The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museumwill celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Commissioning of the World War II-era Essex class aircraft carrier with a special former crew member Homecoming Weekend from Friday, August 16 – Sunday, August 18 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located at Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue) in Manhattan.

The reunion weekend is open to the public, and will feature a variety of programs and events in honor of the U.S.S. Intrepid’s anniversary. Highlights of the weekend’s events will include:

Friday, August 16th – Sunday, August 18th:          

• Pop-Up Exhibit: Working Below Decks

10:00am – 6:00pm in Hangar 1
Operating the aircraft carrier Intrepid required the skills of 3,000 men, many of whom worked below decks – far from the excitement of the Flight Deck. In this Pop-Up Exhibit, the Intrepid Museum will highlight a few of these occupations through original ship equipment that has never before been on public display. Among the equipment to be showcased is a vintage laundry press, illustrating the demanding task of keeping the crew looking clean and pressed to Navy standards. These authentic pieces of equipment reveal the behind-the-scenes occupations that were essential to the operation of Intrepid.       

Friday, August 16th:

• Commissioning Ceremony            

11:00am – 12:00pm on the Flight Deck
The Commissioning Ceremony, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the USS Intrepid, will include several speakers, a wreath laying and cake cutting, a tradition the Intrepid crew enjoyed during each major anniversary. More than 200 former crew members will return back to the ship for the special ceremony, including some who have not been aboard since the completion of their service. 

Saturday, August 17th: 

• Meet a Former Crew Member

11:00 am – 3:00 in Hangar 2
Meet the men who served aboard the Intrepid.  Learn, firsthand, about their different jobs, ports of call visited, and experiences during their time of service.

• Curator Talk: Intrepid's Sick Bay, Pop-Up Exhibit

11:30am in Hangar 1
Intrepid's Medical Department handled all medical situations from routine preventative care to emergency surgery. Learn about medical care on Intrepid with the Museum’s Curator of History. Visitors are invited to meet at the operating table on display in Hangar 1 for the talk.

• Curator Talk: Intrepid's Laundry, Pop-Up Exhibit

3:30pm in Hangar 1
Washing, drying and pressing clothing for 3,000 men took organization and stamina. Join the Museum’s Curator of History to learn about the men who worked in Intrepid's laundry room. Visitors are invited to meet at the laundry press on display in Hangar 1 for the talk.     

Sunday, August 18th: 

• Access Family Program for Children with Developmental or Learning Disabilities, aged 5-17

11:00am - 1:00pm
Families with children who have developmental or learning disabilities are invited to take part in this two-hour program which includes a tour of the Museum and an art-making activity intended to engage the entire family.

• Curator Talk: Intrepid's Print Shop, Pop-Up Exhibit

11:30am in Hangar 1
Printed material was essential for communication on board Intrepid. Join the Museum’s Curator of History for an introduction to Intrepid's print shop and the men who printed memos, newsletters and top-secret documents. Visitors are invited to meet at the printing press on display in Hangar 1 for the talk.

• Curator Talk, Intrepid's Cobbler Shop, Pop-Up Exhibit

3:30pm in Hangar 1
Working on an aircraft carrier required a sturdy pair of shoes. Join the Museum’s Curator of History to learn about the men who repaired these essential items in Intrepid's own cobbler shop. Visitors are invited to meet at the shoe stitching machine on display in Hangar 1 for the talk.
All former crew member Homecoming Weekend activities are free with admission to the Museum. For more information and an up-to-date listing of events, visit www.intrepidmuseum.org. 

           
            DATE:                       Friday, August 16 – Sunday, August 18

            LOCATION:             Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
                                                Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue)
                                                Manhattan

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About the Museum
Now home of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum complex includes the 900-foot-long aircraft carrier Intrepid; the guided missile submarine Growler; and an extensive collection of 27 aircraft including the A-12 Blackbird, the fastest plane in the world, and the British Airways Concorde, the fastest commercial aircraft in the world. Guests can experience areas of the ship including the Flight Deck, Hangar Deck, fo’c’sle (commonly known as the anchor chain room), new multimedia presentations and exhibit collections, interactive educational stations and a state-of-the-art public pier. 

Guests to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum also can experience the 12,240 square-foot interactive Exploreum – which contains a variety of hands-on exhibits – that teaches guests about the different properties of the sea, air, space and living at sea as each relates to the ship Intrepid. In the Exploreum, guests can experience a flight simulator, transmit messages using Morse code, sit on the bunk of a crewmember, learn how the Intrepid turned salt water into fresh water and perform various tasks while wearing space gloves.

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Museum Hours:
April 1 – October 31:
Monday - Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday-Sunday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

November 1 – March 31:
Monday-Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Museum Cost of Admission:
Adult: $24.00
Seniors and College Students: $20.00
Youth 7-17: $19.00
Veterans: $17.00
Child 3-6: $12.00
Active Military, Retired Military and Children Under 3: Free

Tickets are available for purchase on the Intrepid’s website, www.intrepidmuseum.org. 

Location:
Pier 86 (46th Street and 12th Avenue), Manhattan

Public Transportation:

Directions by NYC Metro Bus:
Take cross-town buses west. M34 (34th Sts), M42 (42nd St.) or M-50 (49th St.) to 12th Ave. and Hudson River. Intrepid is a short walk North from the M34 and M42. The M50 drops off immediately in front of the Intrepid.

Directions by NYC Metro Subway:
Take the A, C, E, N, Q, R, S, 1, 2, 3 or 7 train to 42nd St., then walk or take the M-42 West Bus to Hudson River (12th Ave). Walk North to Intrepid.

Directions from Water:
Take New York Water Taxi to Pier 84 and walk a block north to the Intrepid Museum. Or from New Jersey take the New York Waterway to Midtown (38th Street) and walk north on 12th Ave to the museum.