What do Intrepid Museum tickets include, and is it good for kids?
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum sits on Pier 86 at West 46th Street, a WWII aircraft carrier moored on the Hudson with a space shuttle, a Concorde and a submarine parked around it. It's one of the few museums in New York where you climb across the actual exhibit rather than walk past it behind glass. This guide covers what the ticket includes, what it costs, and whether it's worth doing with kids.
About This Experience
Pier 86, West 46th Street and 12th Avenue, on the Hudson River
Subway A, C or E to 42 St-Port Authority, then the M42 bus west, or about a 20-minute walk from Times Square
Open daily, roughly 10:00 to 17:00, with seasonal changes; check the day's hours before you go
Door price runs about $33 to $36; this ticket is $38 and includes the Space Shuttle Pavilion, though flight simulators cost extra
A WWII aircraft carrier, the USS Intrepid, moored on the Hudson with aircraft parked on its flight deck
Space Shuttle Enterprise, a British Airways Concorde and the submarine USS Growler, which you can walk through
Check Live Availability & Prices
See current time slots and the $38 admission price for the Intrepid Museum below. Tickets are timed entry, so booking a slot ahead of a weekend visit is worth doing.
Which Intrepid Museum Ticket to Pick
This is a single ticket, priced around $38, that covers general admission to the aircraft carrier and the Space Shuttle Pavilion where Enterprise sits. It gets you onto the flight deck among the parked jets, through the hangar deck exhibits, and into the submarine Growler for a walk through its cramped compartments. The Concorde sits on its own pad beside the carrier and is included as well.
It suits families with school-age kids, anyone who likes aircraft, and visitors who want a museum where they can climb, touch and walk through the exhibits rather than just read labels. Plan on three to four hours if you want to see the shuttle, the submarine and the flight deck without rushing. It is less suited to a quick stop between other sights; the site is spread across a full carrier deck and takes real time to cover.
The flight simulators are a separate, extra charge, so budget for that if the kids want to fly one. The flight deck itself is open to the Hudson and gets cold and windy even on a mild day, so bring a jacket regardless of the season. For a broader look at other museums in New York, see the our guide to the museums in New York before you decide where else to spend the day.
Book Your Intrepid Museum Ticket
One ticket to book, covering the carrier, the shuttle and the submarine.
from $38 Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- Real aircraft carrier
- Shuttle Enterprise
- Submarine tour
What You'll See
The flight deck holds a rotating lineup of retired military aircraft, including an SR-71 Blackbird and an F-14 Tomcat, parked in the open air with the Hudson and the Manhattan skyline behind them. Below deck, the hangar covers the ship's history and the bridge shows how the crew ran the carrier day to day.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise sits in its own climate-controlled pavilion next to the carrier, close enough to see the heat-shield tiles and the payload bay doors. A British Airways Concorde is parked on its own pad nearby, and the Cold War submarine USS Growler is docked alongside, open for a walk through its torpedo room, control room and cramped bunks.
How a Visit Flows
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10:00 am
Arrive and enter
Show your timed ticket and head up onto the flight deck first, before the crowds build.
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10:30 am
Flight deck
Walk the deck among the SR-71 Blackbird, the F-14 and the other parked aircraft, with the Hudson on one side and the skyline on the other.
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11:15 am
Space Shuttle Pavilion
Cross over to see Enterprise up close, along with exhibits on the shuttle program.
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12:00 pm
Concorde and submarine
Tour the Concorde on its pad, then head to USS Growler for a walk through its narrow compartments.
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1:00 pm
Hangar deck
Finish with the hangar deck exhibits and the bridge before heading back down to the pier.
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1:30 pm
Wrap up
Grab lunch nearby or continue on to another stop along the Hudson.
Know Before You Go
Not suitable for
- Visitors short on time; the carrier deck alone takes an hour to cover properly
- Anyone hoping for a quiet, quick visit; school groups and families make it lively most days
- Strollers on every level; some stairways and hatches are narrow
What to bring
- A jacket, even in summer; the flight deck is exposed to the wind off the Hudson
- Comfortable shoes for a lot of walking and some steep stairs
- Extra cash or a card for the flight simulators if you want to try one
- A charged phone for photos of the shuttle and the skyline from the deck
Not allowed
- Large bags or backpacks beyond a certain size inside some exhibit areas
- Food or drink inside the aircraft and submarine exhibits
- Flash photography near the shuttle's protective glass
Insider Tips
A few things make the visit smoother.
- Book online ahead of a weekend so you're not queuing at the pier
- Go up to the flight deck first thing, it fills up by midday
- The submarine tour involves ducking through low hatches, skip it if that's an issue
- Bring a jacket even on a warm day, the deck is right on the water
- The simulators sell out early on busy days, so decide fast if the kids want one
- Give yourself at least three hours to see the carrier, the shuttle and the submarine properly
Where You're Headed
Intrepid Museum Tickets FAQ
How much are Intrepid Museum tickets?
This ticket is $38, and door prices at the museum itself run about $33 to $36 depending on age and category; the ticket covers general admission plus the Space Shuttle Pavilion.
What are the Intrepid Museum's hours?
It's open daily, roughly from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with seasonal changes, so check the day's hours before you go.
Does the Intrepid Museum close on any day?
No, it's open every day of the year, though hours run shorter in winter.
How do you get to the Intrepid Museum?
Take the subway A, C or E to 42 St-Port Authority, then the M42 bus west to the pier, or walk about 20 minutes from Times Square.
What's included with Intrepid Museum admission?
General admission covers the carrier, the flight deck aircraft, the hangar, the bridge, the Space Shuttle Pavilion with Enterprise, the Concorde and the submarine USS Growler; flight simulators cost extra.
Is the Intrepid Museum good for kids?
Yes, it's one of the more hands-on museums in New York for kids, with a real aircraft carrier to climb around, a submarine to walk through and a shuttle to see up close.
Should you book Intrepid Museum tickets in advance?
It's worth it for weekends and school holidays, since entry is timed and the pier gets busy by midday.
What Visitors Say
The kids didn't want to leave the flight deck. Walking through the submarine was the highlight for all of us.
Bigger than I expected, budget a full morning. The shuttle pavilion alone is worth the $38.
Good value and well organized, though the deck was freezing in April. Bring a coat.