Destination Guidebook for New York, New York
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Sightseeing in New York is not as straightforward as it once was. Tight security is sometimes in place, so be prepared to open your handbag or knapsack at the entrances of tourist attractions. It's a good idea to call or check Web sites for hours. On the positive side, there's more to see in New York City than ever before, and all of the city's five boroughs have something to offer.
Manhattan still reigns supreme in terms of tourist attractions. Beginning at the south tip of the island, around the financial district and Wall Street, you can hop a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. The chunky orange boats offer views of the famous city skyline and let you get at least a distant view of the Statue of Liberty. Although many tourists simply get right back on the boat for the return trip, Staten Island offers centuries of architecture to admire, great museums, lush parks to stroll through and spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline. Or you can take a trip to Ellis and Liberty islands for tours of the city's original immigration center and the Statue of Liberty. Many visitors go downtown to pay their respects at the World Trade Center site, where the city is planning to build a memorial.
Also in the area is the venerable Brooklyn Bridge, which enters Downtown on the southeast side of the island. A little farther north, spend at least one afternoon strolling the streets of SoHo to admire the art galleries and upscale boutiques or Greenwich Village for excellent cafes and restaurants. East of SoHo and the Village are the East Village and the Lower East Side. Once a first stop for poor immigrants, crammed with crowded tenements, small shops and warehouses, the area is now home to chic restaurants and boutiques and some of the city's coolest nightclubs, bars and music venues.
In the heart of the city, Midtown, pay a visit to the refurbished Grand Central Station (be sure to look up at the magnificent arched ceiling, decorated with images of the astrological constellations). Walk through Rockefeller Center and consider taking a tour of NBC Studios. Join the throngs gawking at the huge neon signs in Times Square (most impressive at night). If you're into pop culture or are traveling with teens, think about stopping outside MTV Studios, where you can view the network's tapings through a big glass window. Great museum choices in Midtown include the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Museum of Television and Radio.
Uptown, you'll find Central Park, where there are green meadows, grand rock formations, lakes, the carousel and the Central Park Wildlife Center (better known as "the Zoo"). Many of the city's best museums flank Central Park, along Fifth Avenue and Central Park West. We highly recommend seeing at least some of the enormous, all-encompassing collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; modern art at the Guggenheim; and bones, fossils and stars at the American Museum of Natural History and its Rose Center for Earth and Space. Farther north is Harlem, with the historic African-American neighborhoods that nurtured the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, as well as walking tours, gospel brunches and several worthwhile museums. At the northern tip of Manhattan is the Cloisters, a building constructed from sections of several European monasteries and containing unique treasures from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's medieval collections.
Across the Harlem River above Manhattan, the city's northernmost borough, The Bronx, has several enclaves worth exploring—including the New York Botanical Garden, Woodlawn Cemetery and the "other" Little Italy—located along Belmont and Arthur avenues just south of Fordham Road. The Bronx Zoo is a great place to take children. The Yankees earned their nickname "Bronx Bombers" from the location of Yankee Stadium.
Brooklyn, across the East River, has changed in recent years—some areas have become as popular and chic as Manhattan's. Baby boomers in search of more affordable housing moved across the Brooklyn Bridge to the elegant brownstone neighborhoods of Park Slope, Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights, while younger artists and musicians headed for lofts and rehabbed industrial spaces in Williamsburg and DUMBO (which stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). Williamsburg, especially, has become a bohemian hotspot, boasting some of the city's most interesting up-and-coming art galleries, music venues and boutiques. The borough is home to the beautiful Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music (or BAM), Prospect Park (which houses a zoo), and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. Many consider Prospect Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, as fine as Central Park—though on a smaller scale.
North of Brooklyn, Queens has neighborhoods full of historic houses, amazing ethnic restaurants and a plethora of intriguing museums, such as the Queens Museum, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, the Museum of The Moving Image (a must-see for movie buffs) and The Noguchi Museum. The Mets call Shea Stadium home, and the U.S. Open is held late every summer at the Arthur Ashe Stadium of the USTA Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. | Historic Sites | Top  |
Harlem's longest-running theater, the Apollo, is where Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald got their starts. The landmark theater hosts concerts by known stars, as well as offering newer artists a chance during the long-standing (since 1934) Amateur Night, held every Wednesday. One-hour tours are offered for groups of 20 or more by appointment (call at least two weeks in advance) at 11 am, 1 and 3 pm; Wednesday at 11 am only; Saturday and Sunday at 11 am and 1 pm. Tours cost US$16 per person on weekdays and US$18 on Saturday and Sunday. 253 W. 125th St., between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass boulevards (subway line A, B, C, D, 2 or 3 to 125th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-531-5300 or 212-531-5337 for tours. http://www.apollotheater.org. When it was completed in 1883, it was the world's longest suspension bridge, the city's tallest structure and the first bridge to be lighted using electricity. A muscular giant of stone and steel linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, this engineering marvel took 13 years to build. The bridge makes a wonderfully scenic place for a stroll or a bike ride, offering stellar views of both boroughs. The Manhattan side is near the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall subway stop (subway lines 4, 5, 6, J, M or Z). The Brooklyn end is near the Clark Street station on subway line 2 or 3; or the High Street Station on subway line A or C. (The Brooklyn end is near the Clark Street station on subway line 2 or 3; or the High Street Station on subway line A or C.), Brooklyn. Ever since Tchaikovsky presided over the neo-Renaissance structure's 1891 debut, Carnegie Hall has been the best-known concert venue in the U.S. Comprising three halls, it's primarily a classical-music venue, showcasing the greatest soloists and orchestras in the world. The big names fill the main Isaac Stern Auditorium, and younger artists often debut in the facility's Weill Recital Hall. Jazz and new music are often featured in the underground Zankel Hall, which opened in 2003. The Rose Museum, which has exhibits of the hall's history and archival treasures, is open daily 11 am-4:30 pm (admission is free; closed 1 July-14 September). One-hour tours of Carnegie Hall are offered September-June Monday-Friday at 11:30 am and 2 and 3 pm. Tours are US$9 adults, US$6 seniors and students, US$3 children younger than 12. Purchase tickets at the box office 11 am-3 pm on tour days (no advance reservations needed). Gift shop. 154 W. 57th St. at Seventh Avenue (subway line A, B, C, D or 1 to 59th Street-Columbus Circle; N, Q, R or W to 57th Street; E to Seventh Avenue), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-247-7800. For tour updates, call 212-903-9765. http://www.carnegiehall.org. A religious building project on par with the medieval cathedrals, St. John the Divine is the largest Gothic Revival cathedral in the world. Construction began in 1892, and it still isn't finished. Stone carvers are often repairing the structure. The church is the seat of the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Inside you'll find priceless tapestries by Barberini. Guided tours take you through the cathedral's ins and outs and explain the history and architecture of this great space. The cathedral hosts concerts and other events throughout the year. Monday-Saturday 7 am-6 pm, Sunday 7 am-7 pm. Services daily. Tours are held Tuesday-Saturday at 11 am and Sunday at 1 pm. Entrance to the cathedral is free. The standard tour is US$5 adults, US$4 seniors and students. 1047 Amsterdam Ave. at 112th Street (subway line 1 to 110th Street-Cathedral Parkway), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-316-7490 for general information, 212-932-7347 for tours. http://www.stjohndivine.org. This iconic art-deco structure, completed in 1929, is one of the most elegant skyscrapers in New York. A decorative eagle head juts out near the summit, and the building's pinnacle resembles a gleaming modernist crown—all crafted by hand in chrome-nickel steel. Though you can't ride to the top, you can get a great look at its elegant profile from the Observation Deck of the nearby Empire State Building. The beautiful lobby is also worth checking out. 405 Lexington Ave. at 42nd Street (subway line S, 4, 5, 6 or 7 to 42nd Street-Grand Central), Manhattan, New York City. Built between 1803 and 1812 in Federal style, and the oldest such structure in the U.S. that remains home to its original purpose, City Hall features a number of pleasing architectural details, including a dome and cupola. The interior houses the mayor's office and the city council, as well as a permanent art and history collection. At the northern end of City Hall Park, you'll find the stunning Tweed Courthouse, built in 1870 by the notorious "Boss" Tweed—construction costs were originally budgeted at US$250,000 but ballooned to more than US$14 million. You'll find the entrance to the pedestrian ramp of the Brooklyn Bridge there, too. Individual tours of City Hall and Tweed Courthouse are offered Thursday at 10 am and Friday at 2 pm; tours of City Hall alone are offered Monday and Wednesday-Friday at 10 am. Group tours are available. Tours are free; reservations are necessary and may be made at http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/tours/reserve_tour.shtml. A first-come, first-served tour, limited to 20 people, is offered Wednesday at noon. 250 Broadway at Chambers Street (subway line J, M or Z to Chambers Street; 4, 5 or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall; R to City Hall), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-639-9675. http://www.nyc.gov. Built in 1887, this Lower East Side synagogue was the first major place of worship for the massive Jewish immigrant community on the Lower East Side. Today, the area is home to many Asian immigrants, and Eldridge Street itself offers a fascinating glimpse of the ever-changing and fascinating nature of the American immigrant experience. The building was recently restored and reopened to the public as the Museum at Eldridge Street. 12 Eldridge St. (subway line B or D to Grand Street; F to East Broadway), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-219-0888. http://www.eldridgestreet.org. Ellis Island was the gateway through which more than 12 million immigrants passed between 1892 and 1954. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is housed in the old immigration station. In addition to seeing the building itself, you can view hundreds of photos of immigrants and exhibits of items they took with them to the U.S. In the Oscar-winning 30-minute film Island of Hope, Island of Tears, immigrants tell their stories of pulling up roots and going to America. The audio tour tells the stories of immigrants in their own words. You can also take in the 30-minute play Ellis Island Stories (May-October; children younger than 4 not admitted to the performance). Check at the information desk for tickets and film and performance schedules. The American Immigrant Wall of Honor commemorates more than 600,420 of the first-generation Americans. Computers inside the museum allow you to see if your last name appears anywhere on the wall. You can also search ships' manifest records for your ancestors. If your search is successful, you'll get a reproduction of the original manifest along with a picture of the ship of passage. Be prepared for tight security measures, including airport-style X-ray machines and metal detectors. You can only get to Ellis Island via the Statue of Liberty ferry, which departs from Battery Park about every 45 minutes. The monument is open daily 8:30 am-5:15 pm (closed Christmas). The last ferry departs Manhattan for the island at 3:40 pm. Admission is free, but there are separate fees for the audio tour (US$4 adults) and performance (US$3 adults). The ferry ride costs US$12 adults, US$10 for seniors, US$5 children ages 4-13, free for children younger than 4. (You can get to Battery Park by subway line N or R to Whitehall Street; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green; 1 to South Ferry.) Phone 212-269-5755 or toll-free 866-782-8834 for information and ferry schedules. http://www.statuereservations.com or http://www.nps.gov/elis. This quintessential New York landmark is currently the tallest building in the city. From the 86th-floor Observation Deck, you have the best view of other enduring landmarks, such as the Chrysler Building and Central Park. Try to go at night, when the view is absolutely spellbinding and the lines for the elevators are a bit shorter (though you should expect a wait even then). The 102nd-floor Observatory requires a US$15 ticket in addition to the admission fee. Another attraction in the building is the New York Skyride, a 12-minute flight simulation that makes you feel as if you're soaring over the city. The simulator is in operation daily 8 am-10 pm (phone 212-279-9777, http://www.skyride.com). Expect a conscientious security search. The Observatory is open daily 8 am-2 pm (last elevator goes up 45 minutes before closing time). Ticket prices, including tax, are US$19 for adults, US$17 for seniors and youths ages 12-17, US$13 for children ages 6-11, free for children younger than 6 and military personnel in uniform. An audio tour is available for US$7. Simulator ride costs extra. Combination tickets for the Observatory and the Skyride simulator are available. 350 Fifth Ave. at 34th Street (subway line B, D, F, N, Q, R or W to 34th Street-Herald Square), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-736-3100. http://www.esbnyc.com. Built in 1902, the much-photographed, 21-story Italian-Renaissance Flatiron Building (officially, the Fuller Building) was, despite local lore, neither the city's first skyscraper nor its first steel-skeleton building. Its wedge-shaped footprint—it's only 6.5 ft/2 m wide at its narrowest point—was designed to fit a triangular piece of land. The interior cannot be toured—it's now the home of publishing firms and offices—but there are a few cool shops there to make a stop worthwhile. No phone. 175 Fifth Ave. at 23rd Street (subway line F, N, R, V, W or 6 to 23rd Street), Manhattan, New York City. One of the busiest train stations in the world, this architectural monument to American transportation was saved from destruction in 1978 by a U.S. Supreme Court decision. Its Renaissance-style architecture creates a strangely peaceful backdrop for the dance of thousands of frenetic commuters. The creamy-rose, Tennessee-marble floors gleam, as do the hundreds of bulbs in the brass chandeliers. The Sky Ceiling is a heart-stopper: The aquamarine image of the night sky is speckled with tiny lights for stars, and major constellations are outlined in gold. There are more than 68 shops and 35 restaurants, including the famed Grand Central Oyster Bar. The Grand Central Market has vendors selling produce, cheeses, baked goods and gourmet treats from around the world. Group tours (US$5 per person for more than 10 people, or a minimum of US$50 for the group) must be booked in advance (phone 212-340-2345 or online). Private organizations sometimes offer specialized tours. Check Web site for details and schedule. The terminal is open daily 5:30 am-1:30 am; tours offered daily 8 am-6 pm. Hours for shops and restaurants vary. 42nd Street at Park Avenue (subway line S, 4, 5, 6 or 7 to 42nd Street-Grand Central), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-340-2210 for event information. http://www.grandcentralterminal.com. This large complex, considered America's first performing-arts center, is home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the New York Philharmonic, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Juilliard School, the School of American Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet. A dizzying array of performances is presented in the center's numerous theaters and auditoriums, which include Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, the Vivian Beaumont Theater, the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, the New York State Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall and the Walter Reade Theater. In addition, Lincoln Center is jam-packed with special events year-round. Tours of the center explore its architecture and history and offer behind-the-scenes visits to the Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall and the State Theater. Meet-the-artist opportunities and visits to rehearsals in progress are also available. Tours are offered daily at 10:30 am and 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 pm. Tours are US$13.50 adults, US$10 students, US$6 children younger than 12. Tours of the Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center (at Columbus Circle), are offered Monday-Saturday at 12:30 pm. Tours cost US$10 adults, US$8 seniors and students, US$5 children younger than 12. Combined tours are available. Columbus Avenue at 64th Street (subway line 1 to 66th Street-Lincoln Center), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-546-2656 for general information. Phone 212-875-5350 for tours. http://www.lincolncenter.org. More than just one of the world's great research libraries, the two-block-long main branch of New York's public library system (officially known as the Humanities and Social Sciences Library) lures residents and visitors alike with its two stone lion mascots (dubbed Patience and Fortitude by the late Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia), and its beautiful beaux arts facade, a grand entrance hall, changing exhibits and 132 mi/213 km of shelves. The Main Reading Room stretches the length of a football field. The library's 15 million items, including rare illuminated manuscripts, can be used in the reading rooms—but no books leave the premises. Bags are inspected when you enter and depart. Open Monday 11 am-6 pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am-7:30 pm, Thursday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm. Tours are offered Monday and Saturday at 11 am and 2 pm, Sunday at 2 pm. Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets (subway line B, D, F or V to 42nd Street; 7 to Fifth Avenue), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-930-0830. http://www.nypl.org/reserach/chss. The beginnings of the New York Stock Exchange are rooted in the agreement of 24 brokers who decided in 1792 to trade securities only among themselves. The pledge they signed, called the Buttonwood Agreement, was named for their meeting place under a buttonwood tree that faced 68 Wall St. The exchange is currently closed to visitors. 20 Broad St., between Wall and Exchange (subway line J or Z to Broad Street; 2, 3, 4 or 5 to Wall Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-656-3000. http://www.nyse.com. This gorgeously ornate art-deco theater presents just about everything, from the synchronized moves of the Rockettes to pop-music shows and the annual Christmas extravaganzas. The Rockette Experience lets dancers age 10 and older take a three-hour master class and mock audition with a real Rockette. Workshop fee is US$108; observers pay US$25. To reserve a spot, call 212-631-4354 or visit http://www.danceadts.com/Rockettes%20Micro%20Site/Rockette_12_30/rockette_registration.htm. The one-hour Stage Door tours take you behind the scenes Monday-Saturday 11 am-3 pm, on the half-hour. Tour tickets are US$17 adults, US$14 seniors, US$10 children younger than 12. 1260 Sixth Ave. at 50th Street (subway line B, D, F or V to 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-247-4777 for general information. http://www.radiocity.com. Built in grand style in the 1930s, this massive art-deco complex is perhaps most famous for its annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and its ice-skating rink (open October-May—skates available for rental). Walking tours of Rockefeller Center's architectural treasures, with stories about the center's famous and quirky past, depart from the NBC Experience store (30 Rockefeller Plaza, on 49th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues) on the hour Monday-Saturday 11 am-5 pm, Sunday 11 am-3 pm. US$12 adults, US$10 for seniors and children ages 6-16 (no children younger than 6). The six-level observation deck, Top of the Rock, is open 8 am-midnight (last elevator at 11 pm). US$17.50 adults, US$16 seniors, US$11.25 children ages 6-12. Fifth Avenue between 47th and 52nd streets (subway line B, D, F or V to 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center; N, R or W to 49th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-332-6868 for general information. http://www.rockefellercenter.com. The seat of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York, this enormous, ornate, Gothic-style cathedral's nave opened in 1879, and construction was completed in 1931. It now seats 2,200 people. The cathedral was designed by architect James Renwick Jr., and the St. Michael and St. Louis Altar was made by Tiffany & Co. The soaring columns, brilliant stained-glass windows—including the dramatic rose window over the west entrance—and sculpture are breathtaking. Daily 6:30 am-8:45 pm. Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st streets (subway line B, D or F to Sixth Avenue-Rockefeller Center; E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-753-2261. http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org. Part of Trinity Church, St. Paul's Georgian-classical-revival style resembles London's St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Erected in 1766, it is the oldest surviving Manhattan public structure and has witnessed many historic events. George Washington worshipped there on his inauguration day in 1789 and attended services there for the two years that New York was the nation's capital. Other notable worshippers have included William IV of England and U.S. Presidents Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and George H.W. Bush. Following 9/11, the chapel served as a round-the-clock ministry for World Trade Center rescue workers for more than eight months. An exhibit documents the Ground Zero relief efforts. Open Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday 9 am-4 pm. The churchyard is open daily 10 am-4 pm (later in the spring and summer). 209 Broadway (subway line 4, 5 or A to Fulton Street-Broadway; 6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-233-4164. http://www.saintpaulschapel.org. A universal symbol of political freedom and democracy, the Statue of Liberty is located in New York Harbor. Lady Liberty's imposing (305 ft/93 m) height and her symbolic welcome are seen by all who sail past her. Visitors can admire the view from the observation deck (at the statue's toe level), look up inside the statue from below a glass ceiling, and visit a museum chronicling the monument's history and construction. France donated the Statue of Liberty as a gesture of international friendship to commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. The interior of the statue has been closed since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Liberty Island is open for tours; be aware that extensive security measures are in place on the Statue of Liberty ferry and again on the island. Liberty Island is only accessible by the Statue of Liberty ferry, which departs from Battery Park about every 45 minutes. Daily 9:30 am-5 pm (with extended hours in peak seasons). The last ferry to the island departs Manhattan at 3:30 pm. Tours of the Statue of Liberty are free, but you will need advance reservations (made when you reserve your ferry ticket). The ferry costs US$12 adults, US$10 seniors and US$5 children ages 4-12. (You can get to Battery Park by subway line N or R to Whitehall Street; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green; 1 to South Ferry.) Phone 212-269-5755 for the current ferry schedule. Toll-free 877-523-9849 for ferry tickets and tour reservations. http://www.nps.gov/stli. Built in 1929, this Moorish-Romanesque temple with its vaulted roof is one of the largest synagogues in the world. The 2,500-seat sanctuary has a marvelous bronze ark in the shape of a Torah scroll, decorated in spectacular mosaics. Be sure to note the radiant stained-glass windows, one of which is an original from Tiffany & Co. The temple regularly hosts concerts, lectures and free tours, including tours after Saturday morning services. 1 E. 65th St. at Fifth Avenue (subway line N or R to Fifth Avenue), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-744-1400. http://www.emanuelnyc.org. Housing the world's largest international governmental organization, the U.N. headquarters was designed by a worldwide team of architects. Its three connecting buildings—the boxy Dag Hammarskjold Library, the glass-walled Secretariat tower and the low-slung General Assembly—dominate the site, which is considered international territory. The colorful flags from 192 countries flying along First Avenue are one of New York's best photo ops. There is a bookshop. The Delegates' Dining Room has a very good lunch buffet with spectacular views of the East River (business attire, including jackets for men, and security screening are required). Weekdays only. US$25, not including drinks. Reservations required. Phone 212-963-7626. One-hour guided tours are offered every half-hour Monday-Friday 9:30 am-4:45 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-4:30 pm (in January and February, tours are offered Monday-Friday only). Reservations are required for groups of 12 or more. Tours cost US$13.50 adults, US$9.50 for seniors, US$9 for students, US$7.50 children ages 5-14. Children younger than age 5 are not permitted on tours. The visitors' entrance is on First Avenue at 46th Street (subway line 4, 5, 6 or 7 to 42nd Street-Grand Central), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-963-8687. http://www.un.org/tours. The first Trinity Church, built 1698, was once considered the tallest building in the colonies. After fires destroyed the two previous churches on the site, Richard Upjohn built the current structure—including flying buttresses, vaulted ceilings and doors modeled after Ghiberti's bronze Gates of Paradise on the Baptistry in Florence, Italy—in 1846. The original burial ground includes the graves of many historic figures, including Alexander Hamilton. The church's museum has a permanent collection of historical documents and artifacts. Special exhibitions give you a sense of what life was like during the American Revolution, the Civil War and even the turbulent 1960s. Monday-Friday 7 am-6 pm, Saturday 8 am-4 pm, Sunday 7 am-4 pm. Hours of worship services vary. Free guided tours daily at 2 pm, and Sunday following the 11:15 am service. 74 Trinity Place, near the corner of Broadway and Wall Street (subway line R, W or 1 to Rector Street; 2, 3, 4 or 5 to Wall Street; J, M or Z to Broadway), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-602-0800. http://www.trinitywallstreet.org. Ground Zero is now a construction site, surrounded by a tall wire-mesh fence. Photos mounted on the fence tell the story of the site, but signs also tell you not to leave mementos or flowers. You can catch glimpses of some original walls of the WTC from the elevated walkway that crosses West Street at Vesey—but be aware that it is just a walkway across a street, not a place for any kind of quiet, private moment. Much of the surrounding area is back to normal, with street vendors around the main site doing a brisk business selling T-shirts, flags and other souvenir memorabilia. The overall plan for the new buildings at the site, submitted by architects David Childs and Daniel Libeskind, was selected after extensive debate and publicity. The plans include the Freedom Tower, a slender structure that will twist as it rises from the ground and be topped with a distinctive spire; and a memorial with pools sunk in the footprints of the Twin Towers. However, public and political debate on the development of the site continues, and the ultimate look of the site is not finalized. For the most current information about the reconstruction plans, visit http://www.renewnyc.org. The site is bordered roughly by West, Liberty, Church and Vesey streets (subway line 1, 2 or 3 to Chambers Street; R or W to Cortlandt Street; E to World Trade Center; 4 or 5 to Wall Street), Manhattan, New York City. You'll find world-class museums in all five boroughs, but make time for the stretch of Fifth Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side known as Museum Mile. It's home to a group of top choices, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Frick, the Jewish Museum, the Neue Gallerie for German and Austrian Art, Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design, El Museo del Barrio and the Museum of the City of New York. Every June, nine museums host the three-day Museum Mile Festival from 85th to 104th streets. Fifth Avenue closes to traffic, and live bands and musicians play everything from jazz to Broadway tunes. Outdoor art activities for children, mapmaking at the Museum of the City of New York, figure-painting at the Cooper-Hewitt and chalk-drawing in the streets combine in an explosion of public art. For more information, visit http://www.museummilefestival.org.
Museums inspect many items carried by visitors. Most do not allow luggage, large backpacks or laptops in their galleries and will not store such items in their coat checks. Strollers and wheelchairs are usually allowed; some museums may provide wheelchairs. Some museums may allow photography; check in advance.
You don't need to be a lover of folk art to appreciate this museum. Its angular, metal-panel facade is a striking addition to 53rd Street, and the building's interior is noteworthy, too. Much of what's on display came from the collector Ralph Esmerian, who specialized in works that draw upon European craft traditions. The book-and-gift shop offers a selection of fine crafts. Open daily except Monday 10:30 am-5:30 pm (Friday till 7:30 pm). US$9 adults, US$7 seniors and students, free for children younger than 12 (free admission Friday 5:30-7:30 pm). 45 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues (subway line B, D or F to 49th Street-Rockefeller Center; E or V to 53rd Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-265-1040. http://www.folkartmuseum.org. The Museum of Natural History is best known for having the largest collection of dinosaurs, fossils and skeletons in the world. The Dinosaur Hall is everyone's favorite, and visitors can learn more about dinosaurs through interactive computers that are part of the exhibits. Elsewhere, there are informative exhibits of early Asian, Mexican and precolonial North American life. Visitors can also hunt for hidden creatures in a two-story replica of an African baobab tree filled with tropical birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals. The Rose Center for Earth & Space, which includes an improved version of the Hayden Planetarium, is stunning: a giant metallic orb 87 ft/27 m in diameter, enclosed within a huge, nine-story-high glass structure. In the Space Theater, see Cosmic Collisions, which takes you on an exhilarating trip through space and time. (It's narrated by Robert Redford.) Shows are every half-hour 10:30 am-4:30 pm (except Wednesday, when the first show is at 11 am), and the first Friday of every month 10:30 am-7 pm. Open daily 10 am-5:45 pm; the Rose Center is open the first Friday of every month till 8:45 pm. Suggested admission to the museum is US$15 adults, US$11 seniors and students, and US$8.50 children age 12 or younger. Admission to the Rose Center is included with a museum ticket, but additional fees are charged for the Space Theater and IMAX films. Central Park West at 79th Street (subway line B or C to 81st Street-Museum of Natural History), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-769-5100. http://www.amnh.org. Currently closed for renovations and due to reopen mid-September 2008. One of the first museums designed just for children—it's a hands-on place. Children can pluck a guitar, handle earthworms, adopt a plant and test their shoe-tying skills in a unique building reached through an underground People Tube. There's a special area for children younger than 5 and a collection of 27,000 objects—from Queen Elizabeth II coronation dolls to an elephant skeleton. Open September-June Wednesday-Friday 1-6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm; July and August Tuesday-Thursday noon-6 pm, Friday noon-6:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm. US$5 per person, free for children younger than 1. 145 Brooklyn Ave., at St. Mark's Avenue (subway line 3 or C to Kingston Avenue, A to Nostrand Avenue—you then have to walk several blocks, so call for specifics), Brooklyn, New York City. Phone 718-735-4400. http://www.brooklynkids.org. The city's second-largest museum is housed in an impressive beaux arts building just a block from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and Prospect Park. Its Egyptian, African and Native American collections are some of its strongest points, and it also exhibits significant works by John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. Don't miss the Rodin sculpture gallery. There are also exceptional holdings in American fine and decorative arts from the colonial era to the present. The Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art includes a permanent display of Judy Chicago's ceramic work The Dinner Party. Open Wednesday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6 pm. On the first Saturday of each month, the museum remains open until 11 pm, with free admission after 5 pm. Suggested donation US$8 adults, US$4 seniors and students, free for children younger than 12. Additional fees for special exhibitions. 200 Eastern Parkway at Washington Avenue (subway line 2 or 3 to Eastern Parkway-Brooklyn Museum), Brooklyn, New York City. Phone 718-638-5000. http://www.brooklynmuseum.org. Fun programs for children in a changing lineup—including a journey with Dora the Explorer—teach numbers, teamwork and other life skills. The museum store offers books and toys for children. Open daily except Monday 10 am-5 pm. US$9 per person older than 1, US$6 seniors. Tisch Building, 212 W. 83rd St., between Amsterdam and Broadway (subway line 1 to 79th or 86th streets), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-721-1234. http://www.cmom.org. Housed in the beautiful Andrew Carnegie Mansion, this branch of the Smithsonian Institution is devoted to historic and contemporary design. Its collection of decorative textiles, porcelain and wallpaper traces the development of design through the centuries. Open Monday-Thursday 10 am-5 pm, Friday 10 am-9 pm, Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday noon-6 pm. US$15 adults, US$10 students and seniors, free for children younger than 13. 2 E. 91st St., at Fifth Avenue (subway line 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street; 6 to 96th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-849-8400. http://www.cooperhewitt.org. Just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this collection houses Latin American art. Founded in 1969, the Museo includes sculpture, paintings and photography. Open Wednesday-Sunday 11 am-5 pm. US$6 adults, US$4 seniors and students, free for children younger than 12; free for seniors on Thursday. 1230 Fifth Ave., at 104th Street (subway line 6 to 103rd Street), New York City. Phone 212-831-7272. http://www.elmuseo.org. The 1910 mansion of U.S. industrialist Henry Frick faces Central Park and is now a museum that houses his stunning collection of 14th- to 19th-century European paintings, objets d'art and furniture. It includes Holbein's Sir Thomas More and Degas' The Rehearsal, as well as paintings by Goya, Vermeer and others. The courtyard, with its fountain, ivy and stone benches, is a fine place to rest. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm. US$15 adults, US$10 seniors, US$5 students. Children ages 10-16 admitted only with adult; children younger than 10 not admitted. 1 E. 70th St., at Fifth Avenue (subway line 6 to 68th Street-Hunter College), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-288-0700. http://www.frick.org. This museum has a collection of more than 55,000 photographs, most of which document 1930s-60s Europe and the Americas. It also offers well-regarded photography courses and workshops. An extensive collection of books about the art and practice of taking pictures can be found in the gift shop. Open Tuesday-Thursday 10 am-6 pm, Friday 10 am-8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm. US$12 adults, US$8 students and seniors. 1133 Sixth Ave., at 43rd Street (subway line B, D, F, V or 7), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-857-0000. http://www.icp.org. The aircraft carrier USS Intrepid has been tugged out of the muck of the Hudson River and is now at Sullivan Pier in Staten Island, where work on its refurbishment continues. It is scheduled to return to its home berth in September 2008, when the museum is scheduled to reopen. For updates, visit http://www.intrepidmuseum.org. This is one of the nation's pre-eminent institutions dedicated to Jewish history and culture. It offers works of art, ceremonial objects, archaeological evidence, photographs and more. Cafe Weissman serves kosher cuisine. The museum is open Saturday-Wednesday 11 am-5:45 pm, Thursday 11 am-8 pm. Closed Friday and major Jewish holidays. US$12 adults, US$10 seniors, US$7.50 students, free for children younger than 12; free admission on Saturday. 1109 Fifth Ave., at 92nd Street (subway line 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street; 6 to 96th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-423-3200. http://www.thejewishmuseum.org. Located in what was once a predominantly Jewish immigrant neighborhood, this 1863 tenement house has been re-created to depict families' apartments as they would have looked in the 19th century, the Great Depression and the mid-20th century. Seen by one-hour guided tour only: Tuesday-Friday 1:20, 2, 2:40, 3:20, 4, 4:30 and 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday every half-hour 11:15 am-4:45 pm. US$15 adults, US$11 seniors and students. These tours are suitable for children age 8 and older. The Confino Apartment Tour gives children the chance to try on period clothing and chat with interpreters portraying immigrants who lived there almost a century ago. Saturday and Sunday in June at noon and 1, 2 and 3 pm; in July and August, Friday at 1 and 2 pm, Saturday and Sunday at noon and 1, 2 and 3 pm. US$15 adults, US$11 seniors and students. The apartment tour is suitable for children age 5 and older. All tours begin at the museum's visitors center at 108 Orchard St. (at Broome Street). Reservations for tours are highly recommended. 108 Orchard St. (subway line B or D to Grand Street; F, J, M or Z to Delancey-Essex Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-431-0233. http://www.tenement.org. If you visit only one museum in New York, this is the one. The entire museum covers 5,000 years of art and culture from all over the world, with more than 3 million works of art. The Egyptian art rivals any collection outside of Cairo (the Temple of Dendur, built about 15 BC, is among the museum's most-visited sites), and the Greco-Roman galleries contain some of the most important sculpture in the world. You can see such wonderful treasures as a Rembrandt sketch of Da Vinci's Last Supper; Botticelli's painting of The Annunciation; and fabulous works by Vermeer, Monet, Renoir, Manet, Degas, Gauguin and Van Gogh. The Met's arms and armor collection, which includes some 15,000 pieces from around the world, fascinates children and adults alike. Cafeteria, cafes, and a bookstore and gift shop. Open Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday 9:30 am-5:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 9:30 am-9 pm. Galleries are cleared 15 minutes before closing times; some galleries may not open before 11 am on Sunday. Suggested donation US$20 adults, US$15 seniors and US$10 students, free for children younger than 12. 1000 Fifth Ave., at 82nd Street (subway line 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-535-7710. http://www.metmuseum.org. Exhibitions are suspended until the collection moves to its permanent home at 110th Street and Fifth Avenue in 2008. In the meantime, the museum is organizing off-site exhibitions around the country. Its temporary location is 36-01 43rd Ave., Long Island City, Queens. Phone 718-784-7700. http://www.africanart.org. This museum focuses on contemporary crafts from tapestries to teapots. It represents a variety of media, including fiber, wood, clay and metal. There's also a terrific menu of Sunday workshops available. Delightful objects are for sale in the gift store. The museum will relocate to 2 Columbus Circle in fall 2008. Daily 10 am-6 pm (Thursday till 8 pm). US$9 adults, US$7 seniors and students (pay what you wish Thursday 6-8 pm). 40 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues (subway line E or V to Fifth Avenue; N, R or W to 49th Street; B, D or F to 50th Street-Rockefeller Center; Q to 57th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-956-3535. http://www.madmuseum.org. The mission of this museum is to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the 20th-century Jewish experience before, during and after the Holocaust. Exhibitions and displays are divided into three themes: Jewish life a century ago, war against the Jews, and Jewish renewal. Photography is not permitted in the galleries. Open Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday 10 am-5:45 pm, Wednesday 10 am-8 pm, Friday 10 am-3 pm. Closed on Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving. US$10 adults, US$7 seniors, US$5 students, free for children younger than 13. Free admission Wednesday 4-8 pm, although some programs may still require a fee. Cafe for kosher dining. Gift shop. 36 Battery Place (subway line 1 to South Ferry; W or R to Whitehall; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 646-437-4200. http://www.mjhnyc.org. The museum soars above West 53rd Street, a work of art in itself, complete with a sculpture garden that preserves the original 1953 design by Philip Johnson. MoMA has one of the world's very best collections of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, architecture, photography, film and industrial design. Artists represented include Chagall, Klee, Magritte, Dali, Stieglitz, Wyeth, Pollock, Mondrian, Rauschenberg and Oldenburg. Famous works include Van Gogh's Starry Night and Picasso's landmark Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. Two cafes, a gift shop and a reservations-recommended restaurant, The Modern (phone 212-333-1220 or visit http://www.themodernnyc.com). Open daily except Tuesday 10:30 am-5:30 pm (Friday till 8 pm). US$20 adults, US$16 seniors, US$12 students, free for children younger than 16. Free on Friday 4-8 pm. 11 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues (subway line E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street), New York City. Phone 212-708-9400. http://www.moma.org. Historical New York comes alive through period furniture, miniatures and antique toys. The museum covers New York from the Dutch settlers to the present day and will teach you about the city's streets and buildings. Permanent installations include New York Toy Stories (with 10,000 toys that New Yorkers played with from colonial days to the present, as well as Eloise's room at the Plaza Hotel), Richard Rodgers' Broadway, the remarkable Stettheimer Doll House from the 1920s (filled with original miniature paintings and sculptures by notable modern artists), and exhibits of fire and police history, equipment and memorabilia. Museum shop and cafe. Open daily except Monday 10 am-5 pm. Guided tours are offered. US$9 adults, US$5 seniors and students, free for children younger than 12 (family rate US$20). Free admission Sunday 10 am-noon. 1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd Street (subway line 6 to 103rd Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-534-1672. http://www.mcny.org. Before there was Hollywood, there was Queens. The site of the Museum of the Moving Image was Paramount's production studio in the 1920s, then a center for independent film production. The museum now contains the country's largest permanent collection of artifacts related to motion pictures, television and digital media. It has a fascinating collection of memorabilia from television series and movies. Open Wednesday and Thursday 11 am-5 pm, Friday 11 am-8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am-6:30 pm. Group tours are offered by appointment. Screenings of avant-garde films are held Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday throughout the day (call ahead for program details). US$10 adults, US$7.50 for seniors and students, US$5 children ages 5-18, free for children under age 5; admission is free Friday 4-8 pm (does not include screenings). 35th Avenue at 36th Street (subway line R or V to Steinway Street; exit at 34th Avenue, walk south to 36th Street), Astoria, Queens, New York City. Phone 718-784-0077. http://www.movingimage.us. Also known as the George Gustav Heye Center, this branch of the Smithsonian Institution hosts exhibits about Native Americans from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America. Housed in a spectacular domed beaux arts building that was once the U.S. Customs House, it contains information and artifacts that tell the story of more than 10,000 years of Native American history and culture. Items on display range from ancient clovis-point arrowheads to modern-art installations. The museum also hosts films, music and dance performances, tours and workshops. Daily 10 am-5 pm (Thursday till 8 pm). Free. 1 Bowling Green at the end of Broadway next to Battery Park (subway line R or W to Whitehall Street; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green; 1 to South Ferry; or J, M or Z to Broad Street—because of subway construction, take the J, M, R or W line on Saturday and Sunday), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-514-3700. http://www.nmai.si.edu. This small museum, housed in an opulent Louis XIII-style mansion that was once a Vanderbilt home, is a world-class showcase for German and Austrian art and design from 1890 to 1940. You'll find works by Gustav Klimt—including his famous portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer—Max Beckmann, Erich Heckel and more. The museum's two restaurants, Cafe Sabarsky and Cafe Fledermaus, serve Austrian food, and the Viennese pastries are nothing less than wunderbar. (Both cafes are open six days a week; museum admission is not required. Reservations recommended for dinner in Cafe Sabarsky; phone 212-288-0665.) Bookstore and design shop. The museum is open Friday 11 am-9 pm, Thursday and Saturday-Monday 11 am-6 pm. US$15 adults, US$10 seniors and students. No children younger than 12 admitted, and children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 1048 Fifth Ave., at 86th Street (subway line 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-628-6200. http://www.neuegallery.org. This museum primarily shows works by living, contemporary artists, especially those whose work is political or experimental in nature. The architectural style of the museum's new building reflects the Lower East Side's grittiness. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday noon-6 pm, Thursday and Friday noon-10 pm. US$12 adults, US$8 seniors, US$6 students, free 18 and younger. 235 Bowery, between Stanton and Rivington streets (subway line 6 to Spring Street, F or V to Second Avenue, N or R to Prince Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-219-1222. http://www.newmuseum.org. This award-winning science museum has more than 400 hands-on exhibits that explore the wonders of science in everyday life. Separate areas teach the principles behind cyberspace, molecules, physics, sound, light and the body—different active learning experiences are geared to preschoolers and older children. Visit the World of Microbes, surf through the Technology Gallery, or hang on a 3-D spiderweb in the Science Playground. Open July and August Monday-Friday 9:30 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm; September-March Tuesday-Thursday 9:30 am-2 pm, Friday 9:30 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm; April-June Monday-Thursday 9:30 am–2 pm, Friday 9:30 am-5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm. US$11 adults, US$8 seniors and children ages 2-17 (September-June free admission on Friday 2-5 pm and Sunday 10-11 am). Children younger than 15 must be accompanied by an adult. 47-01 111th St., at 47th Avenue (subway line 7 to 111th Street), Flushing, Queens, New York City. Phone 718-699-0005. http://www.nyscience.org. George Washington slept just about everywhere—but you'll have to go to this museum to see his army bed, along with thousands of other treasures. The New-York Historical is the city's oldest museum in continuous operation. You can see 135 Tiffany lamps and one of the largest collections of miniature portraits in the nation. There is also a research library with more than 2 million artifacts, 10,000 maps and hundreds of photographs, prints and other documentary materials, including a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. Cafe and museum store. Open daily except Monday10 am-6 pm, Friday till 8 pm. Library open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm (closes earlier in summer). US$10 adults, US$7 seniors, US$6 students, free for children younger than 13. Admission is free Friday 6-8 pm. 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street (subway line B or C to 81st Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-873-3400. http://www.nyhistory.org. This immense former public school in Queens is an affiliate of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The hallways and classrooms of this turn-of-the-century Romanesque revival building contain art installations by a host of contemporary artists. There's also a large sculpture garden outside. Some installations are extremely successful, others are merely puzzling, and some are so subtle you're not sure whether you're looking at an idiosyncrasy of the building or a work of art. There are more traditional galleries with semipermanent and temporary exhibits. Open Thursday-Monday noon-6 pm. Suggested donation US$5 adults, US$2 seniors and students, free for MoMA ticket holders within 30 days. 22-25 Jackson Ave. at 46th Avenue (subway line E or V to 23rd Street-Ely Avenue; 7 or G to 45th Road-Court House Square), Long Island City, Queens, New York City. Phone 718-784-2084. http://www.ps1.org. Founded by broadcasting pioneer William S. Paley—the late founder and longtime head of the CBS network—the museum is best known for its enormous video and audio library. More than 100,000 radio and television programs and famous commercials are available for listening and viewing. Scan the database for programs that interest you (up to four screenings a visit), and a staff member will set you up in a private console room. Watch I Love Lucy episodes or look up more obscure relics of pop culture. From noon till closing, the museum presents a wide variety of programs from the collection—to see what's playing, pick up a daily schedule. The museum also hosts seminars and screenings, followed by discussions led by performers, journalists, critics and artists. Open daily except Monday noon-6 pm (Thursday till 8 pm). US$10 adults, US$8 seniors and students, US$5 children younger than 14. 25 W. 52nd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues (subway line B, D, F or V to 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center; E or V to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street), New York City. Phone 212-621-6800. http://www.mtr.org. The holdings in this Harlem public library are built around the collection of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a black Puerto Rican scholar and bibliophile who died in 1938. Over the years, his core collection of books, manuscripts, art objects, film and sheet music has grown to more than 5 million items related to the history and culture of people of African descent; the center is newly refurbished to aid scholars. The General Reference & Research division is open Monday-Wednesday noon-8 pm, Thursday and Friday 11 am-6 pm, Saturday 10 am-5 pm. Call ahead to make an appointment to visit the Moving Image & Recorded Sound division and the Art and Artifact Collection. 515 Malcolm X Blvd., at 135th Street (subway line 2 or 3 to 135th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-491-2200. http://www.nypl.org. The only New York City structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (he died before it was completed in 1959), this building is a work of art. Slightly funnel-shaped, the museum is best experienced by taking an elevator to the top, and then strolling downward along the spiraling gallery corridors. As you descend, you'll pass impressionist, postimpressionist, modern and avant-garde paintings and sculptures. Holdings include Chagall's Green Violinist, Picasso's Woman Ironing and Kandinsky's Composition 8. Bookstore and cafe. Open Saturday-Wednesday 10 am-5:45 pm, Friday 10 am-7:45 pm. US$18 adults, US$15 seniors and students, free for children younger than 12 (pay what you wish Friday 5:45-7:45 pm). Admission price includes a complimentary audio tour. Special admission prices for some exhibitions. 1071 Fifth Ave., at 89th Street (subway line 4, 5 or 6 to 86th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-423-3500. http://www.guggenheim.org. This museum's collection of historic working ships—schooners, merchant vessels, a lighter and a tug—is moored on the waterfront, and its gallery exhibits in the historic Schermerhorn Row illuminate New York's maritime past. Open April-October daily 10 am-6 pm; November-March Friday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm (ships are open noon-5 pm), Monday 10 am-5 pm (galleries only; reduced admission prices). US$8 adults, US$4 children ages 5-12, US$6 seniors and students, free for children younger than 5. 207 Front St., on the East River (subway line J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4 or 5 to Fulton Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-748-8600. http://www.southstseaport.org. This museum is devoted to work by artists of African descent, both from the U.S. and throughout the world. The collection concentrates mostly on cutting-edge contemporary works by artists such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Norman Lewis and Fred Wilson. Readings, lectures, artist workshops and training programs are also offered. Open Wednesday-Friday and Sunday noon-6 pm, Saturday 10 am-6 pm. Suggested donation US$7 adults, US$3 students and seniors, free for children younger than 12. 144 W. 125th St., between Lenox and Seventh avenues (subway line 2 or 3 to 125th Street), Manhattan, New York City. Phone 212-864-4500. http://www.studiomuseuminharlem.org. This museum is devoted to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the castlelike structure combines elements from medieval monastic sites of southern France. The building houses some 5,000 works of art, including the priceless 16th-century Unicorn Tapestries, early sculptures, illuminated manuscripts and stained-glass windows. The herb and flower gardens are based on medieval garden designs. A branch of the Met's Museum Store offers books, reproductions and other merchandise, | | |