Feb 12, 2012
Also Visit NY State Arts
Highlights of Lower Manhattan for Families
Lower Manhattan, the geographic and historic starting point of New York City, is home to national monuments and memorials that reflect the nation's history. Two easily recognizable examples are George Washington's figure on the steps of Federal Hall and the Statue of Liberty's beacon in the harbor. There are also scores of contemporary museums, cultural groups, public art works and performing arts centers in the area.
Finding one's way around this tip of the island is made a bit more challenging by the layout of its streets, which were drawn well before before the City's 1811 grid plan. Wall Street really did start off as a wall, which served as a protective northern barrier to the Dutch colony that began here in the 1620s. Broad Street, which ends at Wall Street, was once a canal used by the settlers of New Amsterdam.
The Alliance for the Arts' new Lower Manhattan map (PDF) highlights cultural attractions, from the Civic Center south to the harbor's islands. The map is free and available at visitor centers and featured cultural organizations.
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Manhattan
Through models, renderings, films and time-lapse images, the public can learn about the future National 9/11 Memorial and Museum and view construction progress at the World Trade Center site. More -
Action Center to End World Hunger
Manhattan
With exhibitions, interactive stations and talks, the Action Center welcomes visitors to learn about global hunger and poverty how the public can combat these issues. School groups are welcome. More -
Hang Out for Change, Thursdays at 3:30 pm
Action Center to End World Hunger
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This after-school program focuses on global issues such as hunger, climate change, health, poverty and access to education. Students will learn how these issues are affecting us both on a global and local level in New York City. Every month will have a different educational theme and excursion. More -
African Burial Ground National Monument
Manhattan
During excavation for construction of a new Federal office building at 290 Broadway in the early 1990s, workers unearthed an 18th-century cemetery for people of African ancestry which had been forgotten for two centuries. More -
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The center's arts calendar offers approximately 45 music and dance performances, six visual arts exhibits and six festivals yearly. Most programs are held in the spectacular Winter Garden. Summer events are held outside in a riverfront park. More -
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One of the city’s oldest public spaces, this 25-acre park at the tip of Manhattan and the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers is the largest park in Lower Manhattan. Its name refers to the battery of cannons once placed here to protect New Amsterdam. More -
Castle Clinton National Monument
Manhattan
Castle Clinton, at the southern tip of Manhattan on Battery Park's waterfront, is a fort that was built to protect New York City during the War of 1812. The original 19th-century fortifications and a small exhibition gallery are open to visitors. More -
Castle Clinton National Monument
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Inside the former fortress' walls is a museum illustrating the colorful history of Castle Clinton, including how it has served as a fort, entertainment center, immigration depot and aquarium. More -
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Eleven Tears is memorial to the 11 American Express employees who died on September 11, 2001. It resides on the ground floor of the American Express Tower and is open to the public. More -
Federal Hall National Memorial
Manhattan
Federal Hall National Memorial, the site of George Washington's swearing-in as the first president of the United States, is maintained by the National Park Service. The history of this famed locale comes alive through guided tours and gallery exhibitions. More -
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Built by Etienne Delancey as a residence in 1719, bought by Samuel Fraunces in 1762 and turned into a popular tavern, this building—fully rebuilt in the 1900s—is now a museum dedicated to early American history and culture. Its permanent collection contains important prints, paintings, decorative arts and artifacts. Temporary exhibits focus on life in early America. More -
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The Irish Hunger Memorial by artist Brian Tolle raises public awareness of the events that led to the Irish famine of 1845-52. It includes stones from Irish counties and plant life native to Ireland. More -
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An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum is the nation's only public museum dedicated to finance, entrepreneurship and the open market system. More -
Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
Manhattan
Created as a living memorial to those who perished in the Holocaust, the museum honors those who died by cherishing the traditions they embraced, examining their achievements and faith and affirming the vibrant worldwide Jewish community that is their legacy today. More -
National Museum of the American Indian—Smithsonian Institution
Manhattan
The museum features year-round exhibitions, dance and music performances, children’s workshops, family and school programs, film festivals and video screenings that present the diversity of the Native peoples of the Americas and the strength of their cultures from the earliest times to the present. More -
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In addition to using exhibitions, the museum conveys the police department's history through lectures by working cops and detectives, online exhibitions, publications and events in the public schools. More -
Constance Laibe Hays Children's Room
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This window-lined haven for youngsters features a rich assortment of books, manual typewriters, antique school desks, big stuffed animals and an abundance of other inspiring objects and activities. For children ages 4-10. More -
Manhattan
An Episcopal church, St. Paul's Chapel was built in 1766 and is the oldest continuously used building in New York City. It holds the exhibit Unwavering Spirit: Hope and Healing at Ground Zero, which chronicles the unique history of St. Paul's and its volunteer ministry in the weeks and months after September 11th. The chapel is also home to free music performances. More -
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Through exhibitions, programs and publications, the Skyscraper Museum in Battery Park City explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate and places of work and residence. More -
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Berthed nearby on Pier 16 are several historic ships including the Peking, a steel four-masted bark; the Wavertree, an iron full-rigged ship; the Pioneer, a cargo schooner; and the Lettie G. Howard, a wooden fishing schooner. Several of the ships have on-board exhibitions. More -
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Manhattan
For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of freedom to the world, as well as an image closely associated with New York; few tourists consider a trip complete without at least a passing glimpse of it. The statue's crown reopened for visitation on July 4, 2009. More -
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Through walking tours, exhibitions and programs, the Tribute WTC Visitor Center offers "person to person history," linking visitors who want to understand and appreciate the historic events of September 11, 2001 with those who experienced them. More -
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Trinity Church was designed by Richard Upjohn and completed in 1846. It is a classic example of Gothic Revival architecture. Permanent exhibits in its museum trace church history from the 1600s to the present. Free, weekly chamber and contemporary classical music recitals are performed every Thursday at 1 pm from September to May. More