These massive steel giants once ruled the seas, and now they serve as powerful museums where visitors can walk the decks where history was made.

Battleships represent the pinnacle of 20th-century naval power, floating fortresses that combined devastating firepower with incredible engineering. Today, several of these magnificent vessels have been preserved as museums, offering visitors a rare chance to explore the cramped quarters, massive gun turrets, and command centers where sailors lived and fought.

From World War II veterans to Cold War era vessels, these battleship museums provide an immersive journey into naval warfare history that no textbook can match.

1. Battleship USS Iowa Museum

The USS Iowa served in World War II, Korea, and the Cold War, earning nine battle stars across its distinguished career. Visitors can explore the ship's massive 16-inch gun turrets, each capable of firing shells weighing as much as a small car over 20 miles.

The vessel famously carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference in 1943. Today, guided tours take visitors through officers' quarters, crew berths, the bridge, and engineering spaces, offering an authentic glimpse into life aboard one of America's last battleships.

2. Battleship USS New Jersey Museum and Memorial

As the most decorated battleship in US Navy history, the USS New Jersey earned 19 battle stars across World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Lebanon operations. This Iowa-class battleship features the same formidable 16-inch guns that could pierce steel armor from miles away.

The museum offers comprehensive tours including overnight camping programs where visitors sleep in actual crew berths. Exploring the combat engagement center, sick bay, and captain's cabin provides incredible insight into the daily operations and combat readiness of this legendary vessel.

3. Battleship USS Alabama

Known as the 'Mighty A,' this South Dakota-class battleship earned nine battle stars in World War II Pacific operations, participating in the Gilbert Islands invasion and numerous carrier escort missions. The ship never lost a crewman to enemy fire during combat.

Visitors can explore over 12 decks independently, from the vast engine rooms to the cramped gun director stations. The museum park also includes the submarine USS Drum and over 25 aircraft, creating one of America's most comprehensive military museum experiences focused on naval warfare history.

4. HMS Belfast

This Town-class light cruiser played a crucial role in the Battle of North Cape and the D-Day landings, firing some of the first shots on June 6, 1944. Permanently moored on the River Thames, HMS Belfast served from 1938 through the Korean War.

Nine decks are open for exploration, including the operations room, shell rooms, punishment cells, and dental surgery. The ship's impressive armament of twelve 6-inch guns and authentic period details transport visitors back to the Royal Navy's World War II era, making it one of Europe's finest preserved warships.

5. Battleship USS Massachusetts

Nicknamed 'Big Mamie,' this South Dakota-class battleship earned 11 battle stars in World War II, firing the first and last American 16-inch shells of the war. The vessel participated in the North African invasion and numerous Pacific Theater operations.

Battleship Cove, where Massachusetts is moored, represents the world's largest collection of historic naval ships. Visitors can spend hours exploring the battleship's gun turrets, galley, berthing areas, and fire control systems. The self-guided tour allows unprecedented access to spaces that reveal the complexity of operating these massive warships.

6. Battleship USS North Carolina

The first of America's fast battleships, USS North Carolina earned 15 battle stars during World War II Pacific campaigns, participating in every major naval offensive from Guadalcanal to Tokyo. The ship survived a torpedo strike that would have sunk lesser vessels.

This beautifully preserved battleship offers self-guided tours through nine decks, including crew living quarters, the ship's laundry, barbershop, and combat stations. The museum emphasizes the human experience of naval warfare, with exhibits highlighting the 2,300 sailors who served aboard during wartime operations.

7. Battleship Mikasa Memorial

Admiral Togo's flagship during the decisive Battle of Tsushima in 1905, the Mikasa represents a crucial moment when Japan defeated the Russian Baltic Fleet, becoming the first Asian nation to defeat a European power in modern times.

This pre-dreadnought battleship, built in Britain, now rests in a concrete drydock as a permanent memorial. Visitors can explore the bridge where Togo commanded, see the restored admiral's cabin, and examine artifacts from the Russo-Japanese War. The ship symbolizes Japan's emergence as a naval power and represents a rare surviving example of early 20th-century battleship design.

8. HMAS Castlemaine

While technically a corvette rather than a battleship, HMAS Castlemaine represents Australia's vital contribution to World War II naval operations in the Pacific. This Bathurst-class vessel conducted convoy escort, minesweeping, and patrol duties from 1942 to 1945.

The ship remains in remarkable original condition, offering visitors an authentic experience of a smaller warship's cramped conditions. The vessel provides important context to battleship museums by showing the diverse fleet compositions needed for naval warfare. Its preservation includes working machinery and period equipment rarely seen on larger museum vessels.

These battleship museums represent more than preserved warships; they are monuments to the sailors who served aboard them and the decisive role naval power played in 20th-century conflicts. Walking through cramped passageways, standing in massive gun turrets, and viewing the sophisticated fire control systems reveals the extraordinary complexity of these vessels.

Each ship tells a unique story of courage, engineering excellence, and historical significance. Whether you're a military history enthusiast or simply curious about life at sea, these floating museums offer an unforgettable journey into naval warfare's most powerful era.