Fieldwork notes
Set no: 1
Date: September 24, 2022
Location/event: Visit Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Time:
11:00-13:00 pm
Participants:
Time
Descriptive notes
Reflective notes
11:00 am
Entering the Intrepid Carrier
The Uber dropped me and my friend in front of the museum, we went to the box office first to get ticket. It was free for university’s student and my friend also get a 50% discount on the ticket. There are a lot of families come to visit the museum. After we passed the ticket check point, we went to the Intrepid Aircraft first.
It was nice that as a student of University, we can freely enter the museum. I think one of the reasons that university worked with these museums to offer free ticket to its students is these museums are “classroom” that outside of the campus. Visiting these museums are great opportunities to study/learn history. For this one, student can learn history of war, history of technology.
11:00-11:30 am
Flight Deck of Intrepid Aircraft Carrier
We took the elevator to the Flight Deck first, there are many retired aircrafts (fighter, attacker, helicopter) on the Deck for visitors to visit. We looked around and went to the Navigation and Flag Bridges. There are many precise instruments in the navigation room. Meanwhile, there is an old mister in the room. From his clothes, I could see he is a veteran. He sat on the chair, when someone have a question about instrument, he will explain the function of some specific instrument. After we finished our visit in Navigation and Flag Bridges, we went to the “Space Shuttle Zone”
Space Shuttle Zone is a big sealed area at the end of the Flight Deck, when we entered in the Zone, there is a retired space shuttle parked there. On the right of the entrance of Space Shuttle Zone, there is a “Education Zone”. Unfortunately, it was closed that day, I imagine that is the place to show videos to visitors about the information/history of the space shuttle. We walked around the space shuttle and walked upstairs to its front. Before the head of the space shuttle, there is a small room with one space shuttle simulator. I saw there is a kid “flying” the simulated space shuttle and other kids are wait for try it. Then we went downstairs to the Gallery Deck.
Asking a veteran in the bridge to be the volunteer is a wise and effective decision. These veterans have operated these precise instruments, they are experienced. These veterans are friendly, they used gentle tongue to introduce and explain everything to visitors(students). This is a effective ways to assist visitors to have a basic understanding of the knowledge in the Navigation and Flag Bridges.
“Education Zone” may have the same function with the introduction by the veteran, the difference is there is a TV in the zoon. When people entering the space shuttle area, if they can watch a introduction video, they will have a basic understanding of the space shuttle which in front of them, so they can visit the shuttle with experiences.
For the “Space Shuttle Simulator”, children are addicted to it. It is not only an entertainment machine but also a “electronic teacher”. It used the way of entertainment to teach children about space shuttle, children can have a basic knowledge about how to fly a space shuttle while they playing in the simulator.
11:30-11:50 am
Gallery Deck of Intrepid Aircraft Carrier
On this Gallery Deck, we looked around in a short time, there is also a veteran volunteer in the Combat Information Center, he patiently told me how to detect a coming ship/aircraft by using the radar. Then we went to the Hangar Deck.
This Combat Information Center is a litter different than the Navigation and Flag Bridges. In this area, it is completed sealed, people cannot able to see the outside. So, I am wondering is it ok for veteran to stay inside for a long time? How to deal with staying in a sealed place for a long time?
11:50 -12:20 am
Hangar Deck of Intrepid Aircraft Carrier.
There are a lot of things in Hangar Deck. It came to me this is where the planes parked. After we got off the elevator, I saw there is a big TV and many persons sitting in front of them. I walked towards to them and found out they are watching a monochromatic documentary video, it was talking about the history of this ship.
Then, we continuing walks to next place, there is an instrument attracted me, it is called “G-Force Simulator”. From the introduction board, it can simulate a supersonic jet plane. Because of we are about to out of time, I did not try it.
This “history space” is effectively make visitors know what did this ship experienced before the retirement. Visitors can also learn about the cruel of the war, the importance of technology in war. For example, America won the Pacific War based on its strong Navy, it had great ships/planes which are much better than Japan.
For the G-Force experience, I think it may not a good choci for children. Child may not able to feel the power which brought by the gravity. It is not common to see a gravity simulator in other places. Trying these kinds of new technologies can also broaden the knowledge of physics.
12:20-1:00 am
Submarine Growler
We waited in lane to enter the submarine for like 25 minutes. During the waiting time, I saw some parents lead their children about to enter the Intrepid. While they walking, one of the parents talked about history of this ship, like this Intrepid attended the Pacific War etc.
When we are about to enter the submarine, we were led by staff and sat in front of some TVs. Then he played a video about the introduction of Submarine Growler and talked about some cautions when we inside the submarine. Then we entered in the submarine, that is one of the narrowest spaces that I have ever seen. The door that we passed is like a “doghole”. We had a quick visit in the submarine and then we left the museum.
I am delighted to see that parents talks history to their children, parent is also an excellent teacher for children. With their introduction of the history of the Intrepid, children can understand what did this ship do and why it mattered for national defense. Besides, they can have some basic understanding of why developing technology is highly important for a country.
This introduction not only talks about the history of submarine, but also reminded visitors about what did their ancestor experienced, so their patriotism can be evoked because there are aware that their ancestors fought to death for them.