July 07, 2006

Intrepid to close Oct. 1 for 18 months of renovations

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will close to the public starting October 1 and embark on 18 months of repairs to the aircraft carrier, its dock, decommissioned nuclear submarine and Concorde.

On Veterans Day, November 11, it will be towed from Pier 86 -- its home for the past 24 years -- down the Hudson to Bayonne Dry Dock & Repair Corporation for the first phase of repairs.

It's scheduled to return to Manhattan in time for Fleet Week 2008.

The $55 million project will refurbish the ship, overhaul interior and exterior exhibits, and also allow for the purchase of more historic aircraft. Pier 86 will be demolished and replaced with a new pier better able to accommodate the museum's 770,000 annual visitors. Plans also call for the opening of the engine room and other technical parts of the ship that have been off-limits to tourists, according to Newsday.

The 900-foot long U.S.S. Intrepid survived seven bomb attacks, one torpedo hit and five kamikaza strikes during World War II. In the 1960s it was NASA's primary recovery vehicle during the Mercury and Gemini space missions. It also served in the Vietnam War before it was decommissioned in 1974.

The Intrepid is docked at Pier 86, located at 46th Street along the West Side Highway.

Earlier: Intrepid Museum makes dry dock plans - NY Times

July 7, 2006 08:36 AM in History, Kids, Midtown, Museums, Sightsology

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