Things to do in New York
Museums and galleries, attractions, special things to do
From the 70th floor, Top of the Rock gives panoramic views of Manhattan's skyscrapers. Midtown is home to ornate Grand Central Terminal and Downtown has crowded Canal Street in Chinatown. On the Upper East Side, locals rollerblade through Central Park, browse art at the white-spiralled Guggenheim and heritage at the Jewish Museum. Walk over Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn, home to Egyptian statues at Brooklyn Museum. Most museums open daily, with free entry on Friday evening. Some close on Monday.
Museums and Galleries
Expand all1. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) - Contemporary creations
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Revamped in 2004 by Yoshio Taniguchi, MoMA's spacious and skylit Manhattan galleries contain the world's finest collection of 20th-century art. After browsing Léger's oils, Giacometti's sculpture and Schiele's drawings, watch a classic movie in the Roy and Niuta Titus Theatres.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$20; concessions US$12; under-17s & Fri 4-8pm free
Opening Hours
Wed-Mon 10.30am-5.30pm (Fri until 8pm)
Address
11 West 53rd Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), New York City, 10019
Telephone
+1 212 708 9400
2. Jewish Museum - Cultural and historical collection
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Housed in the ornate 1908 Warburg Mansion on the Upper East Side, the Jewish Museum includes over 28,000 paintings, religious icons and interactive installations. One of the best displays, Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey, illustrates the impact of history on Jewish cultureShow this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$12; concessions US$7.50-US$10; under-12s free
Opening Hours
Sat-Wed 11am-5.45pm; Thu 11am-8pm
Address
1109 Fifth Avenue (at 92nd Street), New York City, 10128
Telephone
+1 212 423 3200
3. Solomon R Guggenheim Museum - Extraordinary arts
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A white spiral building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum is an architectural icon on Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile. World-famous contemporary art includes exhibits by Kandinsky, Picasso and Chagall, and there are regular temporary exhibitions.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$18; concessions US$15; under-12s free
Opening Hours
Sat-Wed 10am-5.45pm; Fri 10am-8pm
Address
1071 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street), New York City, 10128
Telephone
+1 212 423 3500
4. Ellis Island Immigration Museum - Honouring the immigrants
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In the Statue of Liberty's shadow, Ellis Island Immigration Museum honours the 12 million immigrants who landed here from countless countries, between 1892 and 1954. Photographs, archives and interviews tell their heart-rending stories of hope.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free; ferry US$12; concessions US$10; children US$5
Opening Hours
Daily 9.30am-5.15pm
Address
National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, New York City, 10004
Telephone
+1 212 363 3206 (info); +1 212 269 5755 (boat schedules)
Transport
Access to the island is by the Circle Line Statue of Liberty Ferry, which leaves from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and from Liberty State Park in New Jersey
Website
5. Brooklyn Museum - World history and art
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The renowned Brooklyn Museum gets all New Yorkers travelling to the suburbs for its five floors of exhibits, which include ancient Egyptian statues, feminist art and American paintings. The museum hosts free concerts the first Saturday of every month.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Suggested donation: US$8; concessions US$4; under-12s free
Opening Hours
Wed-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat & Sun 11am-6pm; first Sat each month 11am-11pm
Address
200 Eastern Parkway (at the corner of Washington Avenue), New York City, 11238
Telephone
+1 718 638 5000
6. International Center of Photography - World's best photographers
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Manhattan's spacious International Center of Photography's huge permanent collection spans photographic history from early gelatin silver to digital colour prints. Other exhibits include illustrated magazines published between World Wars I and II, and classics by Cartier-Bresson and Eugene Smith.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$12; concessions US$8; under-12s free; Fri 5pm-8pm voluntary contribution
Opening Hours
Tue-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri 10am-8pm; Sat & Sun 10am-6pm
Address
1133 Sixth Avenue (at 43rd Street), New York City, 10036
Telephone
+1 212 857 0000
Attractions
Expand all7. New York Public Library - Bibliophiles' heaven
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Guarded by huge marble lions Patience and Fortitude, the Beaux Arts New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue has scholarly volumes for reference only and temporary exhibitions. Look upwards in the gallowed Rose Main Reading Room to see the restored ceiling murals, lit up by 18 chandeliers.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Mon & Thu-Sat 11am-6pm; Tue & Wed 11am-7.30pm; Sun 1pm-5pm
Address
5th Avenue & 42nd Street, New York City, 10018-2788
Telephone
+1 212 930 0830
8. Central Park - City's green lung
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Manhattan's vast Central Park, over 2.5 miles long, would take several days to explore fully. Locals love ice-skating in winter, boating in summer and cycling or rollerblading all year. Other relaxing places include the secluded conservatory and the Victorian Belvedere Castle.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 6am-1am
Address
59th Street to 110th Street (between 5th Avenue & Central Park West), New York City, 10022
Telephone
+1 212 360 3444
9. Grand Central Terminal - Iconic train station
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The Beaux Arts Grand Central Terminal in Midtown gleams with its gold-leaf ceiling of the main concourse, the iconic four-faced brass clock and marble staircase. There's also a selection of restaurants and bars here.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 5.30am-1.30am
Address
200 Park Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York City, 10022
Telephone
+1 212 340 2345
10. Canal Street, Chinatown - Oriental market and mayhem
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The eastern half of Canal Street is the hub of busy Chinatown and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. It comes alive here at the weekend market, when stall holders set up to sell pork dumplings and buckets of live eels, and hawkers their fake designer goods.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Most stores open 10am-8pm
Address
China Town, New York City, 10013
Transport
Canal Street subway
11. Brooklyn Bridge - Suspension bridge to Manhattan
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An iconic 1595-foot suspension bridge, completed in 1883, Brooklyn Bridge links Brooklyn to Manhattan over the East River. Chunky cables, steel girders and views make a wonderful walk, especially towards Manhattan's skyline. Walk, cycle or rollerblade across its wooden platform.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
24 hours daily
Address
New York City, 11201
Telephone
+1 212 442 7000
Transport
City Hall (Manhattan side) or High Street (Brooklyn side) subway
Website
New York City Department of Transportation Website
Website
Special things to do
Expand all12. Top of the Rock - City-wide views
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From the top of the iconic Art Deco Rockefeller Center's 70 floors there are 360-degree views of Manhattan. Reopened in 2005 after 20 years, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Rockefeller ice-rink are visible from Top of the Rock.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
US$17.50; concessions US$16; children US$11.25
Opening Hours
Daily 8am-12am (last elevator 11pm)
Address
70/F 30 Rockefeller Plaza (entrance on 50th Street), between 5th and 6th Avenues, New York City, 10112
Telephone
+1 212 332 6868
13. Mother AME Zion Church - Gospel chapel and song
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For an uplifting Sunday, join the gospel singing by both congregation and choir at the Mother AME Zion Church, perfectly capturing Harlem's spirit. This was New York's first black church, established in 1796, and gave shelter to escaped slaves, including Frederick Douglass.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free (donation suggested)
Opening Hours
Services: Sun 11am-1pm; open other days for visits
Address
140-147 West 137th Street, Harlem, New York City, 10030
Telephone
+1 212 234 1544
Transport
135th Street subway
14. Staten Island Ferry - Harbour views
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Not just any commuter trip: the half-hour journey on the passenger ferry between Manhattan and Staten Island traverses New York's busy harbour, offering views of the Statue of Liberty. Ride the return trip towards Manhattan for sunset views of the city.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
Free
Opening Hours
Daily 24 hours
Address
1 Whitehall Street (at South Street), Battery Park, New York City, 10004
Telephone
311 (from New York); +1 212 639 9675 (outside New York)
Transport
1, 4, 5, N, R subway lines as well as the M1, M6 and M15 bus lines
Website
New York City Department of Transportation Website
Website
15. Russian & Turkish Baths - Sauna and scrub
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For a deep clean and reviving massage, the Russian & Turkish Baths in East Village has an old-world feel. Try the sizzling Russian sauna, ice-cold pool and Turkish steam room, followed by Dead Sea salt scrub.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Cost
All-day pass US$30 including sauna, steam & pool; treatments US$35-US$90
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat & Sun 7.30am-10pm; women only Wed 9am-2pm; men only Sun 7.30am-2pm
Address
268 East 10th Street (between 1st Avenue & Avenue A), New York City, 10009
Telephone
+1 212 674 9250
