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Support the Pearl Harbor National Memorial

The current Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and Museum, opened in 2010, was designed to accommodate the growing number of visitors with expanded, comfortable, and environmentally conscious facilities. While much has been accomplished, there is still important work ahead to preserve this sacred site for future generations.

Financial Contributions

You can be a part of our mission to preserve Pacific War history! The Pearl Harbor National Memorial accepts financial donations that directly support specific projects, programs, or general operations. This is your opportunity to contribute to a lasting legacy that will impact millions of visitors. In recognition, donors receive a letter of acknowledgment from the park superintendent and may receive other forms of recognition as appropriate.

Your contributions help maintain the USS Arizona Memorial, the park grounds, and the USS Utah and USS Oklahomasites. Donations also enhance exhibits, museum collections, and other visitor services. Unless donors specify how their contributions should be used, funds are applied at the park’s discretion toward interpretive, educational, or research projects. Larger donations may be directed toward specific initiatives, as mutually determined by the donor and the memorial’s superintendent.

How to Donate:

Direct contributions can be sent to:

Pearl Harbor National Memorial
1 Arizona Memorial Place
Honolulu, HI 96818
Attn: Superintendent

Please make checks payable to the National Park Service.

 

Donation of Items

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial accepts donations of legally obtained historic artifacts for the museum collection, supporting the site's significance. If you're interested in donating artifacts, please read the Donor Information Packet. Contact the monument to ensure the item meets the site's needs.

Donors can find a review of the types of materials we are interested in, as well as the upcoming Scope of Collections Statement (coming soon). If the item does not fit our needs, a grateful declination may occur.

 

Items of Interest for the Museum Collection

Many visitors to the USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor National Memorial ask what types of materials our museum collects. Others inquire if we are interested in specific items they own or are willing to acquire on our behalf. Below is a list of artifact themes and backgrounds that the National Park Service actively seeks for its collection.

If you are interested in donating any of the items listed below, please contact the Curatorial Division at [e-mail] and review the Donor Information Packet. While we are interested in a variety of materials, these are areas of particular interest. Please consult our Scope of Collections Statement (coming soon) for a more comprehensive understanding of our museum's needs.

1. Women’s Military Service (WAVE, WAAC, WAC, SPAR, ROTC, and Marine Corps Women Reserve)
   We seek oral or written histories, period photographs, diaries, personal accounts, letters, and collectibles that reflect the experiences of women in these military roles.

2. Civic and Fraternal Organizations (Varsity Victory Volunteers, Red Cross, USO, YWCA, and the HI Chamber of Commerce)
   Archival materials, documents, photographs, diaries, speeches, and other ephemera from civic and fraternal organizations active between 1940-1945, especially those that helped prepare or provision Hawaii for the war.

3. Plantation Civil Defense, Police, and Medical Units
   Materials related to the Plantation Civil Defense, Plantation Police, or Plantation Medical Units, including photographs, oral histories, publications, and accounts created from 1940-1946.

4. Witness Art
   Art created by witnesses of the events from 1941-1952 in the Pacific Theater or during the Japanese Occupation. We are interested in sketches, paintings, and crafts that capture these personal experiences.

5. Volunteer Defense Force and Civilian Militia Units
   We are expanding our collection of oral histories and artifacts from participants in Volunteer Defense Forces or Civilian Militia Units across the Hawaiian Islands.

6. Unit, Base, Air Wing, Battalion, and Ship Newsletters
   Newsletters from military units in the Pacific Theater that offer insight into daily life during the war. Please see our online examples and the list of known newsletters (coming soon).

7. Pacific Island Materials (Atka, Attu, Canton, Kiska, Johnston, Midway, and Wake Islands)
   Photographs, diaries, letters, and memorabilia from 1940-1945 related to these islands, with a special emphasis on oral and written histories.

8. Army Air Force
   Oral histories, written experiences, period photographs, diaries, letters, and collectibles from the Army Air Forcein Alaska or the Eastern Pacific that provide insights into the Pacific War.

9. Aleutian Campaign
   Materials related to military personnel and civilians in the Aleutians from 1941-1945, including photographs, diaries, letters, and memorabilia.

10. Library Books on the Pacific War
    Firsthand accounts and historical books on the Pacific War published between 1942-1980 are highly desired. We also collect cruise books from ships that served in the Pacific War. Please note, we do not require additional copies of At Dawn We Slept, as we already have four. For details on our current holdings, please contact the museum curator's office.

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Please Be Aware

We are selective in accepting donated materials, particularly if we already have representative examples in our collection. Items that fall outside our Scope of Collections Statement may be declined. Our priority is to maintain a high standard of care for the artifacts in our collection, which requires careful consideration due to limited resources. We recommend reviewing the types of items we collect before donating.

For instance, while we would be very interested in acquiring a uniform worn by General MacArthur, we may not be interested in a generic uniform unless it has a compelling story, such as being worn by a servicemember awarded the Silver Star for gallantry. Similarly, a SPAR uniform is of particular interest as we do not currently have one in our collection, and it represents a rare and significant story.

If an item does not fit our collection needs, we will recommend alternative museums, archives, or libraries that may have an interest in the materials. To learn more about our collection guidelines, please visit our online museum collection, the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument Significance Statement, Scope of Collections Statement, and Library Catalog (coming soon).

 

Adopt-a-Memorial Program

Groups can participate in the Adopt-a-Memorial program by dedicating time to caring for one of the memorial sites—USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, or USS Utah. Tasks may include cleaning the area and maintaining its appearance. Project specifics vary, but this program is an excellent way for groups to contribute directly to the preservation of these important sites.

 

The National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation (NPF), chartered by Congress in 1967, raises funds to meet the National Park Service’s most critical needs. NPF programs focus on park conservation, youth engagement, and historical preservation. Your support helps preserve our parks, including Pearl Harbor, for future generations. For more information, visit the National Park Foundation’s website.