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What Is Operation Slumber at the Intrepid Museum?

Operation Slumber is, essentially, a giant STEM-and-history-loving slumber party at the Intrepid Museum. Participants arrive after the museum closes for the day and enjoy access to the museum's galleries, plus plenty of fun programming and surprises, before tucking in for the night.

Our Experience Sleeping Over on the Intrepid

My daughter and I booked an early December date for Operation Slumber, and I was very curious to see how the museum—which once housed more than 3,000 sailors—would look when we arrived. The answer is: It looked much like it has on countless other visits to the museum, with the addition of sleeping cots placed in groupings throughout the Hangar Deck. And, though there were a few hundred people on our overnight—the program can accommodate up to 350—the cots didn't take away from the magic of being in the hulking museum after dark!

Each group—including our party of two—had a designated sleeping area. After a safety briefing in the auditorium, we were escorted to our quarters. Surprisingly, we had a relatively private perch on the viewing deck overlooking the collection of aircraft. After plopping down our bags—while cots are provided, guests are responsible for bringing pillows and sleeping bags or blankets—we set out to explore.

Our night began on the Mess Deck, where we noshed on the meal of chicken tenders, fruit, mac-and-cheese, and chocolate pudding before exploring the ship's exhibits. Operation Slumber includes dinner and a light breakfast (muffins, bagels, fruit, and juice), plus a late-night snack: chips, granola bars, and chocolate chip cookies. Guests aren't allowed to bring their own food onboard, though you are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle.

Dinner was followed by checking out the museum's exhibits and enjoying the special programming planned—more on that below—our favorite activities were cheering on the contestants in the ugly sweater contest (exclusive to the December dates), making slime with museum educators, and playing endless games of giant-sized Connect 4 in the Exploreum.

I also loved the after-dark tour, where we picked up a few new facts (though this was far from our first Intrepid Museum visit), and got to step inside the barriers and directly underneath the museum's A-12, where we used our flashlight to locate the spy plane's camera, while our guide told us how another airplane would be dispatched to collect its film to develop down on Earth in an era before digital images and wireless transmission.

The view of the glittering city lights from the flight deck after dark was the icing on the cake.

What Activities are Included During Operation Slumber?

Beyond the after-dark tour and access to all public areas of the Intrepid Museum, Operation Slumber guests can enjoy unlimited simulator rides and planetarium shows. The Kamakazi Experience played several times throughout the night, too.

Each session of Operation Slumber also includes special programming, with hands-on activities like slime-making, a giant game room, karaoke in the theater, and even a bedtime story. We visited an activity station where we wrote thank-you notes to send to area veterans' hospitals, wrote our names in Braille, and picked up some knot-tying cheat sheets.

Come 11:30pm, the lights in the museum go out, and you tuck in for a few winks before reveille at the oh-so-early hour of 6:30am (a true military waking hour!)

Our view from the View Deck just before we tucked in to sleep for the night was a pretty cool sight.

Where Do You Sleep During the Intrepid Overnight?

Sleeping quarters are scattered throughout the Hangar Deck and divided by group, so there's a slight level of privacy in that you won't find yourself next to a snoring stranger. Cots were tucked around the edges of the exhibits, and didn't really interfere with traffic flow or our exploration of the museum. You can expect to encounter groups ranging in size from several dozen scouts to small family units or kids celebrating a birthday with this special overnight experience. For the most part, we found that groups kept to themselves.

The most crowded we ever felt was just before lights out when we hit the bathroom to slip into our PJs—all the bathrooms on the Hangar Deck are open for the duration of the event. Plenty of people showed up for the event already dressed in comfy sleeping clothes, and if I did it again, I might do the same.

When it came time for lights out, the Hangar Deck quieted down pretty quickly. You saw a few flashes of light from smartphones, but guests were asked to be respectful with phone usage, and it felt like everyone followed the rules. The fact that we were told in advance we wouldn't be able to charge devices meant no one was too glued to a screen all night!

Though the main museum lights went out, there were still emergency lights on all night long, which lent the scene an odd red hue. I was glad my daughter and I both packed sleeping masks for the occasion!

Given our December date, I was a bit worried that the ship might be chilly, but it was almost too warm for my taste. We were plenty comfortable with the fleece blankets we packed. Had we brought a sleeping bag, our cots might have been more comfortable, but I would have melted!

My biggest fear going into the night was how much rest I would get. I'm a mom who needs her sleep. Between the late-night lights out and the early morning wakeup and my love of plush bedding, it wasn't the best night of sleep I've had this year—but a next-day nap helped power me through! My daughter, age 12, slept similarly well, which is to say not great, but the experience was worth a few lost winks.

What Kids Loved Most About Operation Slumber

My daughter loved the after-hours access to the exhibits, and especially having time to listen to sailors' accounts or flip through digital touch screens without being hurried along by other visitors. While we could see plenty of cots set up for the night, the museum really felt pretty empty and exclusive. My daughter also loved the hands-on STEM activities.

There were consistent lines for the simulator, and many kids seemed to love the scavenger hunt that was staged throughout the night and included some pretty impressive prizes plucked from the gift shop. The tours were also well attended, and I loved that each group was assigned a specific tour upon arrival, so we were able to plan our night around it. Our group was maybe a dozen participants.

Even with 350 slumber party guests aboard, the Intrepid Museum felt pretty empty during Operation Slumber!

Is Operation Slumber Worth It? Our Honest Take

The Operation Slumber museum overnight costs $99 per person—for children and adults; museum members get a $10 discount. I would absolutely say it's worth the money. General admission during regular museum hours ranges from $28-$38 per person, and doesn't include the cost for simulator access or a tour of the museum. Add to that the fact that every visitor walks away with a voucher for a return visit, and the overnight experience begins to feel like a bargain that makes for a great experience gift!

FAQs for Operation Slumber at the Intrepid Museum

• What is Operation Slumber at the Intrepid Museum?
  Operation Slumber is an after-hours sleepover experience at the Intrepid Museum. It runs roughly from 6:30pm-8:30am the following day.
• How old do kids need to be for the Intrepid sleepover?
  The Intrepid Museum recommends the Operation Slumber experience for ages 5-17, and there were definitely kids from all over that range. I'd say, while you know your kid best, it would have been hard to keep a 5 year old awake and engaged until lights out—and probably harder to get them to go to sleep before then, so the sweet spot for me would be ages 8+.
• What do you do during the Intrepid overnight?
  In short, you can expect to explore the exhibits in the museum, plus some added hands-on activities, simulator rides, and fun extras like karaoke. A couple of off-limits sites during Operation Slumber include the Growler Submarine and the ship's bridge, though you can visit both when you use your return voucher!
• What should families bring to Operation Slumber?
  Our packing list must haves includes a pillow and blankets or sleeping bags for each participant, plus pajamas, toothbrushes, refillable water bottles, a working flashlight for after-dark exploration or middle of the night bathroom trips, sleeping masks, and a sense of adventure!
• Is the Intrepid Museum sleepover worth it?
  Yes! The value for the price is definitely worth it, and the staff was so helpful and energetic, keeping families engaged and excited. My only regret is that I didn't do it with my son 10 years ago!

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All photos by author