Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum can be added to the list of the most unique museums in the USA. Located in North Shore Riverwalk Park at Little Rock, AR, this museum is one of the most comprehensive maritime museums in the world. Whether you are a Little Rock resident or a tourist, this park is an absolute must-see.
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum first opened its doors on May 31, 2005. Since opening, it has served hundreds of thousands of visitors, both from inside and outside the country. One of the more incredible things about this museum is that it exhibits actual naval vessels that served duty for the country. More than this, the vessels themselves are exhibits on their own, restored and maintained to pristine condition. In fact, some of the vessels on display are in actual running condition!
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum’s stars are the naval vessels that call the confines of the park home. There are 2 boats that share the same name USS Arkansas staying in the AIMM, the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33) and the missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN-41). The AIMM also has the unique distinction of housing 2 floating vessels that were involved both in the beginning AND in the end of World War II: the tugboat USS Hoga (YT-146) survived the Pearl Harbor attack of 1941 and the submarine USS Razorback (SS-394) was in Tokyo Bay when Japan made its official surrender.
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum provides all kinds of sights to see for visitors. Of course, the main attractions here are the naval vessels, the battleships and submarines that did battle during the wars America got involved with. These ships are restored to almost brand new condition, and will give visitors a glimpse of what it is like inside these incredible machines.
You can also see in this museum a collection courtesy of the Arkansas River Historical Society. This collection features artifacts that represent different chapters of the history of the Arkansas River. Lastly, you can visit Peace Garden, a monument in celebration of world peace.
There are other unique attractions in this museum, with arguably the most unique of them all being submarine sleepovers. You can have a chance to spend a night inside the USS Razorback, complete with a personalized tour of the submarine. You can also reserve specific sections of this museum for private tours, birthday parties, special events, and the like.
The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum is open from Wednesdays to Sundays. During wintertime, operating days become reduced to Fridays to Sundays. For special occasions, private tours, and other inquiries, you can call the AIMM for more information. As a Little Rock business owner, I highly recommend this museum.