Intrepid Air & Space Museum
A great museum for kids and adults alike
The Intrepid has been on my bucket list for a while. I was glad I waited to take my youngest because it can be a challenging place to navigate with younger children. My family will be back because there is so much to explore.
Read on for a full review!
The Details
Location: The Intrepid is on Pier 86, essentially the West Side Highway at 46th Street. I recommend taking the M42 or M50 Bus from the 42nd or 50th Street subway stops. This bus crosses the West Side Highway and circles around to drop you conveniently near the piers. Note: if you planning on ditching a stroller for the trip, this isn’t much walking.
Hours: It’s open from 10:30 am - 5 pm, seven days a week.
Cost: Tickets are $36 for adults and $26 for children ages 5-12. NYC residents all get 50% off admission!!
The Space
This sounds naive, but I underestimated how large a warship is. There is truly so much to explore.
Hangar Deck
We started our tour of the space on the Hangar Deck, which is filled with various historical artifacts and aircrafts. The Intrepid was commissioned in WWII, active during the Vietnam War, and utilized by NASA for space mission recoveries. This deck details the history of many of these activities.
There is a helicopter and a Jeep you can climb into, which were the highlights of this deck for my son. We had to wait for him to enter, but my son was very happy with the results.
Flight Deck
The Flight Deck is where the larger aircraft are on display. The Concorde was out for repairs when we visited, but it returned on March 16th! It was chilly when we visited in February, but the views here are spectacular.
On the Flight Deck is the Space Shuttle Enterprise. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed in this. This is only a replica; we could not enter or peer into the shuttle's interior.
While on the Flight Deck, you can take a narrow set of stairs to the Flag Bridge and Navigation Bridge. This was the favorite spot on the tour for both parents and children. Veterans were up there answering questions, and the children could touch a lot of equipment. It was also a great spot to explain to children how much work used to be involved in navigation—yes, there was a life before phones!
Gallery Deck
The Gallery Deck is only accessible via stairs; we missed it while taking an elevator.
Pier 86
On the Pier, there is a submarine that you can enter! Our group tired out before we had time to visit. The line backs up significantly for entry (Non-Spoiler Alert: submarines are much smaller than warships), but this is first on my list for the next visit.
The Experience
My children were both in awe of the space in two different ways.
My 6-year-old has started to appreciate history. She can read and was going through all the placards. It’s endearing to see her ponder things like war and state that she “doesn't like it.”
My 3-year-old loves mechanicals and wanted to touch any and all controls. The lines for the objects you could climb in (like the helicopter above) were a bit long but completely worth it for him.
One frustrating element of this museum is that my husband and I wanted to read everything. My children, of course, don’t have the same attention span; we progress through the museum at a slightly different pace.
We came in a bit hot on this museum and didn’t realize how large it was. Looking back, I would have spent less time in the Hangar Deck, so I had more time to enjoy other parts.
My Tips
Be ready for stairs. Some of the best exhibits require steep or narrow stairs. I was thankful to have the yo-yo for our 3-year-old, but we left it behind a lot. If you’ve got a big stroller that doesn’t fold or is not okay with leaving alone, this is a harder trip.
Don’t Rush. You need at least 90 minutes at the Intrepid, which could be more easily. You’ll want to give yourself time to explore but also maybe plan on making a second visit.
Take The Bus. As mentioned above, the bus is so much easier to get here. I hate walking across the West Side Highway, even if my kids were okay with the 3-to-4-avenue walk.
Great Spot for Visiting Friends. The Intrepid has history, great views, and a large space. It checks a lot of visits if you have friends or family in town and are looking for activities with your children. If those visitors are grandparents, ensure they can stand for a while and are comfortable with some stairs.
Next week, I’m heading out West skiing for my daughter’s Spring Break, so I’m taking the week off! Enjoy your week!
Katie