1. Brooklyn Navy Yard BLDG 92
In 2011, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation built a visitor center on the site of the old shipyard, where you can learn a lot of information, such as shipbuilding equipment and community services. Choose a sunny afternoon to enjoy the "Brooklyn Navy Yard: Past, Present and Future" exhibition while feeling its rich historical charm and learning about future plans for the area. Additionally, you can view a series of historical photographs displayed in the "War Photojournalists" exhibition, featuring renowned photographers such as João Silva, Lynsey Addario, and Tim Hetherington.
2. City Reliquary Museum
This small art gallery located in Brooklyn is dedicated to preserving memorabilia from significant events in New York, such as trinkets from the 1964 World’s Fair, ship models built during the Civil War in Greenpoint, and other quirky historical artifacts. Unlike other museums, the City Reliquary Museum aims to unveil history and showcase lesser-known historical relics; moreover, near New York's largest umbrella exhibition, you will hardly find another place with hand-drawn maps of city landmarks.
3. Green-Wood Cemetery
Located in Brooklyn, Green-Wood Cemetery is a renowned attraction in New York. As early as the 1860s, Green-Wood Cemetery was as famous as Niagara Falls, becoming one of New York State's most popular tourist destinations. To this day, it continues to attract many visitors. Besides the nearby Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery itself has many highlights worth appreciating. This cemetery is the final resting place of many famous New Yorkers, such as artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, and notorious political figure William "Boss" Tweed. Additionally, Battle Hill within Green-Wood Cemetery is the highest point in Brooklyn, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of Brooklyn and gaze at the bustling downtown Manhattan.
4. Hall of Fame for Great Americans
Located in the Bronx, the Hall of Fame for Great Americans was established in 1900 and is the first hall of fame in American history. The architecture of this memorial is unique, standing 630 feet tall, and from the colonnade, you can see a panoramic view of the Cloisters on the Harlem River. The hall currently features 98 bronze statues of famous individuals, including Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone; Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin; and George Westinghouse, the inventor. The last bronze statue, that of President Franklin Roosevelt, was added to the hall in 1992.
5. Merchant’s House Museum
This well-preserved 19th-century building was once home to the Treadwell family. One of the family members, Gertrude Treadwell, was said to have died in 1933 at the age of 93 after being forbidden to marry her true love. It is rumored that Gertrude's spirit still wanders the building, leading to ghost stories. During Halloween, the house is decorated with a spooky theme, and the rooms are arranged to resemble a 19th-century funeral.
6. The Paley Center for Media
While you can see many great works of art or precious artifacts in other parts of New York, at the Paley Center for Media, you will feel the strong atmosphere of popular culture. Founded by William Paley, this museum was renamed from the former "Museum of Television and Radio" in 2007. Additionally, you can participate in public events hosted by the center with other television enthusiasts, such as a discussion on August 16 about the film "Mosaic" directed by Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson; on September 28, the center will host a talk with Christiane Amanpour.
7. The Panorama of the City of New York
At the 1964 World’s Fair, the Queens Museum of Art's centerpiece, "The Panorama of the City of New York," attracted worldwide attention. This meticulously crafted model includes over 800,000 buildings and bridges from New York's five boroughs. The model covers over 9,000 square feet, and after the last renovation, the Citi Field, completed in 2009, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park, completed in March 2012, were added, showcasing the streetscape of Greater New York. Excitingly, for a donation of $50, you can have your name placed on a building in the model, whether it’s your apartment, restaurant, or store, although some famous landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, require a higher donation for naming rights.
8. Roosevelt Island
With Cornell University set to establish a new campus on East River Isle next year, and the Four Freedoms Park nearing completion this October (named after the four principles from Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address), this small island is destined to attract more attention. The easiest way to visit the uniquely charming and livable Roosevelt Island is to take a 4-minute commuter tram. Upon arriving at East River Isle, you will find a Gothic lighthouse standing in the northern part of the island, while the southern part features the ruins of a Smallpox Hospital, built in the mid-19th century and ceased operations in the 1950s, which was opened to the public in 2011 as part of Southpoint Park.
9. Socrates Sculpture Park
In 1986, numerous artists and activists built this urban garden on a 4.5-acre landfill. Every year, many large sculpture exhibitions and numerous free community activities are held here. Every week, nearby residents can buy fresh food and free yogurt at the park's farmers' market, and they can also practice Tai Chi or participate in Capoeira dance classes.
10. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
If you have time, taking the ferry to explore this vibrant world of art will definitely benefit you greatly. Once a retirement home for sailors in the 19th century, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center has now been transformed into a beautiful cultural landscape in the Staten Island waterfront area. When you visit, be sure to appreciate the Renaissance-style architecture and international-themed gardens, and take a look at the courtyard designs by Chinese landscape artists and Tuscan craftsmen.
