Feb 5, 2012
Also Visit NY State Arts
City on the Move: Ships, Trains, Planes and Automobiles
As a city with so many movers and shakers, it's no surprise that New York has carloads, trainloads, boatloads and planeloads of transportation options. Kids can get close to the vehicles that fascinate them, and learn about their relationship to the city.
A walking tour of Grand Central Terminal is one way to navigate one of the largest train stations while learning about both transportation and city history. Ships to board include the working Staten Island Ferry and historic vessels docked by the South Street Seaport. Kids can get an idea of how to take to the air via the enormous aircraft carrier, the USS Intrepid.
The New York Hall of Science uses the putting greens of its Rocket Park Mini Golf to share the thrill and principles of space flight. At the New York City Fire and Police Museums, the city's bravest and finest show off historic, city-owned hot rods. And, since pedal power is all the rage, bicycle rentals are free on traffic-free Governor's Island on Fridays.
For learning more about travel and how the wheels go round, New York's got just the ticket.
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Brooklyn
Filled with restored antique subway cars, trolleys and buses---many open for climbing, exploration or make-believe---the museum tells the story of metropolitan New York's fabled public transportation system. The museum is located on the platforms and mezzanine of a decommissioned 1930s subway station. More -
Manhattan
The World War II aircraft carrier USS Intrepid no longer makes history, but rather helps illustrate it and America's technological capabilities on the sea, in the air and in space. More -
Staten Island
The museum interprets the history of the famous retirement home, Sailors’ Snug Harbor, in a fully rehabilitated former dormitory erected in 1841, now a National Historic Landmark. Permanent exhibitions focus on the history of Sailors’ Snug Harbor and include a typical dormitory room and the Writing Room, with original furnishings. More -
Staten Island Ferry: The First 100 Years of Municipal Service
Staten IslandOngoing
In celebration of the centennial of this national icon, the museum displays a wealth of photographs, artworks, ship models and artifacts from past ferries. More -
Staten IslandSat, March 1, 2008 – Fri, Dec 31, 2010
This exhibit highlights the tugboat—workhorse of New York Harbor—through paintings, photographs, prints and murals by contemporary artists. Also included are a history of the towing industry and a documentary featuring a night trip aboard a modern tug. More -
Manhattan
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 -
Brooklyn
Afloat on a retrofitted railroad barge once used to ferry goods, the museum fosters an understanding of New York Harbor as a historic waterway and a former conduit for commerce and commuters as well as recreation. It presents exhibits, events and educational programming. More -
Manhattan
The New York City Fire Museum displays fire-related art and artifacts, with objects dating from the 18th century to the present. More -
Manhattan
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 -
Manhattan
The free Staten Island Ferry travels between Staten Island and Manhattan in thirty minutes and provides views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Manhattan skyline. More -
ManhattanOngoing
After playing an important part in Grand Central Terminal's preservation in 1978, the Municipal Art Society has been giving tours of this magnificent Beaux-Arts landmark for a quarter-century. Tours meet at the information booth on the main concourse. More