Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Entry Ticket

Most of New York's landmarks go up. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum goes out onto the Hudson: it is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, USS Intrepid, moored on the West Side at West 46th Street, and the museum is built in and around the ship. The name gives you the layout. Sea is the carrier itself and the USS Growler, a Cold War submarine tied up alongside that you can walk through, if you are happy with tight corridors and low hatches. Air is the collection of planes, many of them parked on the flight deck in the open, where you can walk right up to them with the river and the Midtown skyline around you. Space is the Space Shuttle Pavilion, home of Enterprise, the prototype orbiter NASA used for its approach and landing tests in the 1970s. It never went into orbit, but it is a full-size shuttle and it looks enormous from underneath. This ticket covers all three: entrance to the museum, access to the Growler and access to the Space Shuttle Pavilion. It is a good pick for families and for anyone who has had enough of paintings for one trip. The ship is big, with several decks to explore, so wear comfortable shoes and give yourself a relaxed couple of hours. Intrepid's own history carries the visit. The carrier served in World War II and later with NASA, and the museum tells those stories through the people who served on board as much as through the aircraft. It is a different kind of day from the museums on Fifth Avenue, and it combines well with a walk along the Hudson River Park. Note that this ticket does not include the Met or any other museum. Cancellation is free any time before the date of your visit.