When most people think of New York museums, they probably imagine the Met, the Museum of Natural History, or the Modern Museum of Art. However, New York is also home to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, dedicated to vehicles and implements of water, air, and space travel. The museum has quite a unique setting–the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier, both houses the museum and itself functions as part of the museum. It is moored on the Hudson River next to Hell’s Kitchen. Throughout your visit, you’ll get to explore the aircraft carrier, walking its expansive flight deck, checking out the large hangars where the planes were housed, and getting an up close look at the ship’s bridge, officers’ quarters, sleeping quarters, and other parts of the ship. The Intrepid was active during World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, surviving five kamikaze strikes and a torpedo strike.

There are plenty of other things to see at the Intrepid, however, which perhaps shows just how large the Intrepid is. Across the pier from the Intrepid lies the Growler, a submarine that was active during the Cold War and carried nuclear weapons intended as a deterrent to war as it patrolled the Pacific Ocean near the Soviet Union. Visitors are able to see a small exhibit detailing the Growler’s history, what life was like on the Growler, and the different things the Growler’s crew would have experienced aboard the submarine. Then, visitors are able to walk through the Growler, the only place in the United States where one can have such an experience, and see the many different parts of the submarine, including its torpedo rooms, sleeping quarters, navigation center, kitchen, and attack center.

The flight deck of the Intrepid holds the museum’s large collection of planes and helicopters, most of which have been used by the military. Highlights include an F-11A Tiger (the plane used by the Blue Angels), an A-12 Blackbird (the predecessor to the SR-71 Blackbird), and an F-16A Fighting Falcon. In addition, the flight deck includes the space shuttle orbiter Enterprise, one of the test models for the United States space program. The Enterprise is housed in its own building on top of the flight deck and includes exhibits on the history of both the shuttle and the space program. Finally, a Concorde (the plane that flew between New York and London faster than the speed of sound) rests next to the Intrepid.

In the Intrepid’s hangar are several exhibits, including films about different aspects of the museum, several more planes and helicopters, exhibits related to the ship and planes, and an area dedicated for kids with interactive exhibits. One of our favorite parts of this area was a model of the Intrepid built entirely of Legos.

The Intrepid is a unique and fascinating museum that is certainly worth visiting. It offers experiences you can’t get in many other places, and you can spend as much or as little time as you want wandering between planes and helicopters. The Intrepid might be different than some of New York’s other museums, but it is an enjoyable experience that we recommend.