Combine Museum and Escape Room at “USS Iowa” in Los Angeles

Los Angeles offers so many unique ways to entertain a family, you could never run out of fun things to do, but Battleship USS Iowa give a whole new take on exploring a Los Angeles landmark while on family travel.

Battleship USS Iowa, a World War II-era battleship now docked at port of Los Angeles, has been a popular stop for visitors to the city since it began welcoming guests as a naval museum in 2012. The battleship, once used to transport President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a crucial meeting in Africa during World War II, is a significant part of U.S. history that not only lets visitors learn about battleships and military history, but also some American history as well. To up the ante, there is also an exciting add-on adventure to make it even more fun for families.

The Escape the Mothball Fleet adventure is a unique experience you can do while visiting the museum. Combining aspects of an escape room and a scavenger hunt, the experience enlists your help in completing a checklist to keep the battleship from being scrapped and lost to history forever. While checking items off the list, you get the opportunity to explore the ship in a way a traditional tour won’t allow by exploring seldom-visited parts of the ship.

This curated experience is modeled after the real-life events the crew of USS Iowa faced while preparing the battleship for transport to its current location. Had they not met the challenge, the ship would likely have been destroyed, but the hard work of the crew managed to give it a new life. Your family can now learn firsthand what went into keeping this part of history alive.

The experience is designed for small groups, no larger than six, and kids as young as 12 can participate, although any minors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. During the experience you will have a trained crew member to accompany your group, although their purpose is to ensure your safety, not help you figure out the clues to complete the challenge.

To participate in this adventure, available on Saturday and Sunday starting at noon (and weekdays with two-week advance notice), purchase a regular general admission pass on the website. After purchase, follow the prompts to add on a special tour, where you will want to select the Escape the Mothball Fleet option. Tickets for the experience cost $200 for each group of six or less people, and you have two hours to complete the challenge.