Monday marks the 79th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, which sank the battleship USS Arizona and sparked the U.S. involvement in the Second World War. The state Capitol Museum will be launching a virtual tour of its USS Arizona exhibit as more museums expand their online presence.
Visitors to the State Capitol can see the USS Arizona’s main mast, anchor, and one of its main guns outside the Capitol. But there are dozens of artifacts located inside the Capitol Museum, which remains closed for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic. That’s why the museum is launching an online virtual tour of its USS Arizona exhibit to coincide with the 79th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.
"It’s so important to reflect on the events that led to World War II and its impact on our state and nation," Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said in a statement. "This tour will be available to viewers of all ages and particularly useful in middle and high school classrooms."
Exhibits will include the ship’s original silver service, as well as artifacts and belongings salvaged from the wreckage and donated by one of the last two remaining survivors, Lt. Cmdr. Louis A. Conter.
"We’re excited to offer these virtual resources in lieu of our usual on-site Pearl Harbor Day activities,” Senior Museum Administrator Stephanie Mahan said.
Ricardo Leonardo is vice president of the Salt River-Maricopa Indian Community. He spoke about the significance of receiving an original piece of the battleship’s boathouse for the memorial.
“This whole journey opened this door because of the flag you see from the USS Arizona, and we were the first of any tribe or any post within the United States to receive it," Leonardo said.
The attack on Dec. 7, 1941, killed over 2,400 Americans.
