Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center

I was actually surprised that this place is pretty awesome.
It is small yes plus the fact that its in Richmond.
I haven’t seen much greatness out of Richmond.
IN fact this is the only greatness, its a gem indeed.
I am glad I came here. It really opened my eyes like wow.
I actually didn’t even know this place existed till a friend recently told me .
I was like what ha a museum in Richmond uh alright I’ll check it out.
It was mindblowing, very clean, very cool, very amazing.
This place definitely gives you a lot too talk about for later.

This was a nice outing! The rangers were friendly, inviting and informative. We had a great time looking around the exhibits and even sat in on a film. We really enjoined the small, quaint museum. Even went home with magnets from the gift shop.

what a gem! it is amazing the quality of docents and officers this center has to educate us at this national park service museum… let’s start by saying, ITS FREE… where can you get that anymore… everyone should come and learn a little history of this area… i came away with soooo many i didn’t know that moments… never knew that kaiser hospital system was started by henry kaiser, steel magnate and ship builder… wow…ok, so the self guided tour is good but the movies are great! oh and you can ride bikes along the waterfront for miles and there is a killer restaurant next door called «assemble»…great food! good times people… check it out!

It is a small museum, but SO well done! The exhibits are a good combination of information and interaction. The husband was talking about the riveting station days later.
We watched the shorter film, the one about Richmond specifically during the war and it was fantastic. I grew up in this community and didn’t know a lot of what they said. I was particularly impressed with the docent who explained all of the social barriers that came down in order to build the diverse work force in the ship yards. I would have liked to see more about the effects of the Japanese internment on available labor, but the compassion with which the contributions of women and other ethnic groups were handled was appreciated. They had a flier asking for LGBT stories from WWII, which was cool to see.
One of my favorite things about growing up in Richmond is the diversity of people in my life. It was heartwarming to see that so fully embraced in this museum.

I’ve been to a lot of museums around the world that I love. And, right in my back yard is this little gem. Rosie the Riveter Museum is tiny and the staff are mighty! Its displays really helped remind me what a huge influence WWII had on women. Men were going to war and leaving their jobs at home… for the women to do. A huge sea change in women’s liberation. Must visit if you are in the area. Nice restaurant next door and the lovely Point Richmond village 5 minutes from the museum.

After a pleasant lunch at Assemble, walked over to the museum. What a pleasant surprise. Greeted by a friendly and welcoming ranger, we proceeded to spend the next hour investigating this marvelous exhibit. Great ambience, exhibits, gift shop, etc. Will definitely return with friends and relatives. A wonderful hidden gem in Richmond. Go Richmond!

Came to the Craneway Pavilion for a home show and ended up discovering the Rosie the Riveter Museum that was located next to the Pavilion. The museum is operated by the US National Park Service and as you enter the simple rustic brick building, you’re greeted by park rangers at the visitors desk.
It’s a self-​guided tour that you do at your own pace. The museum consists of two levels that offers a great presentation of the history of the city of Richmond and the surrounding area during World War II. The lower level has a small theater that shows two short interesting films of the Richmond area during this time. The Liberty ships were built in the Kaiser shipyards here and other war munitions. You get an insight of the migration of men and women workers of different races to the area to work in supporting the war effort. With most of men off at war, the women contributed to the building effort and hence, they were dubbed Rosie the Riveter. (
)
A great museum that is «free» which offers an insight to the rich and important history of the area during World War II and a tribute to the women that supported war effort.

I went there, to the museum, with an open mind, on a Sunday (7÷20÷2014) with my wife and her brother. It was a small museum, and I didn’t expect much, but it was put together pretty well, and exceeded my expectations. I live in the area, and am amazed at the rich hidden history of this place. What a different world it was in the WWII era, it never ceases to amaze me.
If you are an East Bay local (Richmond, El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley, etc) with any appreciation whatsoever of your local history, you have to go here.
Also, There is a good restaurant next door, «Assemble,» and it is all easily accessible by bicycle.
Joe Bob says check it out.

Small but VERY well organized and smartly laid out! Go through the guard gate and then turn right along the back of the big long bldg, drive down and park at the very end on the LH side (never park in the RH spaces nearest the bldg; those belong to the various businesses that rent space in what used to be the Ford Motor plant).
All self-​guided, so you can do it fast or slow. Cute gift shop, no pressure. You will learn fun facts about the City of Richmond, Ford Motors, and Henry Kaiser’s steel and healthcare empire. Plus, check the website and see what activities are planned. They have talks about the period, as well as music concerts, and it’s ALL FREE.
Support them! This is a wonderful little hidden gem of the Bay Area!

Fabulous museum.
Don’t miss this if you live or visit the Bay Area.
This is a great assembly of
Information about the local war effort.

First, I don’t know why Unilocal has 3 listings for the visitor center. This is where it is, at the tip adjacent to the Craneway Pavilion. You can park either through the guard shack in the large lot, or across the road from the Craneway. With current road construction near 580, there is a detour to access this area, but there are signs that are more-​or-​less easy to follow. ONCE YOU’VE MADE IT THERE, you will find tons to educate you about life during WWII and remind you how terribly easy we have it nowadays. The center is well organized, easy to peruse in an hour, or you can dive deeper by watching the movie or visiting with an actual Rosie (present during most Fridays, 10 – 2). The center also does a good job of explaining the various wartime sites around Richmond and what’s still standing (there is a map of an auto tour available). This would be a super fun combo visit with the USS Red Oak Victory (which I’ve previously reviewed for its pancake breakfast awesomeness). I thank the Park Service for providing this center and preserving the history.
Note: I would say not appropriate for kids younger than 8 or 9, due to the intense nature of some of the information (air raids, Hitler, etc.).

Three listings? Really guys? Link to my original review of this place:
This is a small, but very well put together museum. Parking is a bit difficult due to the parking lot being shared by other businesses and a part of the parking lot being reserved by a restaurant, but there are electric car charging stations. You also get beautiful views of the bay.

I had a hard time finding this place — my map app first made me get off the freeway too early and led me to the park where the Rosie the Riveter Memorial and not the Visitor Center, which is on Harbour Way, where I actually wanted to go. The Visitor Center for the Rosie the Riveter/​WWII Home Front National Historical Park is a small space but has great educational exhibits on the role the city of Richmond had during WWII. There were several shipyards here that built ships used during WWII. And as part of the name of this National Historical Park implies, there are also exhibits about the millions of women that entered the workforce to help the war efforts at home. And of course, there’s a poster with the iconic Rosie the Riveter image. The store sells lots of items with the Rosie the Riveter image on it. At the spot where the park rangers sit, there is the rubber stamp for the national park, if you collect those, and you can also pick up some brochures and maps. There are other sites that are part of this park, like some of the other shipyards and an actual ship, the SS Red Oak Victory, that you can take a tour of when it’s open, but per the super helpful park ranger, you have to drive to them, and it’s not super close.

If you want to see the museum and a short movie about Rosie the Riveter then here is the place. First, the people here are very nice and helpful. I really enjoyed the historical information and the displays that have here on site. I highly recommend any person to enlighten themselves about the many contributions that women have made during the second World War. My only gripe is parking was very limited.

Was in the area shopping at the Mountain Hardwear Employee Store and decided to ride along the Bay Trail when lo and behold right around the corner I saw the Rosie The Riveter Museum. It was about lunch time so we decided to stop and check it out.
After parking at the bike racks outside the first person I saw inside was Betty Reid Soskin and it all clicked in my brain. I rushed out to tell hubby, «it’s her! the oldest park ranger!». I, like everyone else, had read about her story during the government shut down (if not see here —
) but hadn’t paid much attention to the details. Now here she was, right in front of me!
Then it turns out the museum was dedicated to the Richmond shipyards that were created to build the Liberty ships for WWII and includes the story of the formation of Kaiser-​Permanente and the racial integration of the shipyards. As someone who’s recently read the history of the Great Migration I couldn’t believe my luck and finding a piece of this history right here in my own backyard.
The exhibits are small but informative. But the real reason to visit it to listen to Betty give her talk at 2 PM (
). Here’s someone who’s local and lived through the history on display. To hear her speak so eloquently about the changes that occurred is really moving. And her age too! To be such an activist! It’s really amazing.

One day I was really early to an appointment. Like almost 2 hours early and decided to go visit this memorial.
I thought it was in this little park area but there is a sign up that says the actual address. The park just has a statue dedicated to Rosie the Riveter. The actual museum is located somewhere else. Its right next to the Craneway Pavilion on the waterfront.
I was nicely greeted by some park rangers. There are two levels the top level had some great posters of war time propaganda. The history is so rich here. It was so interesting to to see local areas depicted in the war effort. Most people don’t even know about it.
There is lower level with bathrooms, and more information related to the actual woman in the war effort. As I was walking around I was asked to come attend a discussion regarding war posters by one of the rangers.
A small theater that can hold a few dozen people is located on the ground level. I missed the film but was able to get in on the discussion. We discussed how the posters changed from the beginning to end of the war. It was interesting to see that the government wanted women to work at the beginning of the war but had no intention of keeping them employed once the boys came home. I never even realized that.
It was well worth the visit and if you’re able to attend a class or discussion go do it. You’ll learn something I guarantee it.
Its also a gorgeous museum. The exterior is rustic red brick and the interior is laid out very nicely. It seems so industrious.
I truly enjoyed the visit. I recommend all the locals come check it out.

Had a very pleasant experience at the Rosie the River visitor center, and this old port area of Richmond.
People should check this place out — it’s great! What a surprise. The Ford Motor plant is incredible, it’s size, the event hall at the end of the pier is a truly amazing space. The new «Assemble» restaurant taking over the closed «Boiler House» restaurant — will have to try on my next visit.
My friend and I started off with lunch at Amini’s By The Bay, a throwback to another era, of the old general store kind. Quirky lunch ordering system, ticking off boxes for everything you want on a sandwich, but it works and can see the point of it. Good sandwiches, eating among aisles of shelves of groceries with beautiful views of the water — very neat.
Then we drove to the RTR visitor center, which is a beautifully crafted building blending new functions and design with the old. The exhibits are all temporary and posters display hoped-​for permanent exhibits to come in the Fall of 2013 — hope they make it! Fund-​raising I’m sure is in full swing.
Then we drove to the Red Oak victory ship — cool drive through acres of new cars waiting to be shipped off. The Red Oak is nicely maintained, interesting historically and for it’s cargo hold assembly spaces. My friend and I had previously visited the U.S.S. Iowa battleship before it went to it’s final home in Long Beach, and the U.S.S. Hornet aircraft carrier in Alameda. The Red Oak is a little more pedestrian without the huge 16″ guns of the Iowa or the amazing torpedo room of the Hornet.
All in all a time well spent in a beautiful setting, that no one knows about. That may change as when we were at the visitor’s center there was a good and steady flow of visitors that hopefully, makes everything work out.

Attention parents, schools, tourists and people who like stuff:
The visitors center is a great free place to go to watch a short film on the liberty ships and victory gardens being built during WWII. After you visit the center, take a short drive over to the SS Red Oak Victory ship for a tour. Great piece of local history and fun for all ages!

This has been on my ‘to-​visit’ list for years. My honey and I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon doing the self-​guided auto tour, which begins here.
The Rosie the Riveter Memorial is located in the Marina Bay Park, at Melville and Regatta. This should not be confused with the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center (
) which is located near stop #2 of the auto tour — the Ford Assembly Plant.
There is plenty of parking just steps from the Memorial. The memorial commemorates the hundreds of thousands of women who worked to ensure victory in World War II. The memorial itself is an abstract representation of a ship in progress, the sculptures reminiscent of the parts assembled by the shipyard workers. The length of the memorial is that of a ship’s keel and along the path are key WWII historical events interspersed with quotes from women who worked here during that time. We enjoyed 10 – 15 minutes at the memorial and then continued on our way.
You can download a copy of the self-​guided auto tour booklet online (
) or pick up a hard copy between the parking lot and memorial.
This is a must see for locals and visitors to the area!

This fabulous tribute to the WW II «Rose the Riveters.» wartime workers, mostly female, who worked on dozens and dozens of ships that were used in the war effort.
The Visitor Center is the starting point for the Rosie the Riveter Tour which includes a memorial and the Red Victory ship (located in different sites in the Richmond waterfront area)
The Visitor Center just opened on Sat, May 26^th, 2012, after years of research. The building is located behind the Craneway Pavillion, and across from the BoilerHouse restaurant. Although it is open with many exhibits and a gift store, it is not scheduled to be completed till 2013.
Although the building looks small and unassuming the inside is quite impressive.
The main floor contains a photo gallery, exhibit hall and gift store, as well as an information desk.
The downstairs has a classroom and an auditorium with seating for about 75 (?).
They showed a short documentary about Richmond in the 40’s and the rise of the shipyards and the boom in population. At the beginning of the war Richmond had a population of over 133,000!
There are photos and exhibits about the diverse ethnic groups in Richmond,
the ²⁴⁄₇ child care centers during wartime, the Interment camps the Japanese Anericans were sent to, the Kaiser shipyards and more.
There is so much information in the exhibits that it is mind-​boggling.
I can’t even remember everything I saw and learned.
Two things impressed and moved me.
There is a 90 something ranger assigned here, Betty Reid Soskin. She worked as a «Rosie.» Her mind and appearance are so sharp and radiant. She has an extremely refreshing and inspirational demeanor. I had heard her interviewed on KPFA that morning and her voice was so youthful I could not believe she was a day over 40.
What a lovely lady. She was so sweet and gracious despite the many visitors asking for her photo and/​or autograph.
My husband asked what was her secret to her long and happy life. She giggled and said, «Well, I eat at least a pound of sugar a week! And I could eat a box of See’s candy in one sitting!» Ah yes, a woman after my own heart.
(Article written in ¹²⁄₀₇)
The second thing that impressed me was a short video made and narrated by a group of Richmond teens. They spoke with genuine optimism about making Richmond a wonderful place to live, They could envision Richmond as a place where people would be happy to visit and proud to live in.
The Visitor Center is a wonderful start to a brighter Richmond.
Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this visitor center possible.