While visiting New England over the holidays, my fella and I started chatting with some friends about our love of Ken Burn's docuseries on World War 2. Incidentally, if you haven't seen it yet, and you love history, call in sick tomorrow and take a day for yourself and the war. You weren't going to cure cancer at the office anyways, right? So as I gushed on and on about the joys of crocheting while drinking a cocktail and listening to the many voices of WW2, our friends made the suggestion that we take a day and head over to Battleship Cove. My imagination lit right up! A cove full of restored vintage battleships that you can walk through and explore??? One THOUSAND exclamation points!!!! I looked it up on yelp, saw the five stars, and routed it.... an hour and a half from where our friends live, and an hour from where we were staying! Not bad, if you're on vacation, and it's the cold and rainy off season. My fella was slightly less jazzed. Sure, battleships are cool, but do we really need to spend another two hours in the rental car? We'll drive an hour there, and then be there for an hour, and then we'll be looking for something else to do. Undeterred, I set my mind on a fun adventure for Sunday afternoon. I figured it was gonna be Battleships, or something equally awesome. I checked yelp Saturday night- there is a ship in Quincy which is closed for the season (damn!), a few old houses (semi-cool) and a couple of art museums (semi-yawn), and I reported my findings back to my fella- Battleship Cove, Sunday morning, please and thank you! Now, I was getting over a very persistent cold, so my fella figured if he let me sleep to my snifflie heart's content, I'd have forgotten all about Battleship Cove by the time I regained consciousness. I woke up at noon on Sunday and immediately got dressed to go see BATTLESHIPS!! His dream of a lazy Sunday watching the Patriots thwarted by my one track mind, my fella drove me to Battleship Cove... and then HE LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, it's amazing! They've painstakingly renovated a little fleet of ships, and you can see PT boats, a sub, a destroyer, and a cruiser, along with a couple stray helicopters that were closed up to prevent me from climbing in them and making "PEW PEW" noises and taking instagram photos. It was really, really cool. You will not believe how tiny some of the spaces are on the sub, frankly, it's humbling to be reminded of the men who've served under such difficult circumstances. On board the largest ship, there is an extensive collection of memorabilia from the era which was so detailed that it literally left me lightheaded. My brain could hold no more factual information. So rather than spend an hour, we spent four, and if I would have been 100% well, we might have shut the place down. There's a lot to see, and it's genuinely worth seeing and thinking about. Side note: we had an awesome meal after our visit to Battleship Cove at the nearby Taphouse Grill. When we sat down to eat, my fella said "I need to go wash my hands. They smell like battleships." I feel I've given you enough reasons to drive an hour to Fall River to check this out, but just in case I haven't, I'll upload some pictures soon. read more

I've had a yearning to invade Somerset for years, so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to check out a whole effing fleet of battleships resting in deceptive slumber right under its nose. It's about time Fall River flexes some Imperialistic muscles. What's the good in having all these violent criminals if you can't put them to work invading neighboring towns? The Soviets must have sold a boat to us capitalist swine some years back, because Fall River hosts one of their cruisers too. I don't see the submarine as being of much help when D-Day arrives, but those Higgins boats will no doubt prove useful. Hey Swansea: Looking good. read more

Would love to come back and spend more time. We just had a 30 min world wind tour. This is the first battle ship that I was able to make it to the engine room. I have been in two other. Would like to make it through the other ships that are there. Could easily spend all day here. read more

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Battleship Cove was a beutiful place. I enjoyed it very much however, when I went two of the ships were closed. That got me angry. It was the submarine and another that I cant remember. The main ship was beutiful. It had a cool museum. I also liked how it had a ww2 memorial of all the veterens. Nothing much to say about the others. The others were good but not that much to brag about. The shop store was crap. They had no souvenirs that were good. They were all expensive. The tictets were also outrageous. The prices were obnoxious. That is all I have to say. read more

Some of you might have been to mothballed ships that become floating museums before. I grew up with the Intrepid, a floating aircraft carrier in New York City. But visits to the Intrepid were so safe and well put together. When you go to Battleship Cove and pay a nominal entry fee, you get to check out a battleship, cruiser and submarine in addition to another former Soviet corvette. By check out the ships, I mean you walk around the ships filled with exhibits, and no supervision. Half the spaces I was in, I realized that there is no way that the Intrepid would let me get anywhere near them. I'm talking narrow passages in the bowels of a ship. It was awesome. Go before they hire a general counsel who isn't clinically insane. read more

My husband and his friend took me here and it was nothing like what I imagined! Imagine my surprise when I found out that I could actually go on the ships!!!! I loved it! My husband is in the Navy so it was cool to see what kind of ships my husband would be spending most of his time on! I learned a lot, and the sights were awesome! Unless you have children and like crowds, I suggest going during the week to avoid the masses of kids. read more

When staying in the Providence/ Fall River area you're going to find in the tourist pamphlet rack stacks of pamphlets for the Battleship Cove in Fall River, Ma.. If you're just driving through Fall River you're most likely going to completely miss this little gem. Take the time to stop into this place. You'll have the freedom of walking throughout battleships, cruisers and even a submarine! Not only do you see the ships but you see them as they were with Military provided packs of Lucky Ciggs and stacks of shells ready for the big guns. You make the effort to climb into the large gun tour its and you can watch reenactments of the guns being loaded and fired. I took 4 other people here and we still talk about it. I recommend Battleship Cove. read more

Very cool. The Battleship alone is worth it. The submarine is a nice bonus, and the destroyer, missile ship and PT boats are just icing. I've never seen a place give so much access to a whole ship... you can go virtually anywhere. Information displays are all relevant and placed well (though sometimes terribly wordy). While this place isn't for anyone (people who hate stairs beware), it's really worth a visit and a surprising gem that goes well beyond tourist trap. read more

very cool! Only problem was that I was told: if it isn't roped off or padlocked then feel free to explore. Then got told multiple times that I was in a restricted area and I needed to leave. Even though it was wide open and not blocked. Fix it please!! Bad mana read more

family loved this place. we all had the most fun exploring all parts of the shops. its amazing seeing how these incredible ships were designed and built. You really felt like a crew member while walking around all levels of ship. Highly recommend. Fun And educational read more

This museum is fantastic. We took our two boys ages 7&8 to see the USS Massachusetts and were blown away by how well organized the exhibits were. You can explore the ship in it's entirety and hear the stories of the people who served on board. My boys loved crawling into the turrets and seeing how the sailors slept, ate, and passed the time while out to sea. The collections onboard are comprehensive and well curated. Be sure to check out the other vessels while there! The staff at the front desk were friendly and helpful. read more

Great venue for a function. Also an interesting field trip destination. Friendly service, good time read more

Some of the most fun we have had in a while. It was exhausting, but so much fun and educational too. Two battleships, a submarine, two pt boats, and another ship, plus helicopters and planes to tour and visit all in one place. It was incredible. The large battleship was enormous and going on all the decks and levels was so interesting. They could have had more information about each room or more labels for what the different rooms were used for. Also, the ships were in need of some tlc. If you don't like confined spaces and can't walk or go up steep stairs, it is not for you. We must have walked a few miles around the ships on all the decks. The large battleship, you could actually go up into the large gun in the back. We ran out of time, there was so much to see and do. Around battleship cove is also a train museum and carousel. Spend the day. read more

Very friendly staff. My son recently finished his Eagle scout project there and everyone at Battleship Cove could not have been more helpful. How lucky is Fall River to have such a great memorial for our veterans. Expect to spend the whole day exploring and don't forget to have lunch in the Wardroom. read more

Fascinating and so much to see it is no wonder they give you a 2 day admission. Great trip for me and my 13 yo son.

Went there to purchase a gift for a friend out of town and they were so helpful. Gave me a bunch of pens and stickers and was just overly very friendly! read more

Had a great time here. It self guided, we spend about two hours there. Great for all ages. Will go again. read more

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My boyfriend wanted to check this place out since his father was in the navy. I was not equally as intrigued, but I said I would give it a shot. I was very amazed by our few hours we spent there. The first ship we went on (HUGE) was so interesting. There are so many doors and ladders and rooms and hallways and nooks it was insane! We were on it for well over an hour to an hour and a half. It was a monster! It's very well labeled along the ship letting you know what everything was and how it was used and so on. Then we got to go on/in the submarine which was pretty cool as well. It's def worth a 1/2 day trip if your into ships and history. There was tons of Boy Scouts there that were also going to be sleeping on the bunks on the big ship (which is really cool that they allow that) as a history field trip. It was near to experience some old history for a few hours. read more

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This is a very cool place - you get to check out all of the ships and sub and learn about history. It is beautifully laid out and well worth that short trip from Boston. read more

Battleship Cove - Joseph P Kennedy Jr - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Fall River, Massachusetts

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A great active history lesson for all, especially kids who seem to take to climbing all over warships. At 0930 on a Sunday in late August there were no crowds or lines. Read the recent biography of Lucian Prescott and the description of the Battle of Casablanca, so you can imagine the USS Massachusetts in action. read more

Whats cooler then a battleship?? Its the most testosterone thing in the world. Sheer power and destruction. I been here twice...both times it was great. Park is never packed and they give great tours. Nothing special nearby though but I only cared about the battleship. I kinda snuck around and got into one of the port sides 5inch Turret...it was exciting. read more

What an amazing bit of history is a classic New England town... Right off the highway too. My boyfriend and friends had a blast. The price was certainly fair. I would compare our trip to Battleship Cove like going on a playground for adults! We went when it was colder out, about 30 degrees and we still had a blast. We got to sit in a captains chair too!! We went for about four hours and thought we'd have enough time to go through all of the crafts. Forget it! This is a day trip and you won't regret it. We are so lucky to have a wonderful piece of history preserved. read more

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My favorite things to do on the USS Massachusetts battleship is to see the photos, artwork and artifacts of the PT boat groups, and also to just stand on the deck and see the massive cannons and just imagine what it was like to be there during a battle. This place also happens to be a big attraction for kids, such as scout groups, for sleepovers. With all the children running around it becomes a bit distracting. I wish they had a visible Navy presence on the ship to give a sense of respect. There's also a carousel nearby. Call ahead if you're interested. It's sometimes booked for private parties. There's also a National Heritage museum nearby. They have some historic photos in there about how people lived and worked in Fall River hundreds of years ago. I learned that the town used to be called 'Troy'. In 1911 they had a Cotton Centennial celebration. President Taft visited. And there's the Marine Museum which features a gigantic scale model of the Titanic. It's not a large museum but it's definitely worth visiting. It's only about 500 feet south on the road from the museum. It tends to close early. The HMS Bounty replica once docked nearby, in the cove. But the staff isn't very helpful. They seem more interested in protecting their butts than helping the customer. It's no wonder in a town with this kind of bureaucratic mentality that the most successful restaurant is run by people from another country. read more

Battleship Cove is very impressive and enjoyable for the entire family. Even on a cold and windy winter day! Plan on spending at least 2 hours or more. As expected, there are a lot of steps within the vessels and a lot of walking around. Even looking at the ships from afar is a spectacular thing to see. read more

The absolute best museum I have ever been to! The views from the ships are amazing, the displays are fascinating, and the gift shop has some really cool stuff! I have been here three times before and it is always a blast, and the staff is super helpful and friendly. The first time I attended, we were even shown how to use a sort of walkie talkie service inside the ship, AND we got to see a really neat navigation room. I love coming here and I always look forward to the next trip! read more

Such a great day trip!! Highly recommend for anyone who loves history. Bundle up on a warm winter day for the best experience. It was 44 degrees out today and NO ONE was there! read more

Battleship cove is a neat place to see. I enjoyed climbing aboard the USS Massachusetts and the other ships. You got to see the sailors quarters, work stations, and how they lived their lives. Seeing the battleships up close was awesome, and I learned a lot about Vietnam and WW2. This place is worth a look if you interested in American history. read more

They refuse to refund our Cub Scout pack when THEY cancelled the overnight in April. The pack didn't cancel, it was Battleship Cove who cancelled the overnight. Horrible business practice! DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR BUSINESS!! This is how they treat small organizations. read more

Overall the visit is a 4 star because it was fun, informative and lots to do. The fact there are NO signs to tell you how to get there is why I gave it only 3 stars. Going into Fall River there is a sign for "waterfront attractions" but no advertising signs for the battleship. For those from out of town, we had to guess if we were going the correct way because google maps was incorrect, also. Get some signs telling visitors where to go and the entire visit would be better. read more

Great place, a must see in Fall River, and an important part of history that needs continued support.

What a beautiful spot for a walk anytime of year !

Terrible customer service, won't refund money to our Cub Scout Pack for a cancelled overnight during COVID-19 (they cancelled, not us to be clear). Says they will give us a credit for another time but this is money that hardworking families could use now. Difficult to make contact with them even when we started the planning back in November. read more

Went with our cub scout pack for an overnight. Found it to be a great experience. Although not everything went the way that was planned I still found it to be very informative. It was interesting to see how they slept on the ship and the scavenger hunt kind of activity that was optional kept my den going most of the night looking for the answers so we saw almost all if the ship about 3 times over. What was really interesting was talking about how they would navigate using the stars. read more

A day is not enough. Spent 6 hours and didn't see everything. Granted, I'm not the fastest walker, and I like to spend time and see everything. This was a pleasant surprise. I had no idea this place was here when we planned on coming to the area for a few days. If you enjoy history, especially Naval history, you'll enjoy this. A must visit when in the area. read more

Great experience onboard of the Big Mammie. Both of my kids ages 2 and 4 really enjoyed running down the long halls of the submarine and finding different knobs and wheels to turn. When we got our tickets, we were told they are good for two days. The admission includes entrance to the Battleship Cove and the Museum, which we did not get to visit this time. Overall we loved the experience. read more

Travel Review At Battleship Cove BY JESSICA LAYNE www.allthingsnewengland.com Recently my kids and I drove down to Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts to meet up with the Boy Scouts for what was promised to be a weekend of fun, adventure, and a cool overnight experience aboard the USS Massachusetts. To be truthful with you, initially, I was skeptical about this whole Nautical Nights thing. I was worried the kids would be uninterested and board after twenty-five minutes of traipsing up and down the deck. Boy was I wrong...and great fully so. In a nutshell, Battleship Cove is a floating museum stationed upon the Taunton River. Pretty much anything goes. Management only asks that you (and/ or your kids) don't shimmy up and down the gun barrels. Just about everything is steel and a good fall or bump to the head could do some serious damage. You are given free reign on all of the vessels and are able to wonder in and out of just about any place you can physically fit. All the little nooks and crannies make this a child's wonder world. The square footage of these ships, particularly, the USS Massachusetts, is mammoth. One could easily get lost and never be seen or heard from for days ! My kids had a blast crawling around, climbing up and down ladders, and spinning around on the gun mounts while aiming at phantom targets. We were able to find our way down into one of the gun turrets to see how powder was packed, loaded, and launched from the cannons...totally fascinating. The lower decks and medical facilities aboard the USS Massachusetts are also very interesting but gave me the creeps. These floors seemed isolated from the rest and where designed so that, in the event the ship began to take on large amounts of water, doors would shut and rooms would lock down drowning whatever sorry soul might have been trapped within. All kinds of memorabilia and artifacts are left in tact and on display throughout the vessels. Various movies and presentations are also offered throughout the day that detail battles and life aboard the ships. You can even take a Morse code or knot tying class , though we never made it that far. In addition to all this, there's three helicopters, a T-28 trainer plain, and Japanese motorboat to see...and don't forget the gift shop. Just a few yards away from the museum there's wooden carousel ( not too many of those left these days), a train museum, and maritime museum. You can fill a day or two here easy. As part of the Nautical Night package aboard the USS Massachusetts, we were served breakfast and dinner in the mess hall and got to sleep in the actual bunks where soldiers before us had slept. This really put things into perspective for me. For a ship so big, the sleeping quarters were so tight. I can almost guarantee that sailors slept with feet in their faces and heads on their toes! Families and scouts were crammed in like sardines in a tin can. At eleven o'clock TAPS was played and then it was lights out. At 6:00 Revile was played and it was all hands on deck for breakfast. After we ate we were asked to remove our gear from the bunks and come back to grab a bagged lunch. At that point, we were entitled to another days admission at the museum and then would be on our way home. After walking the decks where soldiers before us had once walked...after eating where they ate, and sleeping in the very beds where they too had slept, you leave with a keen sense of what life was like living aboard these vessels. You better understand the mental and physical challenges put before these young soldiers coupled with the impending threat of battle and death. Photo's and memorials remind you that a heavy price was paid and continues to be paid by those who serve, fought, and died for our freedom so that we may live in a safer, better world today and tomorrow. read more

My dad used to take me to ride this carousel when it was at Lincoln Park. I miss you daddy!

Battleship Cove offers a chance to experience real history. Instead of sitting on your butt in front of a video console you can explore the real thing. The USS Massachusetts has so much to see you could spend hours there. There are several other ships but the day I was there the wind was so rough it was unsafe to go on the gangplanks. The PT Boats are indoors and the USS Mass has amazing photographs from the PT boats. My suggestion to the exhibitors is that they bring some of the old crews onboard to explain everything to visitors. They do this on the USS Intrepid in NYC and you can learn alot from the old crew members. read more

I have to agree with Ann L. -- if you know someone who geeks out about battleships or WWII, this is the place to take him/her. It is $14, but we were there for over 3 hours and didn't tour all the ships. The big attraction is the USS Massachusetts. We were seriously on the ship for over 2 hours and didn't see all of the exhibits inside, which include a room dedicated to all the PT boat crews (items from each crew), model airplanes, models of the rooms, videos, and more! You can go through three of the levels (warning: many steep ladder-like staircases and doorways you need to climb through). On the outside deck, you can climb onto some of the gun mounts and move them back and forth and up and down with levers. You can also get inside one of the gun turrets, but this requires wiggling into a few small areas. We also enjoyed the PT boats on display inside one of the buildings that are being restored. We looked briefly over the Russian boat, the Hiddensee, and I went through the submarine (it was almost 4:30 so they were closing). My geeking out friend is 6'4" and a big guy -- he did not go into the submarine. They also have a nice gift shop, and my other friend and I rode the carousel in the building next door, which is only $1! read more

Really fun! We like it all but especially the submarine. The stairs all over are super steep so it might not be the best day out for people that have trouble navigating that sort of thing (which is a shame because people that remember WWII would be the most fun to have around). You might have to leave granny on deck, though. The food in the cafe is terrible - there was more fresh fruit and veg on board when the ship was in battle. But the people that work there are friendly. They are also making a lot of improvements so it will be even better next year. read more