The Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience at the Intrepid Museum is located on Pier 86 on 12th Avenue in Manhattan. It is a hop, skip, and jump away from all major transportation and city eateries, however it is just enough removed that you and your family will feel as if you are on your own little planet, surrounded by water and sweeping views.
Coming from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, the newly installed 12,000 square foot exhibit is located between the U.S.S Intrepid, former aircraft carrier and current military and maritime history museum, and the former U.S.S Growler Submarine museum, which now sleeps in the Hudson waters. Between the aircraft carrier, the underwater museum, and The Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience, you will never have a dull moment and will find yourself fully immersed in history, both real and fictional, at all times. The highly innovative exhibit furnishes guests with a first-hand account of what it might be like to attend a Starfleet Academy career day and orientation.
Beam Me Up, Mommy!
Upon arrival, we were given futuristic wristbands containing the Star Trek insignia, which we used at a computer station to register our names and email addresses. The wristbands were synced to each activity station so that, at the end of the day, all of the photos, credentials, and certificates we obtained as cadets at the Starfleet Academy would be sent to us as keepsakes, a definite plus! From the moment we entered The Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience, we were surrounded by a veritable smorgasbord of all the things that Trekkie dreams are made, from holograms to command centers designed to train you in science, engineering, and language (turns out I was a master at Klingon!) to a vast collection of beautiful fantastical garments and uniforms worn in the iconic television show.
My son loved the Medical Tricorder station, where he was given a handheld RFID sensor scanner to diagnose a life-sized Klingon, later insisting that he “saved his life.” We took photos at the Species Selfies station which we were able to modify and perfect our (hilarious) alien facial features, and then later “beamed” ourselves to the Starship Enterprise via the Transporter Machine, which was so much fun we ended up doing it several times. But by far, the coolest feature was a huge replica of the Enterprise’s Command Center, equipped with interactive stations and dashboards, as well as beautiful “views” of the galaxy. There we were able to participate in an interactive battle scenario where, as cadets, we could select the U.S.S. Enterprise’s next course of action, be it to attack the Klingon Warship, or secede from battle. I have to say, the Command Center’s design and aesthetics were striking and very well executed, even the little one was impressed at how real everything felt. He even got to sit in the Captain’s seat and do his best Captain Kirk impression and delegate tasks to Mommy and Daddy, something he thoroughly enjoyed.
Back to Earth
At the end of the exhibit, you can scan your wristbands to view your progress, as well as catch any stations and credentials you might have missed. At that point you can go back and complete your training, or revisit your favorite activities. After verifying our email addresses (and watching our Light Beam video clips a dozen times) we were on our way! The Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience is tremendously fun for both adults and children alike.
Here are a few things to note about The Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience:
- No food or drink is allowed inside the exhibit.
- It is a 12,000 square foot space, so give yourselves at least an hour and a half to go through it all…And wear comfortable shoes!
- There are no restrooms inside the exhibit, so make sure you make a rest stop before going in as there is no re-entry once you leave.
- While we appreciated the Air-Conditioning given it was 90+ degrees outside, it is a bit chilly inside the exhibit so you may want to bring a light sweater.
Don’t forget to scan your wristbands at each station so that you get a well-rounded summary of your visit! There are plenty of helpful staff members around to remind you and walk you through the activities, if need be.
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