Spotlight: NYC - The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Spotlight: The USS Intrepid is a U.S. aircraft carrier which fought in World War II, surviving 5 kamikaze attacks and a torpedo strike. It also served during the Cold War and Vietnam. In the 1960's, it served as a NASA recovery vehicle. In 1974, the Intrepid was decommissioned, and now serves as the centerpiece of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, which first opened in 1982. The carrier was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It later served as FBI headquarters during the 9/11 investigations. Today it displays a wide variety of aircraft from a variety of countries and eras, a space shuttle, and a full size submarine.

Location: The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is located at Pier 86 on the Hudson River, at the intersection of W. 46th Street and 12th Ave. in New York City.

Cost: adults - $24; seniors and U.S. college students - $20;  youth (7-17) - $19; children (3-6) - $12; active/retired U.S. military - free; several city pass deals include free admittance to the museum

Time: 2-3 hours; open daily from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. The museum stays open until 6:00 pm on weekends and holidays from April 1-October 31.

Description: The Explorium Hall is a fully interactive exhibit that allows visitors to climb aboard a helicopter, steer the wings of an airplane, or participate in a variety of other interactive displays. Various simulators allows visitors to experience the g-forces of flying a supersonic jet plane, or the adrenaline rush of flying through a war zone.

     The Space Shuttle Pavilion showcases the Enterprise - the prototype NASA used to launch its space shuttle program. There are 17 exhibit zones which feature original artifacts, photographs, and films to teach visitors scientific and historical aspects of the U.S. space program.
     The USS Growler is the only U.S. guided missile submarine open to the public. Visitors can get a feel for submarine life while inspecting the once top secret missile command center.
     The Concorde Alpha Delta G-BOAD made the fastest recorded flight across the Atlantic (2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds) on February 7, 1996. That same plane is on display at the Intrepid. Other aircraft on display include a Tomcat (1974), a Sea Cobra (1971), an A-12 Blackbird (1967) and many more.

     Other collections include diaries, log books, letters, uniforms, patches, flight suits, medals, photographs, certificates, newspapers, posters, cartoons, and a wide variety of other WWII memorabilia.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Admittance to the Space Shuttle Pavilion costs extra.
- The Intrepid currently offers 6 different guided tours are available for an additional cost. Audio tours are also available with your paid admission.
- The Intrepid hosts a variety of temporary exhibits. For example, they are currently hosting an exhibit on the Hubble Telescope. View their website for a full listing of current exhibits and special events.
- There are height requirements of either 38 inches (or 48 inches) to ride the 3 simulators.
- All guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Nearby: Central Park, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, the Rockefeller Center