The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum collects a wide range of artifacts to document its rich history as a U.S. Naval vessel from 1943 to 1974. Many of these artifacts include the personal memorabilia of both former crew members and captains alike. Photographs, letters, manuscripts, certificates, medals, souvenirs, and other ephemera help us to interpret the lives of the men who worked and slept on the aircraft carrier. Furthermore, the “sailor art” designed and created by the servicemen on board allows us a unique glimpse into the personal side of life on the ship. Examples of such art include sketches on the backs of handkerchiefs, an ashtray constructed from a shell fired by the Intrepid, as well as detailed wall paintings scattered throughout the interior of the vessel. Our vast collection of uniforms, from flight suits to officers’ dress “blues,” provides us with an understanding of the different duties and jobs for which the servicemen would have been responsible.
Similarly, our collections include an array of gear and equipment associated with the ship and the aircraft that flew from her. These objects include landing signal paddles and aircraft tie-downs, as well as flight helmets and plotting boards. Our collection of larger scale artifacts, such as aircraft, specifically relate to the Intrepid’s years of service from World War II through the Cold War. Finally, rounding out the collections are accurate models of other aircraft and ships associated with the period of the Intrepid’s Navy service, providing us with yet another means of visualizing past technologies.
Collections Management Policy
Our Collections Management Policy outlines our policies and procedures regarding artifact acquisitions, donations, and other aspects of collections management. We encourage our artifact donors to review this policy
Advisory Council
Established in July 2007, the Advisory Council on Collections and Exhibitions advises and supports the museum’s professional staff in the acquisition and the interpretive display of artifacts. The Council is chaired by museum trustee Dave Williams and consists of: New York artist Richard Haas; University of Chicago History Professor Neil Harris; Aviation Curator of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Ben Kristy; museum trustee Bruce Mosler; Curator of the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Dennis Parks; New York architect and nautical collector Der Scutt; and Edward Tracy, Executive Director of the Tawani Foundation and former Director of the Pritzker Military Library. The photograph shows departmental staff and council members at the first meeting on July 9, 2007.
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