Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial facts for kids
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USS New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey, July 2011
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| Established | October 2001 (opened as a museum) |
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| Location | 62 Battleship Place Camden, New Jersey, United States |
| Type | History |
| Public transit access | Entertainment Center |
The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial is a cool place to visit in Camden, New Jersey. It's a museum ship that lets you explore USS New Jersey. This ship is super special because it's the most decorated battleship in the U.S. Navy's history. It's also one of the biggest battleships ever built!
Contents
History of the Battleship New Jersey
From Active Duty to Museum Ship
In February 1991, the USS New Jersey finished its time serving in the Navy. It was sent to Bremerton, Washington, to become a "mothball" ship. This meant it was kept ready as a backup in case the country needed it again.
For seven years, the battleship was sometimes on the Navy's official list and sometimes not. Finally, the United States Congress decided it should become a museum. They agreed to swap it with another ship, the USS Iowa, on the Navy's list.
Finding a Home for the Battleship
The USS New Jersey was going to become a museum in its home state of New Jersey. Three cities wanted to host it: Bayonne, Jersey City, or Camden. A special group called the Battleship Commission would choose the best spot.
On February 3, 1999, Jersey City decided not to try for the battleship. They felt it was too expensive and wanted to support Bayonne. Bayonne seemed like the favorite choice for a while. Some thought Bayonne would attract more tourists than Camden.
But Camden had a great idea! They offered four million dollars to help turn the battleship into a museum. Camden wanted the ship to make its waterfront area even better. Many people who helped build the battleship had lived near Camden, making it a special place for the ship.
Camden Becomes the Battleship's Home
On September 10, 1999, the Battleship Commission first picked Bayonne. People in South Jersey were not happy, as many voters were from North Jersey. So, the Navy stepped in to make the final decision.
On November 11, 1999, the battleship arrived in Philadelphia. This was a temporary stop while its permanent home was decided.
Finally, on January 21, 2000, the Navy chose Camden! Camden had a much more detailed plan for the museum. They also offered more money. The Navy also thought that another museum ship, the Intrepid, might be overshadowed if the New Jersey went to Bayonne. Congress had 30 days to change this decision but agreed with the Navy.
Preparing the Dock for the Museum
Before the ship could open, the area needed some work. On February 7, 2001, the battleship project got approval for changes to the pier. They also needed special permission to dig deeper in the Delaware River during spring. This digging is called dredging.
On May 8, 2001, the United States Army Corps of Engineers approved the dredging. The ship needed a depth of 35 feet (about 10.7 meters) to fit safely at the new dock. The extra dirt from the dredging went to a special facility nearby.
Opening Day for the Museum
The museum planned to open around Labor Day weekend in 2001. However, Tropical Storm Barry caused delays. It held up a shipment of important materials for the battleship.
So, opening day was moved to October 15, 2001. When it first opened, visitors took guided tours in groups of 15 people. These tours lasted about 90 to 120 minutes and explored seven different decks of the ship.
The museum hoped to have 1,500 visitors each day at first. Most people loved the tours. However, some visitors wished they could explore the ship on their own instead of being in a group.
What You Can See: Battleship Exhibits
The Battleship New Jersey Museum has many cool exhibits. You can see different types of guns and missiles that the ship used.
- Mark 2, 40 mm Quad Gun Mount: This gun was used between 1939 and 1950. It was an anti-aircraft weapon, meaning it shot down enemy planes.
- Mark 2, 40 mm Single Gun Mount: Another anti-aircraft gun from 1939 to 1950, used for closer targets.
- Mark 28 5-inch/38-caliber Gun Mount: This gun could be used against many different targets.
- Mark 15 20 mm Phalanx: This gun was used to protect the ship from missile attacks.
- BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles: The ship carried 32 of these powerful missiles.
- RGM-84 Harpoon Cruise Missiles: These missiles were used to attack other ships.
- 16-inch/50-caliber Mark 7 gun: These huge guns were used to attack enemy ships and targets on land.
- Crew's Quarters: See where the sailors lived and slept.
- Radio Control Room: Learn how messages were sent and received.
- Radar Room: Discover how the ship detected other ships and planes.
- Senior Staff Cabin: See the living area for the ship's important officers.
Helping the Battleship: Donations and Support
Many people and companies helped get the Battleship New Jersey ready. A Little Slice of New York, Georgetti Market, and Finnaren & Haley donated pizzas, sandwiches, and paint. Williams Gas Pipeline-Transco of Houston helped with special protection for the ship.
Before the museum opened, many volunteers gave their time. They spent over 90,000 hours getting the ship ready and preparing to lead tours. After opening, companies like Vector Security, Radionics, and Interlogix donated alarm systems and security devices worth over $50,000.
Making it New: Renovations
L3 Communications and Lockheed Martin helped fix the ship's intercom system. They also donated money so the museum could print brochures for visitors.
See also
- U.S. Navy memorials
- U.S. Navy museums (and other battleship museums)
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of battleships of the United States Navy
- List of museums in New Jersey
