My wife and I visited the USS Turner Joy this past Saturday about an hour and a half before closing thinking we'd have time to explore the ship. Boy, was that wrong. That time went by in what felt like 5 minutes. The self guided tour is extensive and there's a lot to see. It was wonderful being free to explore and sit in the officer's mess and just look around and imagine the history that was discussed there and walking through the engine room imagining listening to the whir of the machinery while the ship was underway and looking at where these brave sailors slept and imagining what their day was like. I got to speak to a docent that was a gunner and he shared his knowledge and some great stories. It was truly an honor to meet him! We plan on returning, earlier next time, to properly explore this wonderful ship and piece of history. Very highly recommended! read more

See all

The ship and the tour were fantastic, but the experience in the gift shop was extremely disappointing. The manager with short hair was incredibly rude and unprofessional from the moment we walked in. She was snippy with customers, showed zero friendliness, and acted like she didn't want to be there. She loudly complained to her staff about needing to leave early and made the whole environment uncomfortable. When we were standing in line--well out of the way--she abruptly told us to "get out of the way" so she could move the golf cart, even though we were already several feet back. Inside the shop, she threw items onto the counter when we asked to look at them, and when we decided to purchase something, she snatched it out of our hand. The ship itself is great and the tour was wonderful, but the gift shop manager is seriously hurting the experience. She needs retraining--or replacement--because her attitude is unacceptable for a public-facing role. read more

This is a well preserved Navy Destroyer. Actually served off the coast of Vietnam. Not near where I was. There is also a small store and the price is reasonable for all the maintenance that must be done. read more

See all

What an amazing opportunity! This was our first Navy ship tour. We loved that it was self guided so you could go at your own pace. There was information on placards throughout the ship, and a few videos to view in different sitting areas. They even give you a pamphlet to narrate each point of interest on board. Some of the stairs were a little to steep for my comfortability, but my husband had no issues whatsoever. I enjoyed watching him maneuver around. He even got up into one of the gun turrets! I'm way too claustrophobic. The lady at the gift shop was friendly and helpful. Tickets are $22 for adults. They give senior discounts and military are free. There are restrooms on board the ship. Overall a great experience. We're so glad we did it. Highly recommend. read more

See all

What a gem! My family greatly enjoys visiting the USS Turner Joy. It's fun to learn the Turner Joy's history, as well as learn about the workings of a ship. Kids and adults alike will find things to do as they climb around the ship. I do wish it was not quite so expensive, but also understand that there are costs for keeping the place running. read more

Excellent history! Excellent history! The knowledge and friendliness of the staff is something to be proud of. I recommend the self-guided tour to take your time and pace to see everything possible. Some mobility is required to navigate the steps , ladders and door ways. read more

We took my in-laws and 3 kids (from 14-3) and everyone had a blast! We thought our teen would have the least amount of fun, but she loved it! They had tons of information to really help you understand what you're experiencing. Super neat day with the kids and grandparents. We suggest this as an experience to everyone who comes to visit us here! read more

See all

My family was locked inside the USS Turner Joy by an employee. The last photo I took on the ship tells the whole story: the Exit is BOLTED and CHAINED SHUT. What you don't see is the panic our entire family experienced as we searched for another way out - in the DARK, because someone began turning off lights. We struggled to find other exits using our phones as flashlights. We searched the ship's multiple levels, squeezed through small dark corridors, tripped over steps and down stairs trying to find a way out. What we found were dead ends and two more Exits LOCKED and CHAINED. We tried calling the gift shop to alert them that people were still on the ship, but we didn't have a signal/service inside. The outside temp was in the high 80's and the air stopped circulating, so it felt like we were in an oven. Fear spread across our group. We shouted for help, but no one answered. The situation would frighten anyone, but several family members have claustrophobia and suffered panic attacks as a result. We lost sight of one another as we searched the ship's bowels for an unlocked exit. My partner found an open door and called for us to follow his voice in the dark. When he attempted to re-enter to help lead us out, an employee blocked him. The employee said that he had an errand to run and the ship was "closed." I thought we must've overstayed by quite a bit, but as I exited, I noted the time: 5:04PM. The time stamp on my photo of the locked door: 5:01PM. We purchased our tickets at 4:30PM. At no point did anyone tell us that the ship closed at 5PM; at no point did anyone use an intercom - or even shout out to us - that the ship was closing, doors were being locked and that we must exit. Why? The situation was unreal, beyond upsetting and extremely dangerous. Closing protocols for the USS Turner Joy must be changed. This must not happen to anyone else. read more

USS Turner Joy - Chained and bolted exit of USS Turner Joy - Museums Near Me - Bremerton, Washington

A living piece of history right here. I found her by accident, thanks to my little escape from the Blackberry Festival. I learned that she was one of the navy ships used in the Vietnam War, and all of the major parts were open to public access. It was so cool to see the inner workings of the ship; gosh, it really was a huge operation. Numbered signs were really helpful for guiding the way, and enthusiastic history enthusiasts/staff members were onboard to answer any questions. One thing to note- there are a lot of vertical ladders in the ship. To get the most of the experience, I recommend coming here if you are able to use them. read more

See all

Great experience for the entire family. You will have to climb multiple ladders both up and down to access the various areas of the ship. Some ladders are steeper than others and have smaller stair treads. They recommend about two hours for the tour and it will take you that long to hit all the areas open. There are also some very narrow passages and low ceiling sections. Good shoes and comfortable clothes are a must. Several areas have pre-recorded facts about that area, so slow down and read the signs. Understanding the vessel and its history are the main goal and we left more knowledgeable on Destroyers than we imagined. The boys (6 & 12), had a great time touching stuff and pretending to sail the ship. read more

It was a fun self tour. Took my wife and kid and they enjoyed it. Especially on a nice sunny day. Be careful, the halls are narrow and the steps are steep. read more

I'm a history nut so I knew USS Turner wouldn't disappoint. During our visit, we were unable to find street parking so we ended up parking in the Harborside Garage. Rates were $4 for up to 3 hours of parking. Credit cards are accepted in the garage. Before touring the ship, we browsed through the gift shop. The gift shop is also where tickets are purchased. The tour is self-guided which allows one to investigate at their own leisure. Our party explored the ship for about 3 hours. The ship is cold so dress accordingly. The ship has narrow passageways and ladder-wells which doesn't make it ideal for the handicapped. There are seasoned veterans throughout the ship to show you how instruments were worked as well as to answer any questions. Complimentary coffee and hot chocolate is available in the cafeteria. Overall, we all had a fantastic day and left feeling humbled. I would recommend this tour to everyone. read more

See all

We toured the USS Turner Joy today, and it is a really cool ship. The self-guided tour is free, and you gain entrance by visiting the gift shop. The ship is very large but cold inside, and wearing warm clothing in the winter and a sweater in the summer will keep you comfortable. The ship has many narrow and steep stairs that my preschooler was able to climb, but if you have major mobility issues it may be difficult. It isn't wheelchair or stroller accessible due to the many levels and narrow doorways with ledges. The ship has a lot of signs to direct you the right way, along with easy to decipher maps on where you are and where to go. Interesting parts of the ship and objects also have detailed descriptions which is really great if you're into history. The ship is also fun for the younger ones because there are a lot of knobs and switches that are clearly labeled ("pull right to hear sonar"). I would recommend at least 1-2 hours on the ship and if you're a history buff, maybe 3 hours. There are also two restrooms on the ship and docents on the ship can also guide you to one if you are lost. The staff in the gift shop and all of the volunteers inside the ship were super friendly and kind with lots of smiles. read more

See all

4.5 stars! This museum is pretty neat! You get a chance to see and experience first hand what living in a ship on a military duty is like. The condition of the ship itself is still pretty well maintained (even though the ship was used back as far in time as the Vietnam War era. The ship is pretty walkable from the Bremerton ferry terminal, so it is something cool to explore for sure. The entrance fee itself is quite a bit (~$27pp) and AAA gets you a $1 discount (veteran/military people are free, and discount for child I believe), but because you can do a self-guided tour and spend as much time as you want, if you are a ship enthusiast, it is a perfect place for you to explore. You get to see where the crew of different ranks live, eat, and perform functions. It was also hard to navigate around inside the ship, given I went up and down the stairs to the different parts of the ship and was pretty much disoriented and no longer remember which part of the ship I was in most of the time I was in teh museum. What I can say after seeing this ship is that...I now know that I probably can't be serve in a navy at all, given how claustrophobic/physically demanding (climbing up/down the stairs) it was inside, so...a lot of respect to military people out there for sure. read more

See all

Thanks to our daughter for giving me tickets to this historic ship, launched in 1958. The Turner Joy was one of the two US ships fired upon the Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. On the basis of that action, LBJ escalated our involvement. Years later, the Turner Joy was the last Navy ship to fire upon Vietnam as our withdrawal took place. Regardless of one's opinion of the Vietnam war, this ship pays great respect to those who served upon her during those times. The docents are largely sailors who served on the same era of destroyer. Their knowledge of what it was like to serve on such a ship, in combat and peace, is wonderful. As one who likes military history, I only wish I had more time with them! One negative - parking. The ship is near the ferry terminal. There are lots of city parking garages nearby - all filled with ferry commuter's cars. We did find 2H parking on the street, but that did limit our time on the water front. read more

USS Turner Joy - Radar Room near the bridge - Museums Near Me - Bremerton, Washington

See all

Wow, this was so much fun! I took my visiting parents to Bremerton primarily for the extended ferry ride and we toured this on a lark. You get to access and touch *everything* in the ship and there is no guided tour to wisk you away from something interesting or slow you down with something boring. I had recently been on the Midway in San Diego harbor and as cool as that was, this was 5X better. Wanna crawl up into a gunner turret? Lay in a real bunk? Sit in the helm seat of the cockpit? Pick up a mortar shell? Operate a very early electro-mechanical computer radar station? It's all here to do as much as you want. Only catch is you just have to be physically able to climb and descend boat ladders. My step dad who has some mobility issues got so entranced he was up and down like he was 25 years younger. Pro-tip: My mom who has MS and is mobility limited was able to see by us face-timing some of the parts she could not access. VERY highly recommended. Also, be sure to grab a quick lunch at "the Shack" on the pier too. read more

Incredible piece of history for adults & kids! I had a 9 and 11 year old who thoroughly enjoyed exploring every inch of this incredible ship. So much to see and experience first hand. A wonderful piece of history. Highly recommend for adults and kids old enough to safely navigate stairs and hatches. read more

Great ship to walk around in. They were cleaning the ship while we were there, but this didn't interfere with our self guided tour. You can read the history of the ship as you walk around and learn about the adventures of the Turner Joy in Vietnam. There are multiple levels to the ship and you can go go high or go low, but it's worth exploring the whole ship. You appreciate how large the guns on the ship are and how difficult it must be to live on a ship for an extended amount of time. read more

If you are going through Bremerton or even making the drive from Seattle, this is worth the stop! This is such a neat piece of history that is very interactive. It's great to see the attention that has been made to keep things historical and make you feel you are walking back in time. I didn't get to go down the ladder wells because they are very steep and narrow and I was worried about losing my footing, but there was still plenty of things to see. You pretty much have full run of the ship and it takes a good few hours to go through it. The only negative is that we picked out a few Gulf War items for my dad and the lady gave us Vietnam patches. Which is a bit frustrating when we realized it and being over half the country away. Overall amazing time and it was great to get an idea of things my grandpa, dad, and husband went through while serving in the Navy. read more

See all

This ship was well named, because the staff here are very good at turning your joy into something else--namely, misery. I've been here numerous times. This spring and summer I brought my closest family and friends and their kids. Each time, I was hoping to share the excitement and fun of being aboard a real navy ship with fresh eyes, especially the kids. Frankly, my experiences are an embarrassment to the US Navy and what it represents. Rude, passive-aggressive volunteers harassed us. Not only that, but one of the docents (or whatever they call themselves) turned off all the lights and blocked exits while my family was lost in the middle of the ship! On top of that, when I asked the guy to turn the lights back on so I could find them, he not only refused--he physically blocked me from going to find my family. He ordered me to call them. When I explained that cell reception was poor, he said I should get a different carrier, and that he needs to go get his prescriptions and run errands. On top of that, we were only allowed 30 minutes on the boat. No one even mentioned closing time at the front desk or told us anything about the boat or any policies. This is beyond rude. These behaviors present a hazard to peoples' health and safety. Believe me, if anyone fell or got hurt because of it, we wouldn't hesitate to sue the guy, the museum and the US Navy, for placing an incompetent person in charge of others' lives. The boat has a PA system, but instead of using it to tell people they have 10 minutes left or something, they instead just switch off the lights without even bothering to check if people are still there?! One museum employees' laziness and decision to be a jerk wrecked the entire day for my family. On prior trips we were treated rudely as well, by their staff of resentful people who seem to hate their jobs--or at least the public. Not only was this a total waste of money, it's now a bad memory as well. Especially for my ten year old nephew, who is claustrophobic. If he ends up with any residual trauma from this, we will sue. Meantime, we will take our business and make better memories at places where decent, competent employees understand how to treat others with a modicum of respect and kindness--and that is definitely NOT at the USS Turner Joy. read more

Tripadvisor suggested a 1-2 hr duration. My twin 9 yr old boys and 12 yr old daughter could have easily gone over the 2 hrs if we didn't have to rush back to check out of the hotel. read more

Man, it's a great ship to tour around and at the same time it's hard just seeing and being in those tight quarters that our military had to endure, is tough! The spaces on the ship our tight and hard to maneuver around, I'm sure it's even harder in an emergency situation. I highly recommend anyone who is in the area to check it out! It's right next to the Bremerton ferry terminal! read more

USS Turner Joy - Museums Near Me - Bremerton, Washington

Wow!! This self guided tour is AMAZING! We went there with a few friends and had a blast! We highly recommend it and would def go again. Great activity for the fam bam or a group of friends. read more

The Turner Joy is visible from the ferry as you arrive in Bremerton. This place is pretty awesome. The admission is a fair price. The ship is well maintained and really clean. It's cleaner that an active Navy ship. In the Nave I wasnt on a 'Tin-Can' but I was impresed. The access that they grant you is definately the best. They have opened up main control, boiler room, CIC, berthings, mess decks, bridge, even the deck guns. They definately brought back some good memories from my days in the Navy. Once you are done here walk over to the Navy Museum on the other side of the marina. It's free.. read more

Touring this ship is a really cool way to spend an afternoon. It's a real Vietnam era war ship and you get access to almost all of it. I thought that was simply awesome! Note: You may want to wear snickers when you go because to access some parts of the ship you have to climb a couple ladders. read more

See all

Perfect place to visit if you like history! The self-guided tour lasted 2 hours for me but it can easily go above 2 hrs if you read all the descriptios read more

Very cool place to explore. Perfect for my 3 kids ages 10,13 & 15. 4 stars because it's pricey for the hour or two. We spent approximately $65 for three kids & two adults. Amazing slice of history. Lots of hands-on & climbing for the more active. read more

You can explore about 90% of this destroyer. I learned a ton. It's also a workout as you can go up and down a lot of steep narrow stairs. This would be a difficult place to visit if you have mobility issues. read more

USS Turner Joy - Museums Near Me - Bremerton, Washington

See all

Pretty cool stop in Bremerton! You pay admission at the gift shop and then from there, you go onto the ship for a self guided tour. There are a few employees scattered throughout the ship to answer questions and give information about the ship. It is pretty cool to be able to step onto a piece of history. The only thing to keep in mind is that the steps/ladders to get up and down the different levels of the ship are extremely steep, so wear decent shoes and watch your step! The price for adults was $16 each, which was a few dollars higher than I would have liked, but still not a terrible price. They do give military discounts and I think AAA discounts. You also might find a coupon in a brochure/pamphlet of Seattle attractions. read more

Awesome! You can go almost every place in this ship, which as we came to find out fired the first and last US shots of the Vietnam War. Incredible piece of history, and even if you don't like history, it is just a cool ship. Lots to see and LOTS of "stairs" to climb. Take the term stairs with a grain of salt because they only stick out about 3 inches from one step to another. Watch out for your shins, and don't bring anyone with balance problems. We will probably be back in the warmer months to check it out again. read more

This was my first time touring an old ship, and had such a blast! There were so many stairs/hallways/paths to new places, I had so much fun wandering around and checking everything out! My boyfriend has been to at least a dozen of these, so he's more used to it, but I was in awe! Lots of fun facts, and the staff around were very friendly. I like that you are pretty much just left to your own devices, but I was also overwhelmed with everything. Might have to go back another time to make sure we got all the information :) read more

The USS Turner Joy is a part of Bremerton's proud Naval history. As a ship that fought in the Vietnam War, it is a reminder of what our boys (and now girls) have to deal with when protecting our nation. You can explore about 90% of the ship. From the bridge to the boiler room and everywhere in between is open to see and touch. We (my boys and I) checked out the inside of the cannons, sat in the Captain's chair on the bridge and well, went up and down every ladder they could find. It is a great self-guided tour but many of the Sailors that served on the Turner Joy and live locally act as volunteer guides. They are a great source of information and truly seemed to enjoy talking about the Turner Joy. read more

Enjoyed touring the old ship but would have enjoyed it more if we weren't ragged out driving around to find parking and then hiking all over the place trying to find the entrance off Washington Ave. Went down one dead end street, then part way into a building construction site before figuring out to go further south on Washington and seeing the signs by the Hampton Inn. How about some signage north if there and south of the Manette Bridge, which we crossed in error early in our search??? Told the girl who took our money but she obviously didn't give a flip. On the way back to our truck saw another group of tourists fighting the same battle. Sad. read more

This is a 50 year old retired USNaval destroyer in fairly good condition. Very interesting and educational to see how our navy boys live and work in such cramped quarters. The bridge and sonar room are great for the kids and they have 2 working powerful binoculars read more

See all

I've lived in the Seattle area for a long time, but I hadn't been to Bremerton in at least 15 years. While I was looking for an interesting day trip for out-of-towners I stumbled across the USS Turner Joy. We hopped on the ferry from Seattle (a big hit with the visitors) and spent a nice afternoon on the other side of the water. The USS Turner Joy was a lot of fun to explore. My wife and I had our 3 year old son in tow, and he was thrilled with being able to explore so many nooks and crannies of this large vessel. The stairs are basically ladders (and there are several), but it's a fascinating look into history. Entrance isn't cheap ($12) and I wish I had planned more time to explore. Budget yourself a good 2 hours. We had a nice lunch at Fritz right near the marina. If you're looking for fish and chips (and chips and chips and chips) and burgers that's where to go. It's very low key. If you want something fancier head over to Anthony's. read more

This is a cool old destroyer from the Vietnam era you can explore. They are still doing work on the boat, it has a way to go as far as displays but it is still cool. Explore on your own or join one of the several tours they have. Ok if you are military go in uniform, the it is free. If not you can get in for half off. If not military you are going to need some cash or credit card. Good luck parking, there is parking close but it is quite confusing on how to pay for you spot and it's unclear if it costs on Saturdays... So I might have wasted $3. The staff doesn't seem to like working at the historical Turner Joy. Maybe it's boring working on a boat that doesn't go anywhere... Either way if you are in the area, you should check it out. read more

USS Turner Joy - On the boat - Museums Near Me - Bremerton, Washington

Five stars! This is the second time I've toured this ship this month. My grandfather was on this ship for a year. It's always so neat to see how he and the other sailors lived! Very fun to explore and so much to see and learn! read more

Beautiful piece of history but was not impressed by what I thought was a rather steep admission tickets price for a self guided tour ($16 normal price/$8 of present active duty military card or retired card). The ticket lady was rude to my mom as well who presented her retired dependent card and stated discount only applied to the member who actually served. We politely corrected her as my mom did serve seven years in the Army but she still did not allow us the discounted price. Needless to say we didn't go on the Turner Joy. read more

I love this place!! We wanted to check out Bremerton, took the ferry here and this is one of the place we stopped by. It's very easy to find. When you exit the terminal at Bremerton. Just follow the pier to the right. You can't miss it. This was last year, so I can't remember the price.. It's not bad. But you would spend some time in here. You can get to almost everywhere on the ship. It's a great tour when you visiting Bremerton. I would strongly recommended. read more

Very cool! It was funny, because I watch NCIS, and I recall an episode where Tony was on a Navy ship, and was trying to find the Captain's quarters or something, and he got completely lost. Now I can see why. It is a maze of cramped hallways and levels, and they are not all connected. Up one ladder, down another, and up again to get somewhere. Very fascinating seeing how the crew lived and worked. Lots of great information and the rooms and areas have detailed descriptions and history. read more