FROM:           THE INTREPID SEA, AIR, & SPACE MUSEUM
                        West 46th Street and 12th Avenue at Hudson River Park
                        www.intrepidmuseum.org

CONTACT: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
                      Ashley Allen – (646) 381-5292 / aallen@intrepidmuseum.org

NEW YORK, NY (June 27, 2017) — The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum has received an important challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to support the expansion of the Museum’s successful in-house historical performance group, the Crossing the Line Players, into a research residency and performance program for tween and teen youth from community centers and settlement houses in New York City’s high-need neighborhoods. A generous gift from Silverstein Properties provides the critical funding necessary to secure the first milestone match from the National Endowment for the Humanities, raising the total secured funding for the Museum’s Crossing the Line Players–Bringing History to Life with Teens program to $100,000.

Earlier in 2017, the Intrepid Museum received one of the inaugural Humanities Access offers of support, extended to 34 organizations through the NEH’s Office of Challenge Grants. These grants support existing cultural programs for youth, communities of color and economically disadvantaged populations. Under the conditions of the award, to receive the grant, the Museum is required to raise matching funding before April 30, 2018, from non-federal, third-party donors.

"We are deeply grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities and Silverstein Properties for recognizing the potential of this initiative and providing the instrumental funding for launching Crossing the Line Players–Bringing History to Life with Teens," stated Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Museum. "The generous funding will allow us to bring an innovative, multidisciplinary program to underserved youth in New York City, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring history to life though the arts, engaging students with new challenges rich in historical, cultural and artistic significance."

Over the course of the three-year project, 15 groups of young scholars and playwrights ages 12–16 will participate in this multisession residency program. Students will practice historical-thinking and research skills as they create and perform original interpretive pieces of theater based on their study of primary and secondary sources. Topics for the research and performance projects will tie into the Museum’s collections and exhibitions, exploring themes such as the achievements, motivations and personal stories behind the Space Race and the missions of Intrepid during World War II, the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

For their research, the students will have access to the Museum’s collection of nearly 10,000 catalogued objects, archives and media, including artifacts, personal correspondence, official documents, ship’s newspapers, manuals, training materials and official Navy images, as well as personal photographs, films and audio recordings. Students will also explore the Museum’s growing collection of oral histories, which include the personal stories of those who served aboard the historic vessels Intrepid and Growler, those who designed, maintained and operated the Concorde or Enterprise, and those with a compelling story linked to the artifacts in the Museum’s care. The Museum’s team of educators will guide young scholars through the process of creating scripts that will engage their audiences with the historical information uncovered in their research. Guest scholars and content experts will review participants’ work and provide feedback on historical veracity.

"NEH provides support for projects across America that preserve our heritage, promote scholarly discoveries and make the best of America’s humanities ideas available to all Americans," said NEH Chairman William D. Adams. "We are proud to announce this latest group of grantees who, through their projects and research, will bring valuable lessons of history and culture to Americans."

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a nonprofit educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine. Through exhibitions, educational programming and the foremost collection of technologically groundbreaking aircraft and vessels, visitors of all ages and abilities are taken on an interactive journey through history to learn about American innovation and bravery. The Intrepid Museum fulfills its mission to honor our heroes, educate the public and inspire our youth by connecting them to history through hands-on exploration and bridging to the future by inspiring innovation.

About the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine. Through exhibitions, educational programming and the foremost collection of technologically groundbreaking aircraft and vessels, visitors of all ages and abilities are taken on an interactive journey through history to learn about American innovation and bravery.

The Intrepid Museum fulfills its mission to honor our heroes, educate the public and inspire our youth by connecting them to history through hands-on exploration while bridging the future by inspiring innovation.

About the National Endowment for the Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.

About the Silverstein Properties
Silverstein Properties is a privately held, full-service real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York. Founded in 1957 by Chairman Larry Silverstein, the company has developed, owned and managed more than 40 million square feet of commercial, residential, hotel and retail space. Recent projects include 7 World Trade Center, the first LEED-certified office tower in New York City (2006), Silver Towers (2010), 4 World Trade Center (2013), Four Seasons Orlando (2014) and the Four Seasons Downtown (2016).

Currently, the firm has $10 billion of development underway including One West End and 2 and 3 World Trade Center. In addition, Silverstein Properties is focused on joint ventures for development and acquisitions in Europe and Israel. The company has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in New York City” by Crain’s New York Business for eight years in a row.

For further information on Silverstein Properties, visit www.silversteinproperties.com.