America at 250: The Intrepid Museum

In 1798, the first USS Intrepid was built in France as a bomb ketch, or explosion ship, and was seized by the U.S. Navy in 1803. The following year, she was destroyed during the First Barbary War in 1804 in the Tripoli Harbor. The second and third iterations of Intrepid include an experimental steam torpedo ram in the late 1800s and a training and receiving ship in the early 1900s.

The current USS Intrepid was commissioned in 1943 and is one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers. During World War II, she participated in several key campaigns in the Pacific theater, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Battle of Kwajalein, and others. After WWII, Intrepid was briefly decommissioned before being returned to active service during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1974, she was decommissioned and moored at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Intrepid hosted numerous exhibits during America’s bicentennial and was later moved to Pier 86 in New York City, where she opened as a museum and became a National Historic Landmark.

As the U.S. marks its semiquincentennial, the Intrepid Museum is offering a variety of public programs and ceremonies, supported by an NEH Celebrate America! grant. Throughout the year, the museum will offer veteran-led lectures and discussions, as well as family-friendly educational initiatives designed to encourage participants to reflect on the enduring significance and meaning of service, innovation, and democracy.

During the week of July 3-7, 2026, visitors to the museum can engage in curated and hands-on activities, catch a glimpse of more than 30 tall ships from around the world, or watch more than 150 planes fly in spectacular formation up the Hudson River.