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

The USS Growler was once a top-secret US Navy submarine that patrolled the ocean's depths during the Cold War. Armed with nuclear missiles and operated by a crew of 90 men, Growler's firepower acted as a deterrent to keep other nations from using their nuclear weapons in a strategy known as mutually assured destruction.Today, Growler is on display at the Intrepid Museum in New York City housed on the USS Intrepid, a 900-foot-long World War II-era aircraft carrier. Growler floats alongside the ship in the Hudson River.Visitors don't just get to look at Growler; they can actually climb inside and walk through its narrow confines on a self-guided tour.Submarines remain a crucial component of the US Navy's deterrent strategy. In March 2026, a US Navy submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean as part of Operation Epic Fury. The Navy also occasionally publicizes the locations of nuclear-armed submarines to send a message to adversaries. In September 2024, for example, the USS Georgia, a guided-missile submarine, was sent to the Middle East in a show of support for Israel and a show of force to Iran.Submarines are a costly endeavor. The US Navy's Virginia-class submarine program is projected to run $17 billion over budget through 2030 amid delays, House Rep. Ken Calvert, chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, said in 2024. The Navy has said delays are due to supply-chain issues and "lingering COVID-19 impacts."I visited the Intrepid Museum to tour the USS Growler in May 2024. Here's what I saw aboard the only nuclear-missile submarine that's open to the public.