Battleship New Jersey lands $24.25M makeover backed by NJEDA tax credits

Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial plans a $24.25 million redevelopment to build a new visitor center, add parking at Wiggins Marina and pay for major shipboard repairs. The project, backed by $19.9 million in NJEDA tax credits, is expected to start in mid-2027 and reshape access to the Camden waterfront attraction.

Why it matters: - The project is the largest capital investment at Battleship New Jersey since the museum and memorial opened in 2001. - The redevelopment is designed to improve access, increase educational and exhibition space, and support long-term revenue for the Camden waterfront attraction. - More than $6 million in shipboard improvements will help cover preservation and infrastructure work the museum could not fund on its own.

What happened: - Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial announced a $24.25 million redevelopment project on Tuesday. - The plan is supported by $19.9 million in tax credits from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion, or CAFÉ, program. - The project includes a roughly $9.5 million landside visitor center. - The project also includes a $5.5 million parking structure at Wiggins Marina. - The remaining funding will go to more than $6 million in improvements aboard the Battleship. - Construction is expected to begin in mid-2027. - The project is expected to take about two years to complete.

The details: - The new visitor center is intended to create a more accessible and welcoming arrival experience. - The landside work is also meant to expand educational and exhibition opportunities. - The Wiggins Marina parking structure is intended to improve visitor access on the Camden waterfront. - Shipboard work will address major preservation and infrastructure needs aboard the historic vessel. - The Battleship said the project will strengthen its earned-revenue potential. - The museum said additional information on construction phasing, visitor access and individual project components will be released as plans are finalized. - Governor Mikie Sherrill said the investment will help preserve the ship’s legacy, bring more visitors to Camden and create new activity along the waterfront. - NJEDA CEO Evan Weiss said the CAFÉ program is helping spur economic activity and revitalize communities across New Jersey. - Congressman Donald Norcross said the project will help strengthen education, tourism and economic opportunity in Camden and South Jersey. - New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Vincent Solomeno said the investment will preserve and interpret the Battleship’s history and strengthen it as a place to honor veterans. - Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said the project will improve the visitor experience and strengthen the Battleship’s role as a regional cultural and historic institution. - Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said the redevelopment will bring new investment, activity and waterfront opportunities to the city. - New Jersey’s 5th Legislative District lawmakers said the Battleship offers hands-on learning that cannot be replicated in a classroom and serves as an anchor of the waterfront. - Board of Trustees Chairman Thomas Reilly Sr. said his father served aboard USS New Jersey during World War II and described the project as a promise to the people who served on the ship. - Reilly said the investment will help the Battleship tell the stories of its crew with greater permanence. - The project is part of broader preservation work after the ship’s historic dry docking in 2024.

Between the lines: - The redevelopment pairs cultural preservation with a tourism play, aiming to turn a historic asset into a stronger year-round destination. - The NJEDA-backed financing shows state officials view the Battleship as both a heritage site and an economic-development asset. - The parking and visitor-center pieces matter because access, not just preservation, can determine whether a museum grows attendance and revenue.

What’s next: - Battleship New Jersey will release more details as construction plans are finalized. - Work is slated to start in mid-2027. - The ship and museum are expected to operate through the phasing plan, with visitor-access details announced later.

The bottom line: - Battleship New Jersey is using a major state-backed investment to modernize the visitor experience, fix critical ship needs and position the Camden landmark for its next phase.