Battleship New Jersey

About

Battleship New Jersey (BB-62), nicknamed the Big J, is a retired Iowa-class battleship turned museum ship moored on the Camden waterfront, directly across the Delaware River from Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. It sits near the Adventure Aquarium and the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, so it pairs easily with a waterfront day that includes those stops.

Self-guided tours run daily from 10am to 5pm, with last boarding at 4pm, and guided tours go out daily at noon. The museum is typically closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. On board, visitors reach the bridge where the ship was steered, the crew's mess and berthing areas, the 16-inch gun turret, and the Combat Engagement Center, where a simulated missile launch runs as part of the exhibit. There is over a mile of ship to see, and part of the interior is climate controlled, so a visitor who wants to skip the outdoor sections in bad weather can still see a substantial part of the tour indoors.

A full tour is physical. Moving between decks means climbing steep Navy-style ladders and stepping over raised "knee knocker" door openings, and the museum recommends closed, non-skid shoes rather than sandals or heels. Families with young children can use Jason's Kids Kompartment, a play space built for preschoolers, near a changing room. Strollers are not allowed on board; infants and toddlers need to be carried in a front carrier.

The Visitor's Center on land holds the Black Dragon Café and the Battleshop gift store, both open during museum hours. Parking is split across several nearby lots, including a Preferred lot close to the entrance and a Waterfront Garage, and a shuttle tramcar runs on weekends in spring and fall and during special events. The ship also runs an overnight encampment program most weekends for scout troops, youth groups, and families who want to sleep aboard.

Accessibility

Battleship New Jersey is wheelchair accessible in a limited, specific way: you can reach the main deck, but most of the ship below it is not usable with a wheelchair or scooter. The museum states that the main deck exterior, the anti-aircraft gun positions, and the officer's ward room are wheelchair accessible, while the rest of the ship involves steep Navy-style ladders and raised door openings, called knee knockers, that are difficult or impossible to get through with mobility equipment.

Parking is limited near the entrance. A small number of handicapped-accessible spaces sit near the Preferred Parking lot, and the museum asks visitors with physical disabilities to call ahead at 1-866-877-6262 ext. 108 to arrange parking or a drop-off spot close to the gangway. To board, you can use the elevator behind the entry stairs instead of climbing them, then cross a metal brow, a ramp-like gangway, that rises and falls with the tide to reach the ship's deck.

Restrooms are accessible both on board and on land. The ship has an accessible restroom, and there is a second accessible restroom with a changing station in the Visitor's Center.

Service animals that are ADA-certified are welcome aboard, though the museum notes most service animals will not be able to manage the steep ladders and suggests they stay on the main deck tour, a roughly 45-minute route. Emotional support animals are not permitted.

For visitors who want a calmer visit, the museum runs Reveille! Sensory Friendly Days, scheduled periodically and posted on its events calendar. These days offer a modified tour route that avoids the stairs, a quiet room set aside for anyone who needs it, and additional hands-on programming. Groups that want a similar accommodation on another day can email [email protected] to set one up.

The museum does not publish information on braille or high-contrast signage, audio description, assistive listening devices, captioning, tactile paving, or wheelchair rental. Anyone who needs those should call ahead and ask.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in New Jersey

• Adventure Aquarium (Camden)
• Atlantic City Boardwalk (Atlantic City)
• Princeton University Art Museum (Princeton)
• Liberty Science Center (Jersey City)
• New Jersey State Museum (Trenton)
• Grounds For Sculpture (Hamilton)

Photo credits

• USS New Jersey battleship at sea with sailors manning the rails on deck.: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain (source)