Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum

After undergoing extensive renovations that lasted nearly two years, the Intrepid has finally returned to its Hudson River berth at Manhattan’s newly rebuilt Pier 86. Now fully restored and freshly re-painted in naval gray, the famed aircraft carrier –turned military and space museum’s 120 million dollar restoration was completed in Fall 2008. The museum now offers exhibits and facilities on the enclosed hangar deck, as well as visitor access to crew quarters and other spaces previously off limits to the public. The Intrepid is also now connected to all four stair towers (one tower which includes a new elevator that can take visitors straight to the flight deck from pier level). Also other utility and operational connections have been made, as well as further interior construction to exhibit space.

The outdoor flight deck, which contains over 30 vintage aircraft, also contains five new editions that include two 1950s-era helicopters, a pair of Soviet-designed MiG fighters and a Grumman F11F fighter that in the 1960s was part of the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Also restored and returned: the retired British Airways Concorde that was temporarily relegated to Floyd Bennett Field during the Intrepid's lengthy restoration, where it lost its nosecone after being hit by a truck!

Before becoming one of New York City's more unique tourist attractions, the U.S.S. Intrepid had long and distinguished career as one of the most successful, battle-tested ships in U.S. history, serving in World War II and both the Korean and Vietnam wars. The ship has most notably survived five Japanese kamikaze suicide attacks and has also been used twice as a recovery ship for NASA astronauts. It was finally decommissioned in 1974.

Now, together with the destroyer U.S.S. Edson and the guided missile submarine U.S.S. Growler, the Intrepid Museum offers many excellent exhibits that range from actual artifacts to relevant installations about current events. You can even ride in their Navy Flight Simulators and the A-6 Cockpit Simulator!