Alcatraz Life on the Rock Exhibit at The Queen Mary

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Recently, I had the opportunity to take my 3-year-old daughter on a field trip to visit the new interactive traveling exhibit, Alcatraz: Life on the Rock, on display at The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California through February 2017.

Alcatraz: Life on the Rock is about the history and mystique of Alcatraz Island, including the Military Era, the Federal Penitentiary, the Native American Occupation and Preserving the Rock. This field trip is perfect for family members of all ages and interest from history buffs to future sailors. Tiny tots, grandparents and everyone in between will enjoy boarding the legendary Queen Mary and stepping into a piece of Alcatraz straight from San Francisco.

Alcatraz: Life on the Rock Educational for All Ages

My 3-year-old daughter was my field trip buddy for the day as we explored the ship and life on the rock. She has been to several museums before and usually it ends up being a fast paced rush through all the exhibits. So this time to avoid a frenzied experience I took a different approach and became the tour guide! Thanks to the details of the exhibit, it was easy to lead us on a tour of the infamous island in the San Francisco Bay.

Alcatraz: Life on the Rock History Lessons

The Queen Mary and its exhibits are known to transport guests to a different era with each corridor showcasing photo galleries, scaled models and behind the scenes tales. Alcatraz: Life on the Rock was similar in nature and did not disappoint. The exhibit took us on a journey into the notorious activities of the time and life on the rock.

The wall murals, authentic artifacts and life-sized replicas peeked my daughter’s attention. She raced to each showcase and eagerly waited for my narrative of the information plaques. I did not expect her to understand the history and depth of the exhibit, but I was surprised by her engagement and questions during our mini tour.

The interactive displays are great to keep kids entertained and engaged, while history buffs soak up the fun facts detailed on information plaques throughout the 3,000 square foot venue. The exhibit space is laid out well allowing parents to keep a watchful eye on their children as they gravitate to a display area.

The Queen Mary Visitor Tips

You can purchase tickets to see Alcatraz: Life on the Rock online or at the ticket window on board the ship. Once on board, Queen Mary crew members will direct you to the Tour Center on the Promenade Deck for guided tours, audio tours and general exhibit information. Bring a stroller if your field trip includes little ones as most of the exhibits are located around the entire ship. I found out the hard way and ended up juggling a toddler and bag up and down the different deck levels.

In addition to exploring Alcatraz: Life on the Rock, give yourself plenty of time to see the other attractions aboard The Queen Mary including the World’s Largest LEGO© Brick Model Ship.

Our particular field trip also included a visit to the “Diana: Legacy of a Princess” exhibit (discount ticket alert!) and seeing a short SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D: The Great Jelly Rescue movie screening.

Alcatraz: Life on the Rock Ticket Information

Admission to The Queen Mary starts at $27 for Adults and $17.50 for Children. Sometimes you can find discount tickets to The Queen Mary on Groupon or Living Social. Alcatraz: Life on the Rock is included in the normal price of admission.

If you are traveling to LA and plan to stay a few days, I recommend that you get a Go Los Angeles Card! The Go Los Angeles Card includes admission to The Queen Mary and allows you to explore Los Angeles with a 2-or-3 Day All-Inclusive Multi-Attraction Pass. Go Cards for kids start at $44.99!

SoCal residents may also be interested in the new SoCal Annual Ship Pass and enjoy a year of field trips to The Queen Mary’s galleries and exhibits.

Happy Field Tripping!

Liz

About the author:

Liz is an avid beach goer and blogger at Urban Beach Baby where she shares adventures and tips for creating a family-oriented urban beach lifestyle. Join her as she explores LA to find the best kid-friendly gems in and around town!