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Intrepid-Museum
NYCTourist

General

The museum has three major exhibits, the World War II Aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, the guided missile submarine Growler and the destroyer Edson all located at Pier 86 on the Hudson River in Manhattan.

USS Intrepid CVS-11

Tours of the Intrepid are at the visitors pace and best experienced with maps that are found at the entrance to the museum. The Intrepid was launched in 1943 and fought during the World War II against the Japanese in the Pacific. She also served as the prime recovery vessel for NASA in the 1960's. She served in the Vietnam war and ended her career in 1974.
In 1984 she was transformed into a museum. The ship has two main levels :

Hangar Deck :
Housed inside the carrier are various exhibits and displays many chronically the Intrepid's service over the years. You will find exhibits covering such diverse topics as the Battles of Okinawa and Leyette Gulf in World War II to modern carrier based operations. There are also exhibits that detail the American space race and the landings on the moon. There are many excellent exhibits and models, including a full sized F-14 fighter.

Hangar Deck

Flight Deck :
This area houses an amazing array of military aircraft including an A-12 Blackbird spy plane, Cobra helicopter gunship, Neptune reconnaissance plane, A4 Skyhawk and more.

Flight Deck on Intrepid

From the flight deck it is also possible to visit the different bridge levels of the carrier to get an idea what it was like to command such an impressive piece of machinery.

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USS Growler SSG-577

This guided missile submarine is the only guided missile submarine that is open to the public anywhere in the world. You are required to be part of a guided tour when visiting the Growler and in some cases there may be an extensive wait. It is recommended that visits to the Museum start with the Growler. Due to its limited visitor capacity, it is recommended that you check the waiting line, that is located under the tent near the Growler before entering. If the tent is near capacity then the wait will usually exceed 40 minutes. Also due to safety concerns children under the age of 6are not permitted on board. Also be warned that touring the Growler will involve moving through small bulkheads that may prove difficult for some. There is trial bulkhead near the entrance of the tent to ensure that movement through these entrances is possible for each individual taking the tour.
The tour commences with a short video presentation that details the history and relevance that the submarine played. After this you are escorted through the various compartments of the submarine pausing in each to hear more details about the equipment and life on a submarine. Your visit includes tours of the forward torpedo rooms, attack centre, communications, mess and rear torpedo rooms. All the tour guides are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the submarine.

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USS Edson DD-946

This Forrest class destroyer served with distinction throughout out its career. Come aboard and take a self guided tour of the weather deck and the bridge or take the guided tour through the mess decks, crew's berthing, officers' country, infirmary and the engine room. Tours usually commence fifteen minutes after the hour.

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Other

Throughout the year the museum play host to special events, exhibits and visits of military ships from around the world. In many cases there are free tours offered on these vessels. For more information about these call the Museum Information line (212) 245 0072.
Meals are available in the Stars & Stripes Cafe that is located at the stern of the Intrepid on the hangar deck, at the far end of the technologies hall. The Portside Grill, the Museum's seasonal outdoor cafe is situated on the Pier near the front gate. Restrooms are located in the box office building on the Pier and adjacent to the cafeteria in the Technologies Hall. Public telephones are located next to the entrance at the top of tow 3 in the pioneer hall at the starboard side entrance to the fantail on the Intrepid. Handicapped access is available to the Intrepid via an elevator in tower 1. Due to original construction obstacles, the Flight deck of the Intrepid, the submarine Growler, and the destroyer Edson are not wheelchair accessible at this time.

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Summary

The Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum is really worth a visit. It has some excellent exhibits and tours that are well worth any wait. The self guided parts of the museum can take anywhere from one to four hours depending on the time of year, day of the week and your own pace through the exhibits. It is recommended that you start your tour of the museum with the submarine Growler, then the destroyer Edson and finally the Intrepid. Also keep an eye out for special exhibits and visits by other ships.

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