Intrepid Museum facts for kids

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*Intrepid* Museum

Established	1982
Location	12th Avenue and 46th Street, Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Founder	Michael D. Piccola
Public transit access	Bus: M12, M42, M50 Subway: at 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal

The Intrepid Museum is a famous museum about military and sea history in New York City, United States. It is located at Pier 86 on 46th Street, right by the Hudson River in Manhattan. The museum is mostly on board the museum ship USS Intrepid. This ship is a huge aircraft carrier that was used in World War II.

Besides the Intrepid, the museum also has a cruise missile submarine called USS Growler and a Concorde airplane. A group called the Intrepid Museum Foundation runs the museum.

The museum was first thought of in the late 1970s to save the Intrepid ship. It opened its doors on August 3, 1982. The museum faced some challenges in its early years but kept working to attract visitors. In the late 1980s, the museum added the USS Growler and the destroyer USS Edson to its collection.

The Intrepid Museum was closed for a big renovation from 2006 to 2008. A new area for the Space Shuttle Enterprise opened in 2012.

The museum covers three decks of the aircraft carrier: the flight deck, hangar deck, and gallery deck. Many of the museum's items are aircraft, especially those used by the United States Armed Forces. You can see a Concorde SST, a Lockheed A-12 spy plane, and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. The hangar and gallery decks have many cool things like exhibit halls, a theater, and flight simulators. The museum also hosts special events like Fleet Week and educational programs.

History of the Intrepid Museum

How the Museum Started

The USS Intrepid is an Essex-class aircraft carrier. It was launched in 1943. This ship was part of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It even helped recover spacecraft from missions!

After the 1970s, the Intrepid was going to be taken apart. But a group called Odysseys in Flight wanted to turn it into a museum. They worked hard to raise money. A big supporter was Zachary Fisher, a real estate developer. He started the Intrepid Museum Foundation in 1978 and gave a lot of money to the museum.

In April 1981, the United States Department of the Navy gave the Intrepid to Fisher's foundation. It cost $22 million to get the top two decks ready. This money came from donations and government help. The city also spent about $2.5 million to fix Pier 86, where the Intrepid would dock.

The Intrepid was moved to Pier 86 in June 1982. The museum officially opened on August 3, 1982. It was called the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. It was the second aircraft carrier in the U.S. to become a museum. When it opened, it showed off several aircraft and spacecraft.

Challenges and Growth in the 1980s

The museum hoped to have over a million visitors each year. But in its first year, it only had about half that many. This made it hard to pay its bills. In 1985, the Intrepid Museum Foundation had to file for bankruptcy protection. Even so, museum leaders wanted to keep it open. They said it was "too valuable a resource to close."

The museum worked to attract more visitors. In 1986, the Intrepid was named a National Historic Landmark. This helped it get more support. The museum had about 400,000 visitors each year in the late 1980s. To make it more exciting, the museum planned to add a submarine.

In late 1988, USS Growler arrived at the museum. It was a submarine that carried nuclear missiles. It opened to the public in May 1989. In July 1989, USS Edson, a destroyer, also joined the museum. These new additions aimed to bring more people back to the museum.

The 1990s and New Exhibits

Museum entrance

When the Gulf War started in the early 1990s, more people became interested in the Intrepid Museum. It even had an exhibit about the war. By early 1991, the museum had twice as many visitors on weekends as before.

However, the museum lost some of its government funding in 1992. This meant it had to let go of some staff. Despite this, the museum kept trying to raise money. It held many fundraisers and received support from different city and state groups.

In 1996, a new president, Donald R. Gardner, took over. He made changes to save money and improve the museum. He wanted to add electronic kiosks for kids and create a special fund for the museum's future. In late 1997, U.S. President Bill Clinton approved $13 million for a renovation. The museum closed for a short time in 1998 for this update. It reopened in February 1998 with two new exhibits.

By 1999, Martin R. Steele became the new president. He planned many updates to the exhibits and building. He wanted to attract more students and have 1.2 million visitors each year. He added interactive kiosks within a year. The museum also built a new visitor center at 46th Street and 12th Avenue.

The 2000s and a Big Renovation

In 2001, a cable-stayed bridge was built to connect the museum to the east side of 12th Avenue. After the September 11 attacks, the museum was temporarily closed. It even served as a temporary headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The museum reopened after five weeks and had an exhibit to remember the attack victims. The new footbridge across 12th Avenue was finished in May 2003.

A Concorde supersonic airplane arrived at the Intrepid Museum in November 2003. This made the museum one of only two in the United States with a Concorde. The museum also created a new exhibit about flying across the Atlantic Ocean. The USS Edson was removed from the museum in 2004. By the mid-2000s, the museum had 750,000 visitors each year.

Major Renovation

Aerial view of the museum from the Hudson River, 2011

In 2006, the Intrepid Museum Foundation announced big plans to renovate the Intrepid and Pier 86. The project was expected to cost $58 million and take 18 months. The museum closed on October 1, 2006, to prepare for the move. The Intrepid was towed to a dry dock in Bayonne, New Jersey.

The move was tricky! On November 6, 2006, the Intrepid's propellers got stuck in the mud of the Hudson River. It took a lot of effort and $3 million to free the carrier. Finally, on December 5, 2006, the tugboats successfully moved the ship. The USS Growler was also moved for renovation. The Concorde was moved off Pier 86 so the pier could be fixed.

Pier 86 was taken apart and rebuilt with new pipes and wires. In April 2007, the Intrepid went into dry dock for outside repairs. It got new paint, new propellers, and a fixed hull. Then, it was towed to Staten Island for inside repairs in June 2007. Workers updated and expanded the ship's facilities.

The renovation, including Pier 86, cost about $115 million. The museum reopened to the public on November 8, 2008. Four new aircraft were added to the museum's collection. The museum hoped to attract one million visitors each year after the renovation.

2010s to Today

Enterprise being lowered onto Intrepid in 2012

In 2011, the Intrepid Museum announced it would get the Space Shuttle Enterprise. This was a very exciting addition! Enterprise was flown to JFK Airport in April 2012. Then, it was moved by barge to the Intrepid Museum in June. To make space, three other aircraft were moved to another museum. The Enterprise opened for public viewing on July 19, 2012, in a new Space Shuttle Pavilion.

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused the museum to close. The hurricane damaged Enterprise. The museum reopened in December, but the Space Shuttle Pavilion didn't reopen until July 2013.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, the museum was closed from March to September 2020. However, it still hosted online events. The museum's Concorde aircraft was removed for restoration in 2023 and returned in March 2024. As part of this project, the museum added 4,000 square feet of park space to Pier 86. In October 2023, the museum changed its official name to simply the Intrepid Museum. In May 2024, the museum opened 4,000 square feet of public park space on Pier 86. The USS Growler was also restored in 2024 and reopened with better visitor paths and new interactive displays.

What You Can See at the Museum

The Intrepid Museum is located by Hudson River Park at 46th Street and 12th Avenue. Most of the museum's collection is on board the Intrepid itself. The Intrepid is one of only four Essex-class aircraft carriers that are still preserved today. When the Intrepid became a museum, only about a quarter of the ship was open to the public. Many of the ship's original parts, like the huge airplane elevators, were changed or removed to make it safe and easy for visitors. One of the old elevators was even turned into a theater!

Flight, Hangar, and Gallery Decks

Flight deck of Intrepid

The Intrepid Museum lets you explore three of the carrier's decks. The very top deck is the flight deck. This is where you'll see many of the museum's aircraft. The Space Shuttle Enterprise is housed in a special pavilion on the flight deck. You can also visit the ship's command bridges in the superstructure. There's even a plaque on the flight deck marking a spot where a 1944 kamikaze attack happened.

The main entrance to the museum is through the hangar deck, which is below the flight deck. This deck used to have four main exhibit halls. These included Pioneer Hall, about early air travel, and Technology Hall, about spaceflight. The hangar deck also has a special area for Medal of Honor recipients. You can find the Exploreum here, which is an interactive hall with cool exhibits like a full-size Bell 47 helicopter. The hangar deck also has an education center and the Lutnick Theater, which shows a film about the carrier's history.

The gallery deck is where you can find the Combat Information Center and Men of the Intrepid exhibits. At the front of the ship, you can see artifacts from the officers' living areas in the fo'c'sle. The living quarters for junior officers and the crew are also open to the public. In the middle of the ship, there's a hole that lets you look down through seven decks!

The museum has many interactive exhibits. After the 2008 renovation, it added three flight simulators, a 4D theater, and interactive exhibits for children. There's also a special area dedicated to Zachary and Elizabeth M. Fisher, who helped the museum so much. The Michael Tyler Fisher Center for Education is a large space with classrooms and meeting rooms.

Other Museum Areas

The museum has a 17,000-square-foot visitor center at 46th Street and 12th Avenue. This center has a modern look with metal and glass. A long bridge, about 277 feet, connects the museum to a ramp on the east side of 12th Avenue. This bridge has a tall tower and sail-shaped fabric covers.

Aircraft and Collection

Aircraft on Display

All the aircraft on the Intrepid's flight deck are retired. They can no longer fly. Many of them don't have engines, and some were taken apart before they arrived at the museum. Most aircraft were brought to the museum by plane, helicopter, or boat. You usually can't go inside the aircraft.

British Airways Concorde G-BOAD seen next to Intrepid

E-1 Tracer exhibit

Bell UH-1 Iroquois exhibit

AV-8C Harrier exhibit

Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard Helicopter Exhibit

Bombers and Attack Planes

Douglas A-1 Skyraider from the US Navy
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk from the US Navy, served on Intrepid from 1966 to 1969
Grumman A-6 Intruder from the US Navy
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger from the US Navy

Fighter Jets

Goodyear FG-1D Corsair from the US Navy
Grumman F-11 Tiger from the US Navy, once jet number 5 on the Blue Angels team
McDonnell F3H Demon from the US Navy
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 from Poland
North American FJ-2/-3 Fury from the US Navy
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 (MiG-17), built in Poland
Vought F-8 Crusader from the US Navy

Multirole Aircraft

General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon, a fighter aircraft used by the US Air Force in Operation Desert Storm.
Grumman F-9 Cougar, a carrier-based fighter from the US Navy
Grumman F-14 Tomcat, a carrier-based fighter. This one was a prototype in 1973.
Hawker Siddeley AV-8C Harrier, a special aircraft that can take off and land vertically. This one was flown by the US Marine Corps.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, a carrier-based fighter flown by the US Marine Corps.
IAI Kfir (F-21A Lion) from Israel

Helicopters

Bell UH-1A Iroquois from the US Army
Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra gunship from the US Marine Corps
Piasecki HUP-2 Retriever, painted to look like a helicopter that was on the Intrepid
Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw from the US Coast Guard
Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard from the US Coast Guard

Reconnaissance and Surveillance Planes

Grumman E-1B Tracer from the US Navy
Lockheed A-12 Blackbird, a very fast spy plane flown by the CIA.

Trainer Aircraft

Aermacchi MB-339 used by the Italian Air Force.
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor used by the US Navy
Northrop T-38 Talon used by NASA

The Concorde

In 2003, the museum got a Concorde airplane, G-BOAD, from British Airways. This amazing plane set a world speed record on February 7, 1996. It flew from London to New York in just 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds! This Concorde flew more hours than any other Concorde ever built. It is usually displayed on Pier 86.

Ships at the Museum

Most of the museum's collection is on the Essex-class aircraft carrier Intrepid. The Intrepid is a massive ship, weighing 27,100 tonnes. It is 872 feet long, 147 feet 6 inches wide, and sits 28 feet 7 inches deep in the water. Many of the museum's aircraft and spacecraft are on the Intrepid's flight deck.

USS Growler, a diesel electric submarine, is docked next to Pier 86. This submarine carried nuclear missiles. You can go inside the submarine, but the pathways are narrow. Only about twenty guests can fit inside at once. Because of safety rules, visitors under 40 inches tall or those with certain disabilities cannot enter the Growler.

USS Growler

Spacecraft at the Museum

Space Shuttle Enterprise

The museum has two cool spacecraft from NASA. One is a copy of a NASA Aurora 7 Mercury capsule. The other is the Space Shuttle Enterprise, which was used for testing. It is located in a special pavilion on the flight deck. The museum also has a Russian Soyuz descent module. This module docked with the International Space Station during the Soyuz TMA-6 mission.

Other Interesting Exhibits

The museum also has unique items. These include a ram air turbine from an F-8 Crusader plane and a Curtiss Pusher on the hangar deck. Below the decks, there are thousands of artifacts. These include a helmet from an aviation mechanic who fought in the Vietnam War. Former Intrepid crew members and their families often donate items to the museum. These donations have included a Royal Navy uniform, a gauge, a dinner bell, and a parachute-packing tool.

Past Exhibits

The museum has hosted some temporary attractions. For example, the lightship Frying Pan (LV-115) was docked outside the museum in 1993. Many items in the museum's collection were borrowed from the Army and Navy. In the late 1990s, some of these items were returned. The destroyer Edson was given back to the Navy in 2004. Other items were returned when the museum started its big renovation in 2006.

Pier 86 used to have a piece of the Berlin Wall on display. This large piece of the wall was painted by a German artist. A fiberglass model of the Statue of Liberty was also given to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum when the Intrepid was renovated.

How the Museum is Run

The Intrepid Museum Foundation is a nonprofit organization that runs the museum. It was started in 1979. As of 2023, Susan Marenoff is the main leader of the foundation. The foundation also helps with programs like the Intrepid Family Support Fund. It gives money to families of US service members who have died while serving. The museum also has internship programs for young people. As part of its Free Fridays program, admission to the museum is often free on certain Fridays during the summer.

Events and Programs

Regular Events

The museum is a popular place for community and national events. For example, it has hosted annual Fleet Week activities since 1988. It still hosts Fleet Week every year. During Fleet Week, the Intrepid has had fun activities like tug-of-war and cooking contests. The museum also has Kids' Week, which is a series of activities just for children. It has hosted sleepovers since 2009 as part of an event called Operation Slumber.

The Intrepid Museum Foundation gives out several awards each year. These awards honor political leaders, businesspeople, artists, and community leaders. They also recognize people who have helped others throughout their lives. Past award winners include U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Other Special Events

The Intrepid's superstructure and hull with lights at night

The Intrepid has hosted many special events over the years. It used to have an annual party called Night to Remember, where thousands of people would dine and dance on the flight deck. The museum also hosted concerts on the nearby Pier 84. Other ships, like the battleship USS Iowa, have also docked next to the Intrepid for special events.

During the 1990s, the museum continued to host memorials, benefits, ceremonies, parties, and weddings. The museum's flight deck was even turned into a stadium for boxing and wrestling during the 1998 Goodwill Games.

The museum's flight deck has been used as a filming location for movies like National Treasure (2004) and I Am Legend (2007). When the museum reopened in 2008, it hosted about 150 events each year. These events ranged from fancy galas to parties and fashion shows. It also held concerts during the 2013 MLB All-Star Weekend and Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The museum continues to host political fundraisers, film screenings, and social events like Astronomy Night. People can even rent out the flight deck and halls for weddings!