Queen Mary Self-Guided Tour: Explore the Historic Ocean Liner

Walk the decks of a ship that carried royalty and WWII troops

Queen Mary general admission is a self-guided tour of the historic ocean liner docked in Long Beach, where you explore the ship's Art Deco design, First-Class accommodations, and maritime history at your own pace. You move through exhibit spaces and open decks on your own schedule, from two hours to a full day. Admission includes access to all open areas, and the ship is wheelchair accessible with service animals allowed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided Queen Mary exploration

• Step aboard the Queen Mary
• Explore decks and exhibit spaces
• View Art Deco design and artifacts
• Discover First-Class accommodations
• Visit grand salons and hidden nooks
• Enjoy views of Long Beach skyline

The experience

The Queen Mary sits permanently docked in Long Beach as a floating museum and landmark. You board at your own time and move through the ship without a guide, following informative displays and original artifacts that trace the liner's past as a luxury vessel, a World War II troopship, and a Hollywood icon. The self-guided format means you set the pace: linger in the grand salons and First-Class cabins, climb to the open decks for views of the Long Beach skyline, or move quickly through the corridors if you're short on time.

Exhibit spaces throughout the ship tell the story of the passengers who traveled here: royalty, film stars, and military personnel. You'll find original artifacts, photographs, and architectural details from the ship's Art Deco heyday. Hidden nooks and historic corridors invite exploration, and the open decks offer a sense of the scale and engineering that made this liner famous. There's no prescribed route, so you can follow your own curiosity through the ship's different sections.

Admission covers access to all open areas of the ship. Public transportation options are available nearby if you're coming from elsewhere in Long Beach. The experience suits all fitness levels, though the ship has stairs and multiple decks to navigate. Wheelchair-accessible routes are available, and service animals are welcome aboard.

What’s included

• Admission to the Queen Mary.
• access to all open decks, exhibit spaces, and historic areas of the ship.
• informative displays and original artifacts throughout.
• views of the Long Beach skyline from the open decks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by The Queen Mary Tours & Exhibits

Is this one for you?Since this is a self-guided experience with no tour commentary, you move at your own pace and explore whatever interests you most: ideal if you prefer to linger on certain decks or skip areas that don't appeal to you. Multilingual audio guides or printed materials may be available for purchase if you'd like more context about what you're seeing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

How long should I plan to spend on the Queen Mary?

The Queen Mary self-guided experience takes anywhere from two hours to a full day, depending on how thoroughly you want to explore. You can move through the main attractions in two to three hours or spend the entire day wandering the decks and reading the exhibits in depth.

What is the Queen Mary and why is it in Long Beach?

The Queen Mary is a British ocean liner built in the 1930s that served as a luxury transatlantic liner, then as a World War II troop transport, before being permanently docked in Long Beach in 1967. It is now a museum and Long Beach landmark, open to the public for self-guided exploration.

Is the Queen Mary accessible for wheelchairs?

The Queen Mary is wheelchair accessible, with routes available throughout the ship. Service animals are also allowed aboard. If you have specific accessibility questions, contact the venue directly before your visit.

What will I see inside the Queen Mary?

You'll explore the ship's Art Deco design, First-Class cabins and grand salons, historic corridors, open decks with views of Long Beach, and exhibit spaces with original artifacts and displays about the ship's history as a luxury liner and wartime transport.