Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial facts for kids
USS New Jersey at Camden, New Jersey in July 2008
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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, United States. It's located at 62 Battleship Place. This museum ship is home to the USS New Jersey. This ship is famous for being the most decorated battleship in the U.S. Navy. It was also one of the biggest battleships ever built!
Contents
The Battleship's Journey to Become a Museum
From Active Duty to Museum Ship
In February 1991, the USS New Jersey finished its time serving in the Navy. It was then sent to Bremerton, Washington. There, it became a "mothball" ship. This means it was kept ready as a backup in case the Navy needed it again. For seven years, the battleship was sometimes on the Navy's active list and sometimes not.
Later, the United States Congress decided something important. They approved swapping the USS New Jersey with another battleship, the USS Iowa. This meant the USS New Jersey would become a museum. Three cities in New Jersey wanted to host it: Bayonne, Jersey City, or Camden. A special group called the Battleship Commission would choose the best spot.
Choosing a Home for the Battleship
On February 3, 1999, Jersey City decided not to try for the battleship. They felt it was too expensive. Bayonne seemed like the top choice for a while. The chairman of the Battleship Commission, Joseph Azzolina, thought Bayonne would attract more tourists.
But Camden had a great idea! They offered four million dollars. This money would help turn the battleship into a museum if it came to Camden. Camden wanted the battleship to make their waterfront area better. Also, many people who helped build the battleship had lived near Camden.
Camden Wins the Battleship
On September 10, 1999, the Battleship Commission picked Bayonne. People from South Jersey were not happy. Many felt the decision-makers were from North Jersey. So, the commission decided the Navy would make the final choice.
On November 11, 1999, the battleship arrived in Philadelphia. This was just a temporary stop. It would move to either Camden or Bayonne later. Finally, on January 21, 2000, the Navy chose Camden! Camden had a very detailed plan for the museum. They also offered a lot of money. Plus, the Navy worried that another museum ship, the Intrepid, might be overshadowed if the battleship went to Bayonne. Congress had 30 days to change the Navy's decision, but they agreed with Camden.
Getting Ready for Visitors
On February 7, 2001, the battleship got approval to change its pier. But they still needed permission to dig deeper in the river. This digging, called dredging, was needed to make the area deep enough. On May 8, 2001, the United States Army Corps of Engineers approved the dredging of the Delaware River. The ship needed to be in water about 35 feet deep. The extra dirt from the digging went to a National Park in Gloucester County.
The museum hoped to open on Labor Day weekend. But a storm called Tropical Storm Barry delayed some materials. So, the opening day was moved to October 15, 2001. When it opened, the museum offered tours for groups of 15 people. These tours lasted about 90 to 120 minutes. Visitors could explore 7 decks of the ship. The museum hoped to have 1,500 visitors each day at first. Most people loved the tours. However, some wished they could explore the ship on their own.
What You Can See on Board
The Battleship New Jersey has many cool exhibits. You can see different types of guns and missiles. You can also explore where the crew lived and worked.
- Mark 2, 40 mm quad gun mount: This gun was used from 1939 to 1950. It was an anti-aircraft weapon.
- Mark 2, 40 mm single gun mount: This was another anti-aircraft gun. It was used for close-range attacks.
- Mark 28 5 inch gun mount: This gun could be used against all kinds of targets.
- Mark 15 20 mm Phalanx: This gun was used to defend against 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.
- Mark 7 Gun: This large gun was used to fire at targets on land.
- Crew's Quarters: See where the sailors slept and lived.
- 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 where the ship's leaders stayed.
Helping the Battleship Museum
Many people and companies helped get the battleship ready. They gave money, supplies, and their time.
Before the museum opened, many volunteers helped. They spent over 90,000 hours getting the ship ready! After opening, companies like Vector Security donated alarm systems. This helped keep the museum safe.
L3 Communications and Lockheed Martin also helped. They fixed the ship's intercom system. They also gave money for the museum to print brochures for visitors.
Images for kids
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Walkway access to the museum
