Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is named after the Aircraft Carrier Intrepid, which was launched in 1943 and survived 5 kamikaze attacks and a torpedo strike, serving in WWII, the Cold War, and the Vietnam war before being used as a NASA recovery vessel in the 1960s. It was decommissioned in 1974 and is the focal point of the museum. Visitors can explore the flight deck, the gallery deck, hangar deck, and the third deck, each of which contains a combination of original features and furnishings and exhibits about life on board the ship and in the navy.

Once you’re done exploring the Intrepid, you’ll discover that you’ve barely scratched the surface of the museum! You’ll be able to see the space shuttle Enterprise in the Space Shuttle Pavilion, and discover a submarine called the USSGrowler, a retired British Airways Concorde, and so much more, including a range of military and navy planes, plus a Soyuz capsule which has docked with the International Space Station. There are also 3D films and flight simulators so you can feel like you’re part of the action!

There are some areas which can only be accessed via a guided tour, such as the inside of the Concorde. There are plenty of signs and informative displays, so a guided tour isn’t necessary in order to enjoy the museum, but you might find it adds to your experience, plus you can ask your guide any extra questions you have. There are several different tours of the Intrepid available for a range of age groups, plus a tour of the USS Growler, a tour of Concorde G-BOAD, and a VIP tour which includes several different areas of the museum.

Absolutely! The museum is packed with interactive exhibits that children will enjoy exploring. There’s also the chance to visit the Exploreum, a space designed so that families and children of all ages can play together while learning. Visitors can sit inside a helicopter, try out a military bunk, see what it’s like inside a submarine, and more! A special audio guide is available for children, and there’s also the option to book a birthday party or a slumber party in the museum for that extra-special experience.

The Intrepid Museum is home to the Concorde Alpha Delta G-BOAD which holds the world record for the fastest trip across the Atlantic by any Concorde, which took just 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds. Concorde planes were the result of a collaboration between British Airways and Air France and were the only supersonic commercial transports operating from 1978 to 2003. They were retired from service as passenger numbers were too low following the fatal crash of Air France flight 4590 in 2000 and the knock-on effect of 9/11, and because Airbus decided to stop making replacement parts for the aircraft. You can take a guided tour through the Concorde on display at the museum for an additional fee of $20 for visitors aged 13 and older or $15 for children aged 5 to 12 and seniors aged 65 and over.

Fleet Week is a United States Navy tradition in which ships on active duty dock in a major city for a week, giving the crews a chance to explore and the locals a chance to visit the ship! It’s a celebration, with special events and a festive atmosphere, and most of the ships visiting New York Fleet Week will dock right next to the Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum, so there’ll be lots of people in the area and the museum! You can either come and join in to take advantage of the occasion or, if you hate crowds, wait for another week to visit the museum.

A trip to the museum will take between 2 and 3 hours, depending on your level of interest. Most guided tours take between 45 minutes and an hour and focus on just one area of the museum, so take that into account when planning your time. If you want to watch a 3D film (for an additional fee) or enjoy a meal in the café on the mess deck of the ship, then factor that in as well. There’s no time limit on your visit, so take your time!