American Victory Ship & Museum — Attraction in Tampa

Double review here - one for the museum, one for the Halloween haunted ship event. Museum review: If you're a history buff, this is a great visit. Lots of authentic items left on board, many of which are open to touch on display. A great amount of information, and you get to explore the ship at your own pace and map out your own route. Can visit the demilitarized canons, even sit in them, and enter the bridge, medical, comms, captain's quarters, map room, barracks rooms, kitchen, mess, and many other general living spaces of the ship. Very easy to get a good idea of what when on while the vessel was on active duty. If you're not a history buff however, it may not be your thing. Another option: for kids, or if you're planning on doing the Chamber of Terror haunted house, visiting the museum first to plan out your escape routes and lower your future fear levels is also a thing. (Hint hint)

Chamber of Terror review: I had a friend working another haunted house back in high school, and regrettably never went. She always told me, "they won't ever touch you!" Fair warning: That is NOT true here, and I LOVED it. They only graze at your ankles as you go through one area, then never touch again. Lots of amazing props, the actors are all very well into it. Had a fish-faced monster breathing on my neck at one point. That said, they also don't push people past their limit - they're very good about that, which is hard to do. There are some less eventful areas, and though the ship looks small from the outside - even doing the museum tour ahead of time, I was surprised at how well they got every ounce and square inch of use out of the haunted house setup. Amazing job, everyone! So glad I picked this for my first haunted...

Wow, our visit to the American Victory Warship was absolutely incredible! I can’t recommend it enough, especially for families looking for an exciting and memorable experience. My son had an absolute blast, and we all had the best time ever!

From the moment we stepped onboard, we were greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. The crew was so friendly and made us feel right at home. They were awesome with my son, patiently answering all his questions and sharing fascinating stories. It was clear they loved what they do and wanted us to have a fantastic time.

The American Victory Warship itself is truly impressive. It’s a massive ship filled with history and adventure. Exploring its well-preserved interior and checking out the cool exhibits felt like stepping back in time. My son’s eyes lit up with excitement as he discovered each nook and cranny.

What made the experience even more special was the interactive nature of the tour. We got to climb aboard, explore the different areas, and even pretend to be sailors for a while. It was like being part of a real-life adventure!

I can’t stress enough how much fun we had at the American Victory Warship. It’s a must-visit for families seeking an awesome adventure. The ship and the crew create an atmosphere that’s both educational and entertaining. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to the amazing crew for providing an experience that my son will remember forever. We’re already planning...

Very educational and a massive number of rooms and areas to explore. You can roam pretty much everywhere in the ship, so great option for physical/tactile education. By nature, the ship is very poorly ventilated so it's extremely inside. Like hotter than it is outside. They have several fans positioned throughout the ship and a "cool down room" that has air conditioning, but I would recommend bringing some sort of personal cooling devices and water if you really want to take your time to explore. We were so hot that we felt like we had to rush through and didn't get the full value of our entry ticket. Speaking of which, they offer lots of discounts (seniors, military, first responders, teachers, etc), but the standard ticket is $15 per person. With such a prime location (right next to the cruise ship terminal and the aquarium) and a relatively high ticket price for a self guided experience, I would have expected the ship to be maintained a bit better. Most of the military museums I've been to take a lot of pride in taking good care of the exhibits etc. This was not the case here. Lastly, this would be an extremely inaccessible activity for anyone with physical challenges. Lots of narrow spaces and steep stairways. Of course, that's no one's fault, just would advise that it is taken into consideration when planning your itinerary. Strollers and wheelchairs are not going to...