The Growler Submarine at the Intrepid Museum

The Intrepid Air & Space Museum is of course one of the most iconic museums in New York City. The decommissioned and landmarked aircraft carrier served in WWII and Vietnam and now sits prominently  along the West Side Greenway. The ship itself is not the only main destination however and the Intrepid has a few “Untapped” spots we recommend that you check out.

Although the impressive flight deck has planes from all four services of the armed forces, back on ground level at the furthest end of Intrepid’s dock is a British Airways Concorde supersonic jet. Walking beneath the jet is not to be missed. But today we want to focus on the Growler Submarine, the only nuclear missile submarine open to the public in the United States. You can find the Growler at the dock, sitting in the water just outside the main entrance and lobby of the museum.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Jessica Williams from The Intrepid Museum says that the submarine “really is a unique survivor of the Cold War.” On a visit to the Growler you’ll get to explore the cramped interior,  check out a Regulus I cruise missile, see a torpedo and  enter the torpedo room. Ron Rousseau, who served on the Growler tells Reel Works  that the best place to sleep on the ship was the torpedo room!

The museum is looking for funds from Partners in Preservation to maintain the “sail,” the tall steel structure on the back of the submarine, fix corrosion on the Regulus I missile and repaint the missile. It’s difficult to keep ships in great condition when they’re docked, as water will seep in and cause rust and other damage. Extra funds will be used to restore the spaces, surface areas, and hardware in the galley and hatches.  Click  here  to vote for the Intrepid in Partners in Preservation and find them on  Facebook  and  Twitter.

The Air and Space Museum is not to be missed, but don’t forget to check out the more Untapped places in this well-known landmark.  And the latest addition coming to the Intrepid is the Enterprise Space Shuttle, which  Untapped went to check out  in its JFK hangar the other day.

Intrepid Museum [Map]
700 West 46th Street, New York, NY

Follow Untapped Cities on  Twitter  and  Facebook. Get in touch with the author  @untappedmich.  Untapped Cities is an official blog ambassador for  Partners in Preservation  , a community-based initiative by  American Express  and the  National Trust for Historic Preservation  to raise awareness of the importance of historic places. For complete coverage, follow our  Partners in Preservation category.