Intrepid Museum Tickets | Free Admission and Ways to Save

Updated: 30 enero 2024

Our New York tour guides are always being asked by tour guests which attractions are worth seeing in NYC. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is one of those attractions.

The Intrepid Air & Space Museum offers guests the chance to experience the aircraft carrier Intrepid, the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Growler guided-missile submarine, a Concorde, and more.

This post covers what to expect from the museum, ticket prices, and how to save on the cost of tickets. We also include tips to help you plan your visit and a brief history of the Intrepid.

When we wrote this post, we relied on the knowledge of our local tour guides who are experts in the best things to see in NYC.

We also looked at the opinions of members of our popular New York City Travel Tips Facebook group.

Our group of over 225,000 members consists of locals, regular visitors, and first-time tourists to New York City.

At the bottom of this post, you can see what they had to say about visiting the Intrepid Air & Space Museum.

After you've read this post check our Facebook group for loads more tips from locals and tourists about visiting NYC!

Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The following section will provide information about how to get to the Intrepid Museum, the best times to visit, how much time to set aside for your visit, and what to expect to see. 


How to Get Here

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is located at Pier 86 at W. 46th Street & 12th Avenue, near Hell's Kitchen and  Times Square

Click on this Google Map to get exact directions from your point of departure to the Intrepid via public transport, car, or on foot.

By subway 

  • A, C, E, N, Q, R, S, 1, 2, 3, to 42nd Street/Times Square stop, then walk or take the M42 West Bus to Hudson River (12th Avenue). Walk north to the Intrepid Museum at W 46th St.
  • 7 train to 34th Street/Hudson Yards station. Exit near 11th Avenue then walk west to 12th Avenue, then north to 46th Street.

Bus

  • Take the M42 crosstown bus west to 12th Ave. Then walk 4 blocks to W. 46th Street.
  • Take the M50 (along 49th St.) to 12th Ave. The M50 stops in front of the museum.

TIP: Most hop-on-hop-off bus tours have stops in the Times Square area. From there, you can walk or take the M42 bus.

Take a look at our post Which New York Bus Tours Are Best? for more information.


Hours

Fall/Winter Hours (October 1 - March 31)

  • Daily (including Holidays) 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (last entry at 4 pm)
  • Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day

Spring/Summer Hours (April 1 - September 30)

  • Monday to Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm (last entry at 4:00 pm)
  • Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (last entry at 5:00 pm)

When planning your visit, you should plan to spend a minimum of 2 to 3 hours at the museum, so if you want to see all the exhibits don't arrive too late in the day.


Good To Know

  • All guests must be at least 40 inches tall.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • Food and beverages, including bottled water, are not permitted.
  • Strollers, large bags and backpacks are not permitted.
  • There is no bag and coat check. All belongings, including bags, strollers, and luggage must remain with visitors at all times.
  • If you'd prefer to check your larger bags rather than carry them through the museum, look into nearby luggage and bag storage facilities in NYC.

IS THE INTREPID MUSEUM FREE?

Entry to the Intrepid Museum is free with the purchase of several tourist passes.

Also, admission is free for guests with special status (veterans, EBT cardholders, etc.). Read more about free and reduced-price tickets below.

Ticket Prices:

General Admission (includes Space Shuttle Pavilion, USS Growler Submarine, and all temporary exhibitions)

  • Adults (13-64) $36
  • Children (5-12) $26
  • Children (4 and under) Free
  • Seniors (65+) $34
  • College Students with valid ID $34
  • Purchase tickets online or on location inside the Welcome Center's Box Office.

Tickets for add-on experiences at the Museum, including tours and flight simulator rides, require separate tickets that can be purchased in the Welcome Center's Box Office.


HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON TICKETS

There are several ways to save money on the cost of tickets. Be sure to read them all to see which is best for you.

We also include information about deals that may not be available now but could become available in the future.


1. Save Money with a Tourist Attraction Pass

Tickets to the Intrepid are free or very reduced with the purchase of several New York City tourist attraction passes. 

These passes bundle many popular attractions and tours together into one lower price and can save you up to 55% off the retail ticket prices.

If you're curious about which activities and locations are included at no extra cost, here are a few excellent examples to consider:

  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Whitney Museum of American Art
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • 9/11 Memorial & Museum
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Guggenheim Museum
  • Madame Tussauds
  • LEGOLAND
  • And more!

Anyone planning to visit at least a few of these attractions could potentially save a lot of money using one of these passes.

In addition to these great savings, many attractions offer pass holders "skip-the-line" privileges which will save you time.

Is a tourist attraction pass right for you?


2. Military Discount

The Intrepid is free for veterans and active U.S. service members. Proper identification must be shown. Spouses receive 20% off.


3. Free Fridays

Entrance to the museum is free on select Fridays every month from April through September from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm.

Check the Intrepid Museum calendar for more information.

Read our post on free museums in NYC as well as our guide for NYC on a budget.


4. Deals from Websites

Check out Groupon and Living Social, both of which usually offer some type of deal for up to 50% of the retail price.

Look out for extra saving opportunities that these sites run from time to time.


5. Senior Discount

Senior citizens over the age of 65 are eligible for $2 off on general admission tickets.


6. Children's Discount

Families can bring their kids along at a much lower price, as children's tickets are $10 less than general admission tickets.

Kids 4 and under get free admission!


7. EBT Cardholders

Through the Museums for All program, those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) are eligible for free admission to the Intrepid Museum.

One cardholder can bring 3 additional guests who also receive free admission.

Must present valid EBT card and photo identification.


8. NYC Residents

NYC residents receive 50% off general museum admission when presenting a valid government-issued photo ID with a printed address.


9. Student Discount

Students with a valid ID are eligible for $2 off on general admission tickets.


10. Become a Member

Museum members are eligible for free admission.

If you're living in the area and you plan to visit multiple times per year, this could be a good way to save money on tickets.

New York Travel Tips and Hacks



EXHIBITS

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is the only museum in the world where guests can explore a legendary aircraft carrier, the first space shuttle, a guided missile submarine, and the world's fastest passenger airplane.

The museum’s mission is to promote awareness and understanding of history, science, and service through its collections, exhibitions, and programming that honor American heroes and educate the public.

The Intrepid Museum is ideal for visitors of all ages (except toddlers and infants). A trip to the Intrepid is one of the best things to do with kids in NYC!

On select dates each month, the Intrepid has a special overnight opportunity for families to sleep over! Read about the program, Operation Slumber.


Aircraft Carrier Intrepid

Launched in 1943, the former aircraft carrier USS Intrepid fought in World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike. 

The ship later served in the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

Intrepid Museum

Intrepid also served as a NASA recovery vessel in the 1960s.

It was decommissioned in 1974, and today is berthed on the Hudson River as the centerpiece of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.


The Space Shuttle Pavilion

This showcases the space shuttle Enterprise, the prototype NASA orbiter that paved the way for America’s successful space shuttle program.

The Space Shuttle Pavilion

Seventeen dynamic exhibit zones feature original artifacts, photographs, audio, and films that immerse visitors in the science and history of Enterprise and the space shuttle era.


Submarine Growler

Growler first opened at the Intrepid Museum in 1989 and is the only American-guided missile submarine open to the public.

Submarine Growler

Growler offers visitors a firsthand look at life aboard a submarine and a close-up inspection of the once "top-secret" missile command center.


British Airways Concorde

The fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing by any Concorde occurred on February 7, 1996, and took only 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds.

British Airways Concorde

This record-breaking plane—the Concorde Alpha Delta G-BOAD—is on display at the Intrepid Museum’s Pier 86.

Note that access to the inside of the Concorde is only through private guided tours which are not included with general admission tickets.

Tours are offered daily and can be purchased as an add-on experience.


HISTORY

The Intrepid, an Essex first-class aircraft carrier was commissioned and launched in 1943. This class of carriers was the largest built by the United States. 

She has seen a lot of fighting, first during World War II as part of the Pacific Ocean fleet. She survived five kamikaze attacks and a torpedo strike earning her the nickname the Fighting I.

Here is the Intrepid in February 1945 as she heads to
the Pacific packed with planes ready for battle.

After WWII, the Intrepid was decommissioned, modernized and recommissioned during the Cold War in the early 1950s. 

In the early 1960’s the Intrepid played an interesting role in NASA’s space program as she served as the recovery ship for a Mercury and a Gemini space mission. After that, she served for three years in the Vietnam War.

She was decommissioned for the second and final time in 1974. The proposed destiny for this mighty ship was to be scrapped.

But the nonprofit organization Odysseys in Flight fought to save the carrier to be employed as a museum ship. 

The Intrepid passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
in NYC on her way to become a museum.

In August 1982, the ship opened as a museum. Four years later, the Intrepid was officially designated as a National Historic Landmark.


TIPS FROM LOCALS AND TRAVELERS

Here are some thoughts about visiting the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum from members of our New York Travel Tips group on Facebook.

You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and advice. 

So when you are done reading this post why not have a look? Perhaps even ask some questions yourself!

The most common question asked of the group by soon-to-be travelers to NYC is if a visit to the Intrepid is worth it.

Almost everyone answers with an emphatic “Yes, it's worth it!” Here are just a handful of comments.

While some commenters do recommend it, they feel that it’s best for those who already have an interest in the subject matter.

If you are wondering how much time to set aside for a visit, here’s what group members said.

Group members were very helpful when the question was asked, “Where to eat nearby?”

For other ideas of where to eat after you visit the Intrepid, our post on Times Square, which is about a 20-minute walk or 20-minute bus ride away, has a section with a list of restaurants.


Related Posts:

About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: enero 30th, 2024
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