Welcome to the Space Age, New York.

With today’s launch of the Shuttle Enterprise Pavilion — and its new home at the Intrepid Museum — New Yorkers will get their most up-close-and-personal encounter ever with America’s space programs.

And the city will be able to boast of a glorious new gem in its cultural crown.

The shuttle is to be displayed in a special pavilion and seated just 10 feet above USS Intrepid’s flight deck, allowing visitors to walk underneath. The exhibit will feature fancy lighting, videos, explanatory texts and a raised viewing platform.

The museum aims to create a comprehensive space-education program; the shuttle pavilion heralds numerous other exhibits on America’s ventures beyond the atmosphere — and the fascinating science that undergirds those missions.

The event is certain to be as exciting as it is historic.