The Intrepid Museum is housed on the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, moored at Pier 86 on the Hudson River at West 46th Street. You can walk the hangar deck and the flight deck of a real carrier, see dozens of aircraft, step inside the space shuttle Enterprise, and look round a British Airways Concorde and a Cold War submarine. It is one of the best museums in New York for families, and for anyone with an interest in aviation, ships or space.
Why visit the Intrepid Museum
USS Intrepid served in the Second World War in the Pacific, where it survived kamikaze and torpedo attacks, and later served during the Cold War and the Vietnam era. It was also a recovery ship for NASA, picking up astronauts after splashdowns in the Mercury and Gemini programmes. After it was decommissioned, it opened as a museum in 1982.
The scale is the first thing that strikes you. The flight deck is huge, and the views from it across the Hudson and back to the Midtown skyline are a bonus in themselves.
Getting to the Intrepid Museum by subway
The museum is on the far west edge of Manhattan, and no subway station is right next to it, so expect a walk of around 15 to 20 minutes from the nearest stations. The options:
- 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal on the A, C and E: walk west along 42nd Street to Twelfth Avenue, then north to Pier 86.
- 50 St on the C and E: walk west to Twelfth Avenue and south.
- 34 St-Hudson Yards on the 7: walk north through the Hudson Yards area along the river.
Crosstown buses along 42nd and 50th Streets also get you close if you would rather not walk the long blocks. Cross Twelfth Avenue only at the lights, as traffic is heavy.
Intrepid Museum tickets
Admission is paid, with general tickets covering the carrier, the Space Shuttle Pavilion and the other main exhibits. Some special experiences, such as tours of the Concorde or the submarine, simulators and certain exhibitions, may cost extra or need timed booking. Buy on the official website, intrepidmuseum.org, where you can also check current opening hours and any free or reduced-price programmes. Book ahead in school holidays and on summer weekends.
Highlights
The flight deck
Aircraft from different eras line the deck, from fighters and helicopters to reconnaissance planes. It is an open-air space, so dress for the weather.
The hangar deck
The main indoor level holds exhibits on the ship's history and life aboard, plus interactive displays that children enjoy. Below and above, you can visit parts of the ship such as the bridge and crew quarters, with steep ladders in places.
Space Shuttle Pavilion
Enterprise was the prototype orbiter NASA used for approach and landing tests in the 1970s. It never flew in space, but it shaped the shuttle programme. It is displayed in its own pavilion on the flight deck.
Concorde
The supersonic British Airways Concorde sits on the pier beside the ship. It is one of the few places in the United States where you can see one up close.
Submarine Growler
USS Growler, a Cold War guided-missile submarine, is moored alongside. Going aboard involves tight spaces and narrow hatches, which some visitors find claustrophobic.
Best time to visit the Intrepid Museum
Weekday mornings outside school holidays are quietest. Summer weekends are busy, and the flight deck can be very hot with little shade. In winter, the wind off the river makes the deck cold, but the indoor exhibits keep the visit worthwhile.
Allow two to three hours to see the ship, the shuttle and the submarine without rushing. Families with keen young aviators may stay longer.
Accessibility
The main decks are accessible by elevator, but some areas of the ship and the submarine involve steep stairs and narrow passageways. Check the official website for detailed access information.
Nearby
- Hudson River Park: the waterfront path runs past the pier, good for a walk north or south.
- Hell's Kitchen: restaurants along Ninth and Tenth Avenues, a short walk east.
- Broadway Theatre District: about 15 minutes east, if you are seeing a show the same evening.
- Circle Line and other harbour cruises: depart from piers a short walk south.
Find more around this part of the West Side on the Intrepid Museum on Around the Metro, or browse every station on the New York subway map.