She's Baaack! (And Open.)

For those of you who'll be in or around the Big Apple this weekend, here's something to consider: Tomorrow, after an extensive two-year renovation, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum will reopen its doors to visitors. According to the the museum's Web site, the new and improved facility will include interactive exhibits, restored aircraft, dry-docking, a paint job for the former USS Intrepid, and more. Plus, the first 1,000 visitors will get a coin commemorating the ship's return. The museum opens just in time for Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11th) when it will host a ceremony that's slated to be attended by President George W. Bush, New York Governor David Paterson, and some 2,500 veterans.

Homecoming Queen

At 11 a.m. Thursday the USS Intrepid bid farewell to the Homeport on Staten Island and began her three-hour voyage home to Pier 86 in Manhattan.

The World War II aircraft carrier made her historic journey with the help of four tug boats. On her way she paused to salute the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero, where crewmembers unfurled a 60-by-40-foot American flag from the starboard side.

The USS Intrepid left Pier 86, her home for 24 years, in 2006 for extensive repairs and improvements. The work totaled approximately $120 million. The Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum is slated to open its doors to visitors on November 8.

For the full story, see the Associated Press.