New York City brings together very different scales: Central Park is a public commons for play and relaxation; museums and historic sites explore the universe, art, immigration, and political turning points. You can group your discoveries by interest—in the park, among the collections, or at sites whose stories are tied to specific dates. This creates a way to experience the city that is your own, without letting any one theme overshadow everything else.
Central Park and the Stories of the City
Central Park stretches between 59th Street and 110th Street, and between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West. At 843 acres, it is a public commons for play and relaxation. The streets and avenues precisely mark its boundaries. For an additional perspective, the Central Park Conservancy offers its Iconic Views of Central Park tour. Availability may change, so check the current dates in advance.
Another way to explore the city's history is through places associated with specific events. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. At the site of the former Twin Towers, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Federal Hall is where George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States. Other chapters in coastal defense are associated with Castle Williams and Castle Clinton, though their timelines differ: Castle Williams was completed in 1811 and influenced the design of coastal defenses over the following 50 years. Castle Clinton was built to defend the harbor during the War of 1812.
Art, Natural History, and Immigration
The Rose Center for Earth and Space explores the 13-billion-year history of the universe. At the American Museum of Natural History, the Discovery Room offers a different way to engage: it is a hands-on learning space for children ages four to twelve. The room is open daily except Tuesdays; schedules may change, so check current visiting hours in advance.
The art collections also cover different areas. MoMA has nearly 200,000 works from the past 150 years. The Whitney Museum of American Art focuses on 20th-century and contemporary American art, with particular attention to works by living artists. At MoMA, museum tours are led by professional art historians. Availability and booking terms may change; check the current options in advance.
Another way to look at the city is through its residents and its development. The Museum of the City of New York's New York at Its Core exhibition presents the city's history and future through the stories of immigrants, politicians, builders, and other New Yorkers. The Tenement Museum's apartment tours take visitors through historically recreated homes of immigrant and migrant families who lived in New York tenement buildings. Its neighborhood tours of the Lower East Side explore the area's past and present.
Tours, Views, and Island Visits
For a view across the city, the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building offers a 360-degree view of New York City. The visitor exhibits on the second and 80th floors are open to all ticket holders. Visitor procedures may change, so check the latest information before your visit.
Governors Island can be explored on foot and by bike. The ferry runs from the Battery Maritime Building, 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan, to the island; check the schedule in advance. Whether you choose a museum tour, a park visit, a view, or a stay on the island, you'll find very different ways to spend your time in New York City—from art and city history to open spaces and coastal defenses.
Discover more destinations: New York City, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Brighton Beach, Tompkins.
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