I toured the only nuclear missile submarine in the US open to the public. Take a look inside.

Tickets cost $36 per adult and $26 per child over 4 years old and can be purchased on the Intrepid Museum’s website. Veterans and military service members receive free admission.

Every time I’ve visited the Intrepid Museum, there has been a line to enter the submarine due to the attraction’s popularity and small, enclosed spaces.

The line moved quickly when I visited in May — I only waited for about 15 minutes.

Commissioned in 1958, the USS Growler carried Regulus II sea-to-surface missiles armed with nuclear warheads. The looming threat of the submarine’s firepower acted as a deterrent to prevent other countries from using their nuclear arsenals.

Growler was decommissioned in 1964 and awarded to the Intrepid Museum in 1988. The Intrepid Museum spent over $1 million repairing the submarine in 2008 when holes were discovered in its hull during a museum-wide renovation, The New York Times reported.

The first Regulus missiles had a range of 500 miles. Regulus II missiles could travel twice that distance.

To visit the USS Growler, guests had to be at least 40 inches tall and had to be able to pass through this doorway without assistance.

Each hangar could hold two Regulus I missiles, which each measured 33 feet long, according to the National Air and Space Museum.

Growler used a binnacle — a stand that holds a ship’s compass — and SINS — the Ship’s Inertial Navigation System — to navigate through the seas.

Crew members assigned to the missile checkout and guidance center were in charge of maintaining, firing, and guiding the trajectory of the Regulus missiles. Launching a Regulus missile took about 15 minutes.

Officers acted as leaders and commanders of the crew, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the submarine.

Their staterooms featured folding sinks and desks with chairs that included storage drawers to maximize the tight quarters.

Crew members shared a separate washroom.

The wardroom was furnished with laminate walls and vinyl seating booths, popular interior design trends post-World War II.

The USS Growler carried all of the food and supplies it would need to sustain itself during patrols that lasted over two months.

A storekeeper kept track of non-food supplies such as light bulbs, pens, and toilet paper.

The room featured a telephone and a bed that folded up into seating.

Chief petty officers helped train new submariners and acted as leaders and liaisons between officers and crew members.

The nickname “goat locker” dates back to 1893, when the rank of chief petty officer was established. Chief petty officers were put in charge of the goats that were kept on ships to produce milk, and the animals’ pens were located in their quarters, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Yeomen wrote reports, sorted files, and maintained crew members’ service records.

When the USS Growler traveled on the surface of the water, the bridge provided a vantage point for crew members to surveil the surrounding ocean.

Seeing how far down I was in the submarine was striking. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to serve on a two-month-long patrol with no fresh air or sunlight.

Crew members monitored the USS Growler’s function with data gathered in the control room and attack center.

The crew members who sat in the chairs directed the USS Growler’s movements with three steering wheels that controlled different angles and movements.

The periscope used for observation featured a wider view, while the attack periscope had higher magnification capabilities.

Each room had a corresponding number that crew members could dial.

Sonar stands for sound navigation and ranging. The USS Growler used passive sonar, a system of underwater microphones that listen to the ocean and detect sound waves, to track other vessels and navigate its own positions.

Passive sonar is a more discreet alternative to active sonar, which sends a pulse of energy through the water to detect objects.

The USS Growler could only send messages at periscope depth. Lower down in the ocean, it could receive low-frequency signals, but couldn’t send any outgoing messages.

A meal schedule from 1962 listed dishes such as fried chicken, clam chowder, hamburgers, and meatloaf with gravy.

Trash was disposed of in weighted tubes that wouldn’t float to the surface and give away the submarine’s location.

It functioned as the dining room as well as a place for crew members to play games and watch movies.

The green straps on the beds kept crew members from rolling out of the bunks during rough seas.

Showers were a rare luxury for crew members on the USS Growler. A plaque displayed in the room read that some sailors said they never showered once during their two-month patrols.

The distilled water was used for cooling the submarine’s diesel engines, cooking food, washing dishes, and bathing.

The engines were soundproofed.

The USS Growler’s maximum speed was 12 knots, or 14 mph, while submerged and 14 knots, or 16 mph, while surfaced.

Nine crew members slept in the aft torpedo room, where weapons like the Mark 37 torpedo were kept.

As the only nuclear missile submarine in the US that’s open to the public, visiting the USS Growler is absolutely worth a trip to the Intrepid Museum.

I was fascinated by how self-sufficient the submarine was as it carried out top-secret patrols. It was hard to believe that 90 crew members operated in such small spaces for extended periods of time.

With its supply of nuclear missiles kept at the ready during the Cold War, the stakes couldn’t have been higher to keep the USS Growler running smoothly and efficiently. The stakes remain high today as US Navy submarines continue to patrol waters connected to regional conflicts.