USS LST Ship Memorial

Name

USS LST Ship Memorial

Legal name

USS LST Ship Memorial INC.

Website

https://lstmemorial.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Ship Museum

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Submarine & Glass-Bottom Boat Experiences (THAJAJAL)

Keywords

• WWII ship museum
• Historical ship preservation
• Naval heritage education
• Museum guided tours
• Maritime memorial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Evansville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Revenue from guided tour tickets sold to visitors at the Evansville port location. Adults $20, youth $10, children under 5 free.
2. Memberships: Multiple membership tiers including Seaman/Fireman (1-year), Petty Officer ($65/3 years), Executive Officer ($265/3 years), Chief ($100), Honorary Captain ($500 lifetime), Admiral ($1,000 lifetime). Members receive the Phoenix newsletter and discounts at the ship's store.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling merchandise, gift cards, and memorabilia.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions accepted via PayPal. Organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. operates the USS LST-325 — the only operational WWII Landing Ship Tank in original configuration still afloat in US waters — as a living museum at its Evansville, Indiana home port. The organization sells guided one-hour ship tours at port, conducts annual river cruises to multiple US port cities, hosts exhibits of WWII artifacts, and delivers STEM-integrated educational resources for school groups.

Product overview

USS LST Ship Memorial operates the USS LST-325, the only operational LST in WWII configuration afloat in US waters, as a living museum. The organization offers guided ship tours, virtual exhibits featuring historical artwork and artifacts, STEM-based educational programs with lesson plans, and annual cruise experiences where the ship still sails. The product portfolio includes various membership tiers (Seaman/Fireman through Admiral) offering different benefits and access levels, an online store for merchandise and memorabilia, and volunteer programs across deck, engineering, culinary, and tour guide departments. The core offering is the museum experience aboard the historic vessel, supplemented by educational resources, membership programs, and the unique cruise experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Ship Tours One-hour guided tours of the USS LST-325 led by knowledgeable docents who educate visitors on the ship's WWII history and amphibious warfare significance; adults $20, youth $10, children under 5 free.
• Annual Cruise Experience Annual sailing of the USS LST-325 to multiple US river port cities where visitors can tour the vessel in motion; 2025 cruise covered ~1,300 miles round trip and served approximately 30,000 guests.
• Virtual Exhibits Online exhibitions featuring interactive virtual map tours, the Karl K. Knecht Collection (1942-1945), and the McClelland Barclay Collection of WWII artifacts and artwork.
• STEM Educational Resources STEM-based lesson plans and educational materials integrating military history with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for K-12 school groups, including LST 325 and NOAA lesson plans.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership program with six levels — Seaman/Fireman (1-year), Petty Officer ($65/3 years), Chief ($100), Executive Officer ($265/3 years), Honorary Captain ($500 lifetime), and Admiral ($1,000 lifetime) — including the Phoenix newsletter and increasing ship store discounts.
• Online Store E-commerce storefront selling USS LST-325 branded merchandise, memorabilia, gift cards, and memberships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served approximately 30,000 guests during 2025 cruise

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, moderate and core.

• ALCOAminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Newburgh, Indiana. ALCOA is an aluminum company that has been a long-standing supporter of the museum's mission to preserve WWII maritime history.
• LKCSminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Peru, Illinois, providing support for the museum's operations and preservation efforts.
• Synenergy Partners LLCminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Boonville, Indiana supporting the museum.
• America's Riverboat Historical SocietymoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on preserving riverboat and maritime history, aligned with the museum's mission.
• Posey County Farm Bureau Inc.minorOthersAgricultural organization sponsor supporting the museum.
• Window WorldminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Evansville, Indiana, supporting the museum.
• CountryMarkminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Indianapolis, Indiana, providing support for museum operations.
• Sterling Industrial LLCminorOthersCorporate sponsor based in Evansville, Indiana, supporting the museum.
• Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe museum is a member of HNSA, hosting the 2026 Symposium in Evansville. HNSA supports ship museums worldwide and provides industry recognition and networking opportunities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• SS United States Conservancy: Nonprofit preserving the ocean liner SS United States. Comparable heritage-ship preservation mission and nonprofit funding model, though the vessel is not currently operational or open as a museum.

Broad incumbents

• National WWII Museum: Largest WWII heritage institution in the US, based in New Orleans with a far broader scope (multi-building campus, pavilions, oral histories). Competes for the same heritage-tourism and education dollars but is far larger and not ship-based.

Direct peers

• Battleship USS Alabama Museum: Memorial museum operating the WWII battleship USS Alabama in Mobile, AL with self-guided tours, annual events, and educational programming. Closest geographic and operational peer — both are inland-waterway museum ships with admission-based revenue.
• USS North Carolina Battleship: Memorial museum operating the WWII battleship USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC as a visitor attraction. Same nonprofit museum-ship operating model with tours, memberships, and educational offerings.
• USS Yorktown (Patriots Point): Charleston, SC maritime museum complex featuring the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown alongside a submarine and destroyer. Closely comparable museum-ship tourism model with admissions, memberships, and education programs.
• USS Midway Museum: Large museum ship in San Diego operating a WWII aircraft carrier as a visitor attraction with admissions, memberships, and educational programs. Directly comparable operating model of a historic naval vessel monetized through tourism, despite vastly larger scale.
• USS Constitution Museum: Operates alongside USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") in Boston, with admissions, educational programs, and a volunteer crew. Highly comparable historic-ship museum model, though the parent vessel is US Navy–operated.

Others

• Historic Naval Ships Association: Umbrella industry association for museum ships globally, of which USS LST Ship Memorial is a member and 2026 Symposium host. Comparable as a peer organization in the naval heritage ecosystem rather than a competitor.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USS_LST_325
• Facebookfacebook.com/USSLST325
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uss-lst-ship-memorial-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USS LST Ship Memorial