Working on board an aircraft carrier was physically demanding and sometimes dangerous. Day after day, a steady stream of sick and injured crew members visited Intrepid’s medical clinic, called sick bay.

The temporary exhibition On the Mend: Restoring Intrepid’s Sick Bay examines the history of medical care on the ship while also illuminating the Museum’s current efforts to open sick bay to visitors. The centerpieces of the exhibition are three original doors from sick bay, each featuring a medical-themed cartoon painted by sailors.

Objects, photographs, archives and oral histories reveal the complexities of medical care on board an aircraft carrier at sea. Visitors can also explore an interactive 3D model of sick bay, showing the current condition of the ship’s operating room, pharmacy, x-ray room and more.

This exhibition represents the first phase of a long-term, large-scale project to restore, interpret and open Intrepid’s sick bay.