The Intrepid Museum is an educational and cultural nonprofit institution. Centered on the aircraft carrier Intrepid, a National Historic Landmark, the Museum welcomes more than one million visitors each year (pre-COVID). Its mission is to promote the awareness and understanding of history, science and service to honor our heroes, educate the public and inspire our youth. The Intrepid Museum’s artifacts—the legendary World War II-era aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and the nuclear missile submarine Growler—exemplify the engineering marvels that redefined the course of history through the stories of those who built and operated them.

Intrepid will deliver the intersection of history and innovation worldwide to educate, enrich and inspire our audiences to understand how the past impacts our future.

Source: Nonprofit submitted responses

Goal One: Remain Unique, Important, Inclusive and Competitive: Serve as a local community cultural hub to attract visitors Address gaps in education (e.g. STEM) for underserved students Lower barriers of entry

Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.

Goal Two: Ensure long-term sustainability: Preserve Intrepid, a National Landmark, and Museum artifacts Connect collections to 21st century issues Foster inclusive workplace Grow and diversify revenue streams

Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.

Goal Three: Create Best User Experience (UX) for visitors: before, during and after visit -Expand capacity for visitorship -Ensure greater accessibility and engagement for lifelong learners: onsite and virtual

Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.

Describe an investment in leadership

The Museum views investing in its personnel as a strategic priority and is committed to the professional development of its team. The Museum provides professional and technical training in skill sets to help staff in certain positions excel both personally and professionally. Staff are encouraged to attend and present at conferences and participate in industry organizations, as well as publish articles in professional publications. Staff are encouraged to participate in key cross-departmental strategic and operating committees. Periodically departments present at the Museum’s board meetings and those staff participate in developing the presentation as well as presenting. Management promotes from within when possible, both vertically and laterally. Staff who are cultivated to embark on roles that are more senior are offered external leadership courses, specific to their discipline and through American Management Association, to prepare them for increasing responsibilities.

This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:

• Strategic Partnerships

• Networks of Collective Impact Efforts

• Thought Leadership

• Raising Awareness

• Community Building

What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?

The Museum raises awareness of its mission by engaging and motivating audiences onsite and via social media, partnerships and multilevel strategies; leveraging educational, interactive content and programs through Instagram stories, virtual events, live streams, published videos and more. Intrepid partners with dozens of varied organizations: such as institutional member of 100K in 10, NY STEM Education Alliance, and NYCHA communities; participates in Museums for All initiative and CUNY to offer free entry and remove economic barriers to visit. The Museum shares its work by collaborating with other organizations and universities and presenting at 20 local and national conferences. These included ASTC, AAM, NSTA and MAAM Building Museums and continue through 2020 and 2021. Intrepid is part of a New York City cultural institution consortium who discuss and share common challenges and opportunities facing the industry, and work to set common standards and advocate for the collective need.

In March 2020, in response to guidance provided by state and local governments regarding large public gatherings, to safeguard the health of its visitors and employees and as a precautionary measure to limit opportunities for the spread of the COVID-19 virus, management temporarily closed the Museum to the public and provided remote work options for non-essential staff where possible. Within hours, Intrepid’s IT department had delivered laptops to those staff who were able to work remotely. Management then took the difficult step of furloughing most of its front of house staff, reducing overall headcount and cutting expenses where possible, while pivoting its programmatic efforts towards virtual delivery and engaging audiences online. Museum staff delivered 9 virtual astronomy live programs to over 223,091 unique viewers, its annual Memorial Day and Veterans Day programs virtually. Intrepid partnered with other museums and organizations to deliver educational live streaming events and its annual Youth Summit, with 457 participants from 14 countries, who spent an average of over 2 hours online. Given the broad audience reach – national and international – it experienced throughout 2020 and into 2021, management plans to continue the virtual delivery of many of its programs. Intrepid increased its presence on social media, ensuring visibility and promotion of its free programming, and expedited bringing its collections online. Staff held daily meetings virtually, ensuring consistency, communication, and seamless implementation of all. The Museum launched an aggressive fundraising campaign in lieu of an annual fundraising gala, worked with grant funders to redirect dollars for program and other initiatives. In addition, Management secured a liquidity facility, drew on its line of credit, secured two PPP loans to meet operational and programmatic expenses and received an SBA SVO grant to ensure the post-pandemic sustainability of the Museum.