We Tried It: Touring the USS Missouri on the Family-Friendly Chuck’s Quest
A new scavenger hunt leads kids through the Battleship Missouri’s past.
Photo: Laura Dornbush
If you know your World War II history, you know that the USS Missouri played a pivotal role as the location of Japan’s surrender, plus carried out missions in the Korean War and Operation Desert Storm. Decommissioned in 1992, the celebrated warship-turned-museum now floats in Pearl Harbor welcoming visitors to discover exhibits, artifacts and weapons of war—important, serious stuff. But family-friendly? Not quite.
So how do you make this complicated history approachable for young learners? That’s where Chuck’s Quest comes in. The Battleship Missouri Memorial recently launched a scavenger hunt, guided by Chuck the Iguana, transforming family visits from boring to booyah as you explore the 887-foot-long ship (that’s three football fields!).
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How It Works
When you purchase admission tickets, opt for the Chuck’s Quest add-on ($8 per child). You’ll receive a self-guided tour booklet leading you to 14 stops around the ship. At each stop, search for a hidden signal flag to help decode a secret message. At the end, you will be sworn in as an honorary Mighty Mo crew member and receive a special keepsake from the Battleship.
Designed for ages 4–12, the adventure was perfect for my 9-year-old son, Duke, but the adults in our group had fun too. The scavenger hunt kicks off on the main deck where we found signal flags on the flight deck and next to the turrets, impressive guns that could fire 2,700-pound shells up to 27 miles.
The booklet’s map also led us down to the second deck in the hull of the ship. We descended steep stairs, wound through tight hallways and over water-tight doorways as we visited the post office, machine shop, computer center and the ship’s dental office, depicting what life was like for the 2,700 sailors who called the Mighty Mo home.
Photo: Laura Dornbush
In the mess hall, Duke enjoyed learning about Bug Juice, a brightly colored drink, similar to Kool-Aid, that was a sailor favorite. We spent extra time exploring the sleeping quarters and tried out the cramped, stacked bunk beds, nicknamed “coffin racks.”
Photo: Laura Dornbush
No, we didn’t actually see a real iguana on the scavenger hunt, but we did spot Chuck’s footprints (sticker decals) leading us from clue to clue. Turns out that Chuck isn’t just a playful mascot, he’s inspired by a true story. The tale goes that when the USS Missouri was docked in the Philippines, a stowaway iguana snuck on board and became a companion to the sailors.
The scavenger hunt takes about 45 minutes but could run longer if you want to spend more time reading the informational displays. The mission captured Duke’s attention, and he was determined to accomplish the task. Unlike other museum visits, I never heard, “Mom, when can we leave?” At the end of the adventure, Duke decoded the secret message and was rewarded with an honorary crew member badge that he wore proudly all the way home.
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Photo: Laura Dornbush
Tips
- Purchase a booklet for each child, so they can write their answers independently and each earn an honorary crew member badge.
- The booklet contains tons of facts, sailor slang and coloring pages—too much to digest onsite. I’d recommend taking it home and reading more later.
- Pack light because only small clutches, wallets and clear bags are allowed. Read about the bag policy.
- If you are claustrophobic, venturing down to the tight quarters of the second deck may be difficult. However, I was pleasantly surprised that there was no swaying motion aboard, so I did not feel motion-sick.
- Taste Bug Juice yourself! Purchase it at the gift shop or food truck outside the Battleship.
- Chuck has his own Instagram account (@chucktheiguana) where he shares fun facts and stories.
Battleship Missouri Memorial, open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., $39.99 general admission, $19.99 child admission, $8 Chuck’s Quest add-on, complimentary shuttle from Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center, 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Pearl Harbor, ussmissouri.org, @battleshipmissouri
Laura Dornbush is a regular contributor to HONOLULU Magazine. @ldornbush
