Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10) and the Intrepid Museum Foundation announced more than $10.3 million in federal funds from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The funding is the final tranche of more than $14 million in FEMA grants for hurricane-related repairs to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum complex, damaged during Superstorm Sandy. The Intrepid Museum is an educational and cultural non-profit institution centered on the aircraft carrier Intrepid, a National Historic Landmark, and its mission is to promote the awareness and understanding of history, science and service.
These grants will fund the repair of the Museum’s critical infrastructure, including life safety and electrical systems, communications capabilities and facilities as well as the implementation of critical and mandatory mitigation projects to prevent potential devastation in case of another disaster. The funding has also provided for the reconstruction of a steel-framed pavilion to protect space shuttle Enterprise, a national treasure and artifact housed at the Intrepid Museum. These grants complete the Intrepid Museum’s 33-month-long dedicated effort to completely restore its facilities and mitigate damage by future storms and hurricanes.
“I applaud the staff of the Intrepid Museum Foundation for their tireless work to get the Museum up and running once again,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler. “Many of our city’s fine cultural institutions suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Sandy, and I believe we must provide all the financial support necessary to restore them to their former glory. With this funding, I am very excited the viewing public will be able to once again experience the awe of scientific discovery from the exhibits on the Intrepid, from learning about technology and engineering, such as breaking the sound barrier, to exploring the space shuttle Enterprise, the original orbiter that paved the way for America’s successful space shuttle program."
“On behalf of the trustees of the Intrepid Museum, we are grateful to Congressman Nadler and the entire congressional delegation,” said Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Museum. “This continues to be a long road for so many. We deeply appreciate the dedication of the federal government in assisting with the healing and repair of our region and the forward thinking to prevent devastation in the future, to the best of our collective ability.”
About the Intrepid Museum
The Intrepid Museum is a complex located on a publicly accessible pier (Pier 86) within Hudson River Park on the West Side of midtown Manhattan. The Intrepid Museum is the only museum where visitors can experience engaging exhibitions that feature the historic aircraft carrier Intrepid, the NASA space shuttle Enterprise, a collection of 27 aircraft, a British Airways Concorde, the Cold War–era submarine Growler and a Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft. Museum visitors of all ages and abilities learn about human ingenuity, leadership during the turning points of American history, and innovations in science and engineering. The Intrepid Museum, one of the leading New York City museums and cultural institutions, welcomes one million visitors annually and has a substantial impact on the local and regional economies.